Research Chef

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. is seeking a creative and hands-on Research Chef to join our Research & Development team in Northbrook, IL. This role supports culinary innovation through concept development, prototype creation, recipe and formula testing, product demonstrations, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate is passionate about food, skilled in culinary execution, and excited to apply food science principles in a product development environment.

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Research, source, and prepare high-quality food concepts and prototypes for appropriate business channels.
• Support day-to-day test kitchen operations, including inventory, organization, cleaning materials, and kitchen readiness.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D to deliver innovative product concepts in a timely and fiscally responsible manner.
• Write, test, edit, and improve proprietary commercial formulas and home-cook recipes while maintaining formula and recipe integrity.
• Demonstrate cooking methods, train others on basic culinary skills, and showcase Bell products.
• Coordinate food products and presentation materials for customer meetings, trade shows, internal events, and product demonstrations.
• Maintain accurate scientific notebooks, data records, and documentation to support reliable decision-making.
• Travel up to 20% of the time for customer presentations, trade shows, demonstrations, and related business activities.

Your Qualifications:

• Associate degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent restaurant industry experience required.                         
• Bachelor’s degree in culinary science, Food Science, Culinology, or a related field required.
• 3–6 years of experience working for a food manufacturer preferred.
• Minimum of one year of food product development experience in a multi-project environment.
• Strong professional cooking skills and experience developing manufactured food products from raw ingredients to finished consumer-packaged goods.
• Basic understanding of food science principles, including preservative systems, gums, starches, emulsifiers, flavors, sweeteners, and basic chemistry.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Strong written, verbal, communication, presentation, interpersonal, and team-building skills.
• Passion for food, cooking, product innovation, and demonstrating culinary applications.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary range of $50,000 - $100,000
• Full-time benefits package
• Ideal role for a chef who enjoys hands-on development, customer-facing demonstrations, and bringing innovative food concepts to life.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Be part of a supportive and collaborative team
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion