Senior Development Chef

Location: West Coast

Reports To: Vice President of Culinary

Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Development Chef to lead culinary innovation and recipe creation for our restaurant-focused food service division. This is not a corporate café role — it is a restaurant-caliber culinary development position for a chef who lives and breathes food, with the creativity, rigor, and passion expected of a James Beard level talent .

The Development Chef will be responsible for hands-on cooking, recipe development, food concept creation, and product testing . You will be responsible for bringing ideas to life in the kitchen. This role requires a chef with a strong fine dining or high-end restaurant background who thrives on creating memorable, modern food experiences and translating them into scalable, high-quality offerings.

You will work side by side with the VP of Culinary, with a clear focus: you do the cooking and creative development, while leadership drives overall strategy.

Key Responsibilities

1. Recipe Development & Culinary Innovation
2. Create original, chef-driven recipes that reflect the highest standards of flavor, technique, and presentation.
3. Test, refine, and document recipes for scalability and repeatability.
4. Develop signature dishes and concepts aligned with a restaurant-level dining experience.
5. Hands-On Cooking & Testing
6. Be actively in the kitchen cooking, testing, plating, and iterating.
7. Lead tastings and presentations for leadership and stakeholders.
8. Explore new techniques, global influences, and modern culinary applications.
9. Food Concept Development
10. Design food concepts that can evolve into restaurant-quality menus.
11. Collaborate with operations and procurement to ensure feasibility of concepts while preserving culinary integrity.
12. Push boundaries in flavor, sustainability, and presentation.
13. Quality & Standards
14. Uphold a restaurant mindset of excellence in every detail.
15. Ensure recipes are documented with precision for consistency.
16. Maintain standards that reflect culinary artistry and operational practicality.
17. Collaboration
18. Work closely with cross-functional teams (strategy, operations, marketing, procurement).
19. Support client presentations and tasting events as needed.
20. Partner with culinary leadership to bring bold new ideas into reality.

Qualifications

1. Proven background in fine dining or award-winning restaurants (executive chef, chef de cuisine)
2. A track record of culinary creativity, innovation, and excellence .
3. Deep knowledge of global cuisines, modern techniques, and food trends.
4. Strong hands-on cooking ability, someone who thrives in the kitchen as much as in development.
5. Passionate, curious, and relentless in pursuit of culinary excellence.
6. Excellent palate and ability to translate creativity into executable dishes.
7. Strong organizational and documentation skills for recipe development.
8. Culinary degree or equivalent training strongly preferred.

What We Offer

1. A chance to create at the highest level and shape the future of restaurant-focused food service.
2. Collaboration with senior leadership in a creative, supportive environment.
3. Competitive compensation and benefits package.
4. Opportunity to leave a mark with recipes and concepts that reach a wide audience.

A Development Chef in a food service company plays a critical role in innovation, product development, and culinary strategy. Here are some key functions they typically perform:

1. New Product Development (NPD)

1. Create and test new recipes and food concepts.
2. Develop innovative menu items that align with market trends.
3. Improve existing products for better quality, taste, and consistency.

2. Market Research & Trend Analysis

1. Stay updated on food trends, consumer preferences, and dietary needs.
2. Analyze competitors' offerings and industry innovations.

3. Recipe Standardization & Documentation

1. Develop scalable recipes for mass production.
2. Ensure consistency in taste, texture, and presentation.
3. Document recipes with clear instructions, measurements, and procedures.

4. Ingredient Sourcing & Cost Control

1. Work with suppliers to source high-quality ingredients.
2. Optimize ingredient selection for cost efficiency without compromising quality.
3. Ensure compliance with food safety and sustainability standards.

5. Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams

1. Work closely with R&D, marketing, operations, and procurement teams.
2. Support sales teams with presentations, tastings, and client interactions.

6. Food Safety & Quality Assurance

1. Ensure all food products meet health and safety regulations.
2. Conduct quality checks and sensory evaluations.

7. Training & Support

1. Train kitchen staff or franchise teams on new recipes and techniques.
2. Provide guidance on plating, portioning, and preparation methods.

8. Menu Engineering & Optimization

1. Analyze sales data to determine best-performing dishes.
2. Adjust menus based on seasonality, cost efficiency, and consumer feedback.