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- Tasks: Create delicious food concepts and collaborate with teams to deliver culinary excellence.
- Company: Join McCain, a global family-owned company passionate about food and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible holidays, a generous car allowance, and a great pension scheme.
- Why this job: Combine your culinary skills with creativity and make a real impact in the food industry.
- Qualifications: 3-5 years of culinary experience and a passion for food innovation.
- Other info: Embrace hybrid working and enjoy excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About McCain. At McCain, we’re feeding the world: from French fries to smiles, we contribute to the important role food plays in people’s lives. That’s why we’re dedicated to ensuring our core values - Family, Authentic, Trusted, and Quality - shine through every day. As a privately owned family company with over 60 years of experience, a presence in more than 160 countries, and a global team of 22,000 people, our values and culture are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that we can work together, along with our business and community partners, to bring sustainable growth and positive change today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
About the role. Are you passionate about food, flavour, and culinary innovation? Do you love bringing ideas to life and creating memorable dining experiences that truly resonate with customers? If you’re driven by creativity and thrive in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
We’re looking for an enthusiastic Assistant Development Chef to play a key role in delivering culinary excellence to both external and internal customers. Using your in-depth culinary knowledge and genuine passion for food, you’ll work closely with the Business Development Chef, as well as the Category and Sales teams, to gain a deep understanding of customer needs and market trends. You’ll help translate insights into inspiring, practical, and commercially viable food solutions - showcasing how our product range can be creatively integrated to add real value.
You’ll also support the planning, preparation, and delivery of customer-facing presentations, tastings, and events, helping to bring concepts to life and leave a lasting impression. This is a hands-on role where innovation, collaboration, and attention to detail are key - ideal for a chef who’s excited to develop their career beyond the kitchen while staying firmly connected to food.
Accountabilities:
- Develop a deep understanding of customer operations by conducting unit calls, market reviews, and targeted web-based research.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with customer food teams, enabling early visibility of account changes, challenges, and opportunities.
- Deliver engaging product training to the sales team, clearly communicating product features and benefits.
- Champion our passion for food internally and externally, acting as a culinary ambassador for the brand.
- Collaborate as part of a cross-functional team to plan and deliver trade shows, exhibitions, bespoke customer events, and ad hoc internal presentations.
- Work closely with Marketing, Innovation, and Insights teams across categories to support the development of new products.
- Coordinate benchmarking activity to evaluate the performance of McCain products against key competitors.
- Ensure results, insights, and recommendations are clearly communicated across relevant teams.
Qualifications:
- Proven experience working within a culinary or product development environment, ideally in a customer-facing role.
- A minimum of 3-5 years’ hands-on culinary experience, demonstrating strong craft skills and technical ability.
- Solid knowledge of the foodservice market, with a clear understanding of customer operations and sector demands.
- A genuine passion for food, paired with a willingness to continuously learn and stay ahead of emerging food trends.
- Food Safety Level 2 certification (essential).
- Confident product showcasing and presentation skills.
- Strong communication skills, capable of clearly conveying ideas and recommendations.
- A natural relationship builder, able to establish trust and credibility.
- Evidence of successful new product development (NPD) experience.
- A full, clean driving licence, with the flexibility to travel as required.
Location. Here at McCain, we champion hybrid working. This means we don’t have a set expectation of exactly when you need to be in the office - however, we do encourage our full-time, office-based people to connect in person with others for around half of their working time.
The benefits of working for McCain. For working hard, you’ll also get a great salary and some pretty good benefits including:
- A generous Car Allowance
- An achievable yearly bonus based on personal performance.
- An excellent pension where we will pay double what you do, up to a maximum of 12% of your pay.
- Flexible holidays - where you can buy & sell up to 5 days holiday per year.
- Optional health cash plan.
- ‘Chips In’ Volunteering Day Off.
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger.
Assistant Development Chef employer: McCain Foods (GB) Ltd
Contact Detail:
McCain Foods (GB) Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Development Chef
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research McCain's values, products, and recent innovations. This way, when you chat with them, you can show off your knowledge and passion for their mission.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. Building relationships can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral—always a bonus!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and showcasing your culinary skills. Bring examples of your work or even a dish that represents your style. Show them you’re not just a chef, but a creative force!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the McCain family. Let’s make it happen!
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Development Chef
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food: When you're writing your application, let your love for food and culinary innovation shine through! Share specific examples of how you've brought ideas to life in the kitchen or created memorable dining experiences. We want to see that spark!
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the role of Assistant Development Chef. Use keywords from the job description to show us you understand what we're looking for and how you can contribute.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on communicating your key achievements and skills effectively. Remember, less is often more!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do—just follow the prompts!
How to prepare for a job interview at McCain Foods (GB) Ltd
✨Know Your Ingredients
Before the interview, brush up on your culinary knowledge and be ready to discuss food trends, flavour pairings, and innovative cooking techniques. McCain values creativity, so think about how you can showcase your passion for food and how it aligns with their mission.
✨Showcase Your Presentation Skills
Since the role involves delivering engaging presentations, practice showcasing a dish or product as if you were in front of the interview panel. Use this opportunity to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and bring products to life through your enthusiasm and storytelling.
✨Understand Customer Needs
Research McCain’s customer base and their operations. Be prepared to discuss how you would approach understanding customer needs and translating those insights into culinary solutions. This shows that you’re not just a chef but also someone who thinks strategically about food in a business context.
✨Emphasise Team Collaboration
McCain values teamwork, so be ready to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others in previous roles. Highlight your ability to build relationships and work cross-functionally, as this will resonate well with their leadership principles.
