Development Chef

Reed Specialist Recruitment Ltd.; Belfast; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer in Northern Ireland is seeking an experienced Head Chef to combine culinary creativity with business development. In this dynamic role, you will showcase products across various channels, support product development, and collaborate with marketing. The ideal candidate will have experience as a Senior/Head Chef or Development Chef and possess strong customer-facing skills. This full-time position offers a competitive salary and the chance to make a significant commercial impact.

Qualifications

• Experience in a Senior/Head Chef or Development Chef role.
• Hands-on experience in product and menu development.
• Strong customer-facing skills with business development support.

Responsibilities

• Showcase product portfolio through demos and presentations.
• Understand customer needs and support product development.
• Deliver training to internal teams to strengthen product knowledge.
• Partner with R&D teams to create new concepts and refine recipes.
• Provide culinary insight and market trend analysis.
• Support business development by identifying customer opportunities.
• Ensure new recipes meet cost and margin targets.
• Collaborate with marketing for customer presentations and product launches.

Skills

Experience as a Senior/Head Chef or Development Chef

Hands-on product/menu development

Strong customer-facing skills

Understanding of Foodservice, B2B and QSR

Knowledge of food safety and hygiene standards

Awareness of food trends and culinary techniques

Job description

Head Chef - Progressing into Business Development

Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 Depending on Experience
Location: Belfast
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Are you an experienced Chef with a flair for innovation and a passion for shaping the future of food? This is an exciting opportunity to step into a dynamic role where culinary creativity meets commercial impact. This well‑established food manufacturer supplies into Foodservice, QSR, FSR and Retail channels. They are looking for a talented chef who can champion their product range, inspire customers, and drive forward new product initiatives that support ongoing business growth. This position would suit a Head Chef or Development Chef who enjoys combining hands‑on culinary work with customer interaction, product development, and cross‑functional collaboration.

What you’ll be doing

• Showcasing the company’s product portfolio across Foodservice, B2B and QSR channels through engaging demos and presentations.
• Working closely with key accounts to understand their needs and support the development of products that complement their strategies.
• Delivering training to internal teams to strengthen product knowledge and support wider sales objectives.
• Partnering with R&D teams to create new concepts, refine recipes and ensure products meet quality, flavour and trend expectations.
• Providing culinary insight and market trend analysis to guide product positioning and wider commercial planning.
• Supporting business development activity by helping identify opportunities with existing and new customers.
• Working with procurement and finance to ensure new recipes meet agreed cost and margin targets.
• Collaborating with marketing teams ahead of customer presentations, events, and product launches.

What we’re looking for

• Experience working as a Senior / Head Chef or a Development Chef
• Hands‑on experience with product and/or menu development
• Strong customer‑facing skills, preferably with experience in supporting commercial or business development activity.
• A good understanding of Foodservice, B2B and QSR environments.
• Knowledge of food safety, allergen and hygiene standards
• Up‑to‑date awareness of food trends and culinary techniques

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives in a varied, creative and commercially focused environment. You’ll play a key role in shaping the product pipeline for a respected manufacturer while working closely with customers, internal teams and senior leadership.

If you’re interested in this position, click apply or contact Stuart Goble at Reed for more information.