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- Tasks: Create and launch innovative food products in a dynamic team environment.
- Company: Join a values-led food business focused on quality and customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: Enjoy free pastries, subsidised meals, and excellent career development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with regular team events and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of food innovation and make a real impact on product development.
- Qualifications: Experience in product development and strong culinary skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Join our team as a Development Chef in our New Product Development Team! Due to continued business growth, we have an exciting opportunity for an Experienced Development Chef to join our New Product Development team based in Bodmin. This is a hands-on, creative role at the heart of our food innovation, ideal for someone passionate about product development, quality food, and working collaboratively in a fast-paced FMCG environment.
Working closely with the NPD Manager, NPD Assistant Manager and wider cross-functional teams, you will be involved in developing and launching new products, as well as enhancing our existing range, ensuring everything we produce meets our quality, safety and customer expectations.
Hours of work: 08:00 until 16:00
Days of work: Monday to Friday
Salary: TBC Depending On Qualifications And Experience
Closing Date: 08 May 2026, Please note that this vacancy may close early if we receive a high number of applications, so early submission is encouraged.
Why Join Us? By joining our growing NPD team, you will play a key role in shaping products enjoyed by customers across the UK. We are a values-led business built on Quality, Friendliness, Customer Focus, Honesty, and Passion, and we are proud of our heritage and our people. We offer a supportive working environment where ideas are encouraged, development is supported, and careers can grow alongside the business. If you’re a creative and driven Development Chef looking for your next opportunity in a growing food business, we’d love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
- Product Development: Manage new and existing product development projects from concept through to launch. Develop, refine, and trial recipes to deliver high-quality, innovative products. Ensure products align with company strategy, customer briefs and market trends.
- Trials and Scale-Up: Plan and lead kitchen trials, factory trials and first productions as required. Support product scale-up, ensuring smooth transition from development to production. Work closely with Operations and Technical teams to ensure manufacturability and consistency.
- Quality, Food Safety and Compliance: Ensure all products comply with food safety, legal, customer and internal quality standards. Maintain accurate NPD documentation, specifications and trial records. Follow the NPD Quality Assurance system and support audit activity where required.
- Collaboration and Customer Focus: Work cross-functionally with Technical, Commercial, Operations, Procurement and Supply Chain teams. Support customer presentations, tastings and product reviews when required. Build strong working relationships with customers and suppliers.
- Continuous Improvement: Contribute to improving NPD processes, ways of working and product performance. Support cost control, value engineering and margin awareness throughout development. Willingness and flexibility to travel within the UK and, where required, internationally to support customer visits, supplier meetings, product trials and site-based project activity.
Essential Requirements
- Proven experience delivering end-to-end product development, from concept through to launch.
- Strong food development capability, including recipe formulation and hands-on culinary skills.
- Sound knowledge of food manufacturing processes, food safety standards, allergens and HACCP principles.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Full UK Drivers Licence.
- Confidence working cross-functionally with Technical, Operations and Commercial teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with a proactive, solutions-focused approach.
- A genuine passion for food, quality and product excellence.
Desirable Requirements
- Experience developing products within chilled, frozen, bakery, ready meals or protein-based categories.
- Experience working within an FMCG or food manufacturing environment.
- Experience working with major UK retailers or foodservice customers.
- Practical experience of factory trials, scale-up or pilot plant activity.
- Formal culinary or food-related qualifications, with additional food safety training.
Benefits
- Free pasties and pastries every day.
- Weekly free fruit.
- Subsidised staff canteen.
- Monthly colleague treats.
- Regular staff BBQs.
- Christmas celebrations and goodies.
- Free use of spa and golf facilities in St Austell.
- Birthday meal in the canteen.
- Mental Health First Aiders.
- Company-funded Health Cash Plan.
- Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 helpline).
- Death in Service plan.
- Employment anniversary cash awards.
- £500 colleague referral bonuses.
- Huge discounts on pasties, pastries, cakes and tarts.
- Local business discounts.
- Excellent career development opportunities.
- Strong internal communication, newsletters, suggestion boxes, etc.
If you’re a team player with a positive can-do attitude and want to be part of our friendly and rapidly growing company, apply today!
Development Chef (NPD) in Bodmin employer: Proper Cornish
Contact Detail:
Proper Cornish Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Development Chef (NPD) in Bodmin
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the food industry, attend events, and join relevant groups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your culinary skills! If you get the chance, bring samples of your work to interviews or networking events. A taste of your creativity can leave a lasting impression and set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings; reach out directly to companies you admire. Express your interest in their NPD team and share how your experience aligns with their goals. It shows initiative and passion!
✨Tip Number 4
Keep learning and adapting! Stay updated on food trends and innovations. Share your insights during interviews to demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement and your genuine passion for product excellence.
We think you need these skills to ace Development Chef (NPD) in Bodmin
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food: When writing your application, let your love for food and product development shine through! Share specific examples of your culinary experiences and how they relate to the role. We want to see that you’re not just qualified, but genuinely excited about creating innovative products.
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for this position. Highlight your relevant experience in NPD and any specific projects you've worked on that align with our values. This shows us that you’ve done your homework and are serious about joining our team.
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. We appreciate a well-structured application that highlights your key skills and experiences without unnecessary fluff!
Apply Early!: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. Since we might close the vacancy early if we get a lot of applications, it’s best to apply as soon as you can. Head over to our website and get your application in – we can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Proper Cornish
✨Know Your Ingredients
Before the interview, brush up on your knowledge of food development processes and culinary techniques. Be ready to discuss your experience with recipe formulation and how you've tackled challenges in previous projects. This will show your passion for quality food and product excellence.
✨Showcase Your Creativity
Prepare to share examples of innovative products you've developed or contributed to. Think about how you can demonstrate your creative flair during the interview, whether through discussing past projects or even suggesting new ideas that align with the company's values and market trends.
✨Collaboration is Key
Since this role involves working closely with cross-functional teams, be prepared to talk about your experience collaborating with others. Highlight specific instances where you successfully worked with technical, operations, or commercial teams to bring a product from concept to launch.
✨Be Ready for Practical Questions
Expect some practical questions or scenarios related to food safety, compliance, and quality assurance. Brush up on HACCP principles and be ready to explain how you ensure products meet safety and quality standards. This will demonstrate your thorough understanding of the industry.