Development Chef

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

Job summary

A respected food manufacturer in Belfast is seeking a skilled Head Chef to progress into business development. You will blend culinary creativity with commercial impact, showcasing products across various channels. Ideal candidates will have experience as a Senior Chef or Development Chef and possess strong customer-facing skills. This role offers a competitive salary and the chance to influence product innovation in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Experience working as a Senior / Head Chef or a Development Chef.
• Strong customer-facing skills with a background in business development.
• Good understanding of Foodservice, B2B, and QSR environments.

Responsibilities

• Showcase the company's product portfolio across channels through demos.
• Work closely with key accounts to 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.

Skills

Hands-on experience with product and/or menu development

Strong customer-facing skills

Knowledge of food safety, allergen and hygiene standards

Up-to-date 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.