At a Glance
- Tasks: Inspire culinary innovation and create impactful menu solutions for customers.
- Company: Join McCain Foods, a leader in food innovation and customer partnerships.
- Benefits: Generous car allowance, flexible holidays, and a strong pension plan.
- Other info: Home-based role with travel; enjoy a hybrid work-life balance.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the food industry while building strong relationships.
- Qualifications: Expertise in product formulation and recipe development required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
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. The 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 is 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 breading’s.
- 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 is a home‑based role with extensive travel. The head office (Customer Experience Centre) is on the outskirts of Scarborough – 1.5 hours from Leeds City Centre and about an hour from York. The hybrid model allows collaboration in the office and work‑from‑home balance to support a good life‑work balance.
Benefits
- Generous Car Allowance
- Achievable yearly bonus based on personal performance
- Excellent pension – double company contribution up to 12 % of pay
- Flexible holidays – buy & sell up to 5 days per year
- Optional health cash plan
- Cycle to work scheme
- ‘Chips In’ Volunteering Day Off to positively impact communities worldwide
Equal Opportunity and Accessibility Statement
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCain’s Global Privacy Policy and Global Employee Privacy Policy. McCain leverages AI in the hiring process, though all final decisions are made by humans. You can understand our approach to AI and how your personal information is being handled here.
Development Chef employer: McCain Foods
McCain Foods is an exceptional employer that prioritises innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for a Development Chef to thrive. With a strong focus on employee growth, the company offers generous benefits such as a car allowance, flexible holidays, and a robust pension plan, all while fostering a supportive work culture that values work-life balance through a hybrid model. Located near Scarborough, employees enjoy the flexibility of home-based work combined with opportunities for engaging in-person collaboration, ensuring a fulfilling and rewarding career experience.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Development Chef
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research McCain’s culinary vision and their latest innovations. This will help you tailor your conversations and show that you're genuinely interested in what they do.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Attend industry events and connect with other chefs and foodservice professionals. Building relationships can open doors and give you insights into what McCain is looking for in a Development Chef.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your culinary skills! If you get the chance, bring samples of your work or demonstrate your cooking techniques during interviews. This hands-on approach can really impress and showcase your expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After any meetings or interviews, send a quick thank-you note. It shows your appreciation and keeps you fresh in their minds as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Development Chef
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Culinary Skills:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your hands-on culinary expertise. Share specific examples of how you've created innovative menu solutions or collaborated with customers in the past. We want to see your passion for food and how you can inspire others!
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the key skills and experiences mentioned in the job description. We love seeing candidates who understand what we’re looking for and can connect their background to our needs.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read through your experience and qualifications. Remember, we’re looking for strong partnerships and effective communication, so show us you can do that right from the start!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details about the role and our company culture there, which can help you craft a standout application!
How to prepare for a job interview at McCain Foods
✨Know Your Ingredients
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of ingredient functionality, especially with potatoes and other key components. Be ready to discuss how different ingredients can impact flavour, texture, and overall dish success.
✨Showcase Your Culinary Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your hands-on culinary expertise. Bring examples of past recipe developments or menu innovations you've created, and be ready to talk through your process and the results achieved.
✨Understand Customer Needs
Research McCain’s customer base and think about how you can tailor your culinary solutions to meet their operational needs. Be prepared to discuss how you would engage with chefs and customers to build strong partnerships.
✨Stay Ahead of Trends
Familiarise yourself with current foodservice trends and competitor offerings. During the interview, share insights on how you would leverage these trends to create innovative menu solutions that resonate with customers.
