SUMMARY
The R&D Chef Manager serves as a key culinary partner and right hand to the Director of Culinary, Whitsons Culinary Group's Berkeley, IL facility. This role leads day-to-day culinary product development, operational support, and execution of customer samples. The R&D Chef Manager translates culinary vision into production-ready recipes and ensures consistent, high-quality execution from concept through manufacturing.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES
- Lead culinary product development - concepting, formulating, testing, and refining recipes from bench-top through kitchen trials to production-ready, scalable formulas, executing the culinary direction of Whitsons
- Responsible for creating new meals for ALL sectors that we serve (Education, Residential/Senior, Shelters, Food Service, Retail, Transportation)
- Own execution and quality of customer and sales sample requests, including client tastings and product presentations, as directed.
- Provide operational support on the plant floor - troubleshooting production issues, scaling recipes, and partnering with QA and Operations to ensure formulas are manufacturable at scale.
- Serve as a key deputy on culinary initiatives, representing culinary priorities and maintaining project momentum in the absence of their manager.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, QA, Procurement, and Production to move products from concept to launch.
- Maintain accurate documentation and specifications for formulas, ensuring consistency across trials and production runs.
- Develop and cost recipes to meet target food cost and margin goals, balancing quality with budget guidelines.
- Ensure formulas comply with food safety and regulatory requirements (HACCP, FSMA, USDA/FDA), including writing product specifications and nutrition fact panels.
- Evaluate shelf-life and packaging considerations during recipe development.
- Source and evaluate ingredients, and build relationships with suppliers and vendors.
- Track culinary and flavor trends and competitive products, including attending trade shows and food exhibitions, to inform development priorities.
- Mentor and train junior culinary and kitchen staff.
- Perform other culinary and operational duties as assigned by the Director of Culinary.
Apply today and help us power a production line that fuels excellence - Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time
This role offers a salary range of $75,000 - $90,000 annually, based on skills, experience, and location. Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, and time off.