Development Chef

Highly experienced & creative Food Production & NPD professional. Up to £45,000 per annum plus performance bonus, 40 hours per week, onsite. Due to the location of the Estate, your own transport is advised.

This is a fantastic opportunity for all development foodies, to work alongside artisanal producers with the finest ingredients! Reporting directly to the head of production, you will be responsible for the development of recipes for our food production units:

• Estate Kitchen – responsible for soups, stews, sandwiches & salads for our quick-serve outlets on our estate, as well as our ready meal retail ranges.
• Bakery – supplying fresh baked goods to our restaurants and shops with 100% regeneratively farmed wheat flours.
• Butchery – sausages, burgers, BBQ skewers as well as show-stopping three bird roasts and stuffed turkeys for Christmas, with beef and lamb from our own herds, as well as meat carefully sourced from nearby farms.
• Creamery – creating compotes and marinades to complement our range of buffalo milk dairy products that are made in our lovingly restored Victorian creamery.
• Gelato – we produce fresh fruit sorbets and authentic Italian style gelato using buffalo milk from our own herd.

You will be working closely with our artisanal producers to reflect the food philosophy of the estate, and then bring new products to life. You will need to be very hands-on in the kitchen, experimenting with new flavours and techniques as our repertoire grows. When initial recipes have been created, the focus switches to raw materials, packaging requirements as well as production processes, so a deep understanding of the full development process is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Create new, commercially viable food products that reflect the food philosophy of the Newt.
• Create kitchen samples for internal and external panels, as well as technical samples.
• Carefully manage recipe creation so that they are scalable within our production units, utilising our recipe database system.
• Manage base ingredient costs as well as finding new suppliers that serve our needs.
• Support photoshoots and social media content creation.

What we can offer

• A positive workplace environment with opportunities to develop both personally and professionally.
• Complimentary use of our gym and wellbeing classes.
• Complimentary access to our Spa and swimming pools and our exclusive benefit of 50% off Spa Treatments.
• 30% discount for all our colleagues and free delivery for any online purchases.
• Discounted hotel stays for staff, accompanied by a fantastic 30% discount at our restaurants.
• Complimentary garden membership for the Newt and our partner gardens including the Eden Project, Kew Gardens and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
• Complimentary meal whilst on shift, created using fresh produce from our estate by our dedicated staff food chefs.
• Colleague recognition programme “Newt Awards” with the opportunity to achieve a variety of amazing rewards including a complimentary Hotel Stay.
• Support from our Employee Assistance Programme for both yourself and your family.
• Regular team engagement activities including monthly Gather and Grow Motivational Speakers and our regular fun squad events.
• Access your earnings at anytime with Wagestream, with access to nationwide brand discounts.
• Up to 30 days annual leave each year for our full-time team.

What we’re looking for

• A passion for cooking with the best ingredients.
• Experience of commercial food development within a structured NPD process.
• Experience of PLM software (ideally Recipe Professor).
• Confident presentation skills for internal & external product panels.
• Knowledge of food manufacturing processes and legislation.

Who are we - The Newt in Somerset

Nestled within an expanse of rolling fields and steeped in ancient history, our luxury country estate stands as a haven of refined elegance, inviting guests to explore acres of captivating gardens, meandering pathways, and enriching exhibitions - accessible 364 days a year for our members. Our hotel extends a warm welcome, offering a home-away-from-home experience where impeccable service flourishes in an ambiance of unassuming sophistication. Beyond the estate, the Newt's essence remains tangible, with our Ecommerce teams delivering our finest products to homes, while media and membership endeavours keep them informed of our latest developments. Behind the scenes, a tapestry of talented teams - from Housekeeping to HR, Finance to Farming - collaborates harmoniously, crafting an unforgettable journey.