Development Chef

BAKKAVOR GROUP PLC; Greater London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Holidays

Pension contributions

Life insurance

Share save scheme

Greencore Qualifications

Employee discount platform

Wellbeing Centre platform

Enhanced parental leave & menopause 정책

On-the-job training

Job summary

Greencore is seeking a passionate Development Chef to join its Product Development team. You will create eye-catching meals for a major retail customer and help shape concepts from trial to launch in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

With a strong culinary background and 3+ years in hospitality or food manufacturing, you will drive innovation, work independently and collaboratively, and contribute to nationwide product introductions.

Qualifications

• Proven culinary creativity and ability to translate briefs into concepts.
• Strong collaborative skills with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent planning and organisational capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative food concepts and recipes aligned with customer briefs.
• Support the NPD process from concept to launch with high culinary and quality standards.
• Collaborate with Technical, Process and Commercial teams.
• Attend customer presentations to showcase new ideas and developments.
• Support kitchen trials and product testing as required.

Skills

Creative flair

Team player

Communication skills

Organisation

Education

NVQ/City & Guilds or equivalent

Job description

We are seeking a passionate and driven Development Chef to join our innovative team. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a major retail customer, creating eye catching and inspiring products across our meals range within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. Working closely with our Senior Development Chef and Product Development team, you will play a key role in developing innovative food concepts, supporting kitchen trials, and helping to shape products that reach customers nationwide. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a dynamic and growing food business where no two days are the same. You'll have the chance to bring creativity to life across our meals category, supported by an experienced leadership team that encourages new ideas and continuous development., Develop innovative food concepts and recipes in line with customer briefs and market trends. Support the NPD process from concept to launch, ensuring high culinary and quality standards. Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams including Technical, Process, and Commercial. Attend customer presentations and contribute to showcasing new ideas and developments.

Experienced Chef with industry-recognised qualifications (e.g. NVQ, City & Guilds or equivalent). Minimum 3 years' experience within a hosppality setting or food manufacturing environment. Strong creative flair with a genuine passion for innovation and food trends. Self-motivated and organised, with the ability to work independently and within a team structure. Confident communicator with a collaborative approach.

Why Greencore? Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we're one of the UK's leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make everyday taste better. As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we're proud to employ over 28,000 talented colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and the US. Together, we bring delicious food to life. Our products cover every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner and dessert, with lunch and snacking in between. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve combined revenues of approximately 4bn. Our extensive direct to store (DTS) network, with 17 depots across the UK, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring consumers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop.

We're proud to be recognised in the Gender Equity Measure Top 100 for our commitment to gender equality. What you'll get in return:

• Competitive salary and job-related benefits
• Holidays
• Competitive matched pension contributions
• Life insurance up to 4x salary
• Company share save scheme
• Greencore Qualifications
• Exclusive Greencore employee discount platform
• Access to a full Wellbeing Centre platform
• Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies
• Throughout your time at Greencore, you will be supported with on the job training.