Development Chef in Leigh

• Strictly Private and Confidential
• Job Title
• Development Chef
• Location
• Crewe
• Purpose

The Development Chef works extremely closely with the wider NPD and Category teams in order to support the development and innovation plan at site.

This is done across a multiple customer base for our foodservice sites.

The role involves developing products with a strong drive in innovation, making samples, keeping the kitchen clean and tidy as well as writing and costing recipes.

Working in a collaborative manner with the wider development team and other key stakeholders to deliver profitable growth to the Compleat Food Group and its customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Effective delivery of the business strategy and customer category plans as directed by the Development Chef &/or Development Controller/ Manager.
• Support in the sites concept NPD/EPD agenda to required cost and within agreed timescales.
• Strong involvement in customer briefs.
• Delivering innovation that translates into concepts that are profitable and fit the market requirements.
• Driving food values for both site and wider business – visually / verbally / displays.
• Customer Brief & Presentations
• Interpret varying customer briefs to deliver innovative concepts that meet the customer requirements for product style / QUID / key attributes / legislation/ customer guidelines and customer brand values.
• Work with relevant NPD managers to interpret the brief and split the work between chef and technologist.
• Present concepts internally to site teams and lead senior management presentations when required.
• Responsible for working with purchasing to source new ingredients / prices / min order quantity and raw material specifications.
• Work with procurement teams responsible for providing Finance all the relevant information to carry out costings.
• Ability to interpret costings and amend products to be commercially viable.
• In conjunction with the NPD manager and commercial teams responsible for gathering all information required for customer presentations including theoretical nutritional / photographs / benchmarks / product descriptions to internal & external customer presentations.
• Confidently present products to customers and support the NPD Managers & Development Manager at presentations/meetings.
• Able to talk confidently about current and future products. Displays product well and appropriately.
• Documentation
• Recipe build on Point 74 Recipe Professor system or site finance recipe build documents.
• Help to lead and support site feasibility sessions with expert guidance.
• Manage workload with site kitchen planner and communicate workload to the wider business and culinary function.
• Interpret theoretical nutritional results against guidelines and respond as appropriate.
• Complete relevant benchmarking documentation.
• Complete presentation for food shows/shops visited.
• Proactive Development Initiatives
• Support in continuous improvements and identify cost savings in reducing production costs / new ideas and ingredient potential to maximise cost savings and efficiency to both businesses.
• Support in value engineering of ingredients / packaging / processes where required.
• Support in liaising with suppliers to provide process and ingredient improvement.
• Play a key role in driving innovation for site and wider group.
• Challenge factory processes.
• Identify New Trends & Maintain Current Products
• Involvement in blue sky activity including customer and supplier involvement / researching for site.
• Review the competitive market / comparative shop reports and relevant documentation.
• Support benchmarking panels / conduct as and when required.
• Identifying newness through directional shopping for all sites within the group (shows, local markets, farm shops, restaurant reviews).
• Blue sky development off the brief without definite end point relevant to the category.
• Understand the market at all times and keep abreast of new launches and competitors.
• Communication & Team Working
• Demonstrate ability to communicate with various teams as required by manager / projects.
• Organise, and attend as necessary project meetings and panels.
• Appropriate communication (written and verbal) to teams and team members.
• To work as part of a team and not by customer head. Projects may be split so working on multi-customers.
• To work alongside development technologists and chefs and be flexible in roles where required across the team – This may involve Occasionally participating at other sites.
• Health & Safety
• Follow all H&S requirements during kitchen and process development work.
• Promote safe working across site and advice immediately on unsafe work practices.
• General Duties
• May be required to carry out projects within the Complete Food Group which may require time spent at other sites.
• General office duties.
• Support the organising of customer visits and always promote strong business food values.
• Continually keep ahead on innovation and the market - communicate with the team.
• Support benchmarking panels.
• May be required to support development chefs in the kitchen as and when required.
• Due to the nature of the role, you may be required to cover weekends and night shifts.
• Work in line with the company’s development processes and procedures.
• Complete necessary PDR’s for any reports.
• Samples as required.

Experience

• Experience in both sweet and savoury cuisine preferred but not essential.
• Catering college qualification not essential.
• Strong food experience background.
• Restaurant experience preferred – Rosette +.
• Previously development experience preferred.
• Key Skills
• Strong cookery skills with flare for innovation.
• Organisation / planning.
• Communicating at different levels of seniority.
• Presentation skills.
• Basic computing skills.
• Team player but can work independently.
• Qualities
• A passion for food.
• Enthusiasm to learn and grow.
• Hard working and driven.
• Legal Compliance Statement

Employees are required to review and sign their job description to demonstrate that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and effectively communicated across the business.

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