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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Create innovative food solutions and inspire customers with your culinary expertise.
- Company: Join McCain, a global family-owned company dedicated to quality and sustainability.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible holidays, a generous car allowance, and a great pension plan.
- Other info: Home-based role with travel opportunities and excellent career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the food industry while working with passionate professionals.
- Qualifications: Experience in product formulation and strong culinary skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Read on to fully understand what this job requires in terms of skills and experience. If you are a good match, make an application.
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. The Development Chef is at the heart of delivering McCain's culinary vision, bringing food innovation to life through strong customer partnerships and chef-to-chef collaboration. More than product development, this role is about inspiring customers, understanding their operational needs, and creating commercially successful, scalable menu solutions that make a real impact. Combining hands-on culinary expertise with strategic customer engagement, the Development Chef builds trusted relationships, influences menu decisions, and showcases McCain as the value-adding supplier of choice. The result? Stronger partnerships, increased customer loyalty, and shared growth across the regional foodservice market.
Accountabilities:
- Build strong partnerships with key customers and prospects, delivering proactive culinary support that brings McCain's foodservice strategy to life.
- Lead impactful chef-to-chef engagement through customer visits, cook-ups, menu trials, and presentations that inspire innovation and strengthen relationships.
- Drive customer retention, win-back, and growth opportunities by providing hands-on culinary expertise, technical guidance, and tailored operational support.
- Create and maintain high-quality technical documentation, including specifications, SOPs, and trial reports, ensuring consistency and excellence across projects.
- Stay ahead of foodservice and consumer trends by attending industry events, benchmarking competitors, and championing continuous improvement initiatives.
- Turn customer insights into actionable recommendations that support product optimisation, operational improvements, and future innovation pipelines.
- Help shape compelling commercial stories through product benchmarking, performance testing, and competitive analysis that showcase McCain's added value.
Qualifications: Technical Skills & Knowledge
- Proven expertise in product formulation and recipe development, particularly within frozen potato-based products.
- Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, including potatoes, oils, stabilisers, anti-caking agents, and functional additives.
- In-depth knowledge of appetite-style product systems, including doughs, batters, coatings, and breadings.
- Advanced understanding of food safety and quality systems, including HACCP and global regulatory standards such as FDA and EFSA.
- Solid knowledge of compliance requirements, including HFSS regulations and allergen management.
- Experience optimising manufacturing processes across freezing, packaging, storage, and distribution.
- Strong technical capability in industrial cooking methods, including blanching, frying, and freezing.
- Hands-on experience with operator cooking equipment such as Rational ovens, impingement ovens, and frying systems.
- Practical knowledge of potato processing equipment, including peelers, slicers, fryers, freezing systems, and refrigeration technology.
Customer & Engagement Capability
- Confident customer-facing culinary professional with the ability to build credibility in chef-to-chef environments.
- Skilled at understanding customer kitchen operations, equipment, and constraints, translating them into practical menu and product solutions.
- Experienced in delivering engaging culinary demonstrations, cook-ups, and technical presentations that influence menu and purchasing decisions.
- Commercially minded, with the ability to connect culinary and technical expertise to key business drivers such as yield, margin, labour efficiency, and menu profitability.
Location. This role is a homebased role with extensive travel, but our head office (Customer Experience Centre) is on the outskirts of Scarborough - 1.5 hours away from Leeds City Centre, and about an hour from York.
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
- Cycle to work scheme
- 'Chips In' Volunteering Day Off - to make a positive impact to the competitiveness, resilience, and long-term development of McCain communities across the globe
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, 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. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
Development Chef employer: McCain Foods Ltd
Contact Detail:
McCain Foods Ltd Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Development Chef
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks, attend food events, and join culinary groups. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Development Chef role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your best recipes and culinary innovations. When you meet potential employers, having something tangible to share can really set you apart.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings; reach out directly to companies you admire, like McCain. Express your passion for their products and how you can contribute to their culinary vision.
✨Tip Number 4
Keep learning! Stay updated on food trends and innovations. Attend workshops or online courses to enhance your skills. This shows potential employers that you're committed to growth and excellence in your field.
We think you need these skills to ace Development Chef
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Culinary Passion: When you're writing your application, let your love for food and cooking shine through! Share your experiences and what inspires you in the culinary world. We want to see your personality and passion for creating delicious dishes.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills match the Development Chef role. Use keywords from the job description and relate your past experiences to the responsibilities listed. This shows us that you've done your homework!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and long-winded explanations. Make it easy for us to see why you're a great fit for the role without having to sift through unnecessary details.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about McCain and our values.
How to prepare for a job interview at McCain Foods Ltd
✨Know Your Ingredients
As a Development Chef, it's crucial to have a solid understanding of ingredient functionality. Brush up on your knowledge of potatoes, oils, and stabilisers before the interview. Be ready to discuss how these ingredients can be used creatively in product formulation.
✨Showcase Your Culinary Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your hands-on culinary expertise. Bring examples of past projects or recipes you've developed that highlight your creativity and technical skills. This will not only impress the interviewers but also show your passion for food innovation.
✨Understand Customer Needs
McCain values customer obsession, so be prepared to discuss how you’ve previously engaged with customers to understand their operational needs. Share specific examples of how you’ve translated those insights into successful menu solutions.
✨Stay Ahead of Trends
Familiarise yourself with current foodservice trends and competitor benchmarks. During the interview, mention any industry events you've attended or insights you've gathered. This shows your commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in the culinary field.