Development Chef - Merchant Gourmet

Premier Foods; Worksop; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK food manufacturer is seeking a proactive Development Chef to drive innovation for the Merchant Gourmet brand. This role requires a creative flair for developing delicious, trend-led products while collaborating across teams to ensure culinary excellence. Candidates should have over 3 years of culinary experience and a strong understanding of food trends, particularly in vegan and vegetarian products. Join us in transforming ideas into flavorful foods that exceed consumer expectations.

Benefits

Bonus

Up to 7.5% pension

Life assurance

Training opportunities

Employee discount scheme

Qualifications

• 3+ years creative development chef experience across multiple cuisines.
• Experience of working as a development chef in a food manufacturing environment.
• Track record of developing inspirational and exciting meals.

Responsibilities

• Provide culinary inspiration for new product development.
• Monitor and report food trends to inspire product concepts.
• Support marketing and product launches through culinary activities.

Skills

Creative development chef experience

Passion for vegan/vegetarian meals

Knowledge of food trends

Education

Chef qualifications from accredited colleges

BSc Food Science/Technology

Job description

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Date: 4 Jan 2026

Location: Worksop, GB

Development Chef

Based in Worksop - WFH 2 days per week, site based 3 days per week.

Permanent

We are looking for an ambitious, skilled, and knowledgeable individual to join our team and work on the exciting Merchant Gourmet brand and range of products.

Premier Foods has an ambitious vision for growth driven by innovation. As one of the key brands within our portfolio, Merchant Gourmet plays a critical role in helping us achieve our target of 10% of company turnover from innovation each year.

Role Focus

• Drive innovation for a leading premium, wholefood Brand, supporting the company’s ambitious growth targets.
• Translate creative ideas into delicious, trend-led products across new cuisines, categories, and formats.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure culinary excellence and consumer appeal.

This role will focus on bringing the Merchant Gourmet brand to life—requiring creative flair and practical expertise to transform big ideas into delicious, flavourful products that customers love.

To succeed, you’ll need to be a true foodie with a passion for creative, trend-led product development. You’ll help us expand into new areas, ensuring our products stay ahead of consumer expectations and market trends.

Job Purpose

• Inspire consumers to “make every day a little more gourmet” through innovative, wholesome food solutions.
• Deliver products that balance taste, simplicity, and natural goodness:
• Taste: Use high-quality ingredients and authentic flavours to let real food shine.
• Simplicity: Create convenient, fuss-free options ready in minutes or straight from the pack.
• Wholesome Goodness: Champion whole foods, minimal processing, and real ingredients for natural health benefits.

What we need from you..

• 3+ years creative development chef experience across multiple cuisines.
• Passionate about all things vegan/ vegetarian, with a track record of developing inspirational and exciting meals.
• Experience of Working as a development chef role in a food manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of what it take to translate high quality ideas into scalable products for manufacture.
• Chef qualifications from accredited colleges
• BSc Food Science/Technology preferable

What you'll be doing..

• Provide culinary inspiration for new product development by working closely with product development teams. Ensure all new products meet clearly defined culinary standards throughout the development process, supporting the delivery of the R&D program for both NPD (New Product Development) and EPD (Existing Product Development).
• Monitor and report food trends by tracking media, menus, foodservice, and retail NPD activity. Regularly share emerging trends with the business and translate these insights into viable product concepts.
• Support brand marketing and product launches through a range of culinary activities, including internal and external presentations, application recipe development, and food styling for photography and advertising.
• Foster a passion for food culture by collaborating with other R&D team members and the Head Development Chef. Deliver culinary teaching sessions, themed presentations, and workshops to inspire and educate

What we offer you in return...?

• Bonus
• Up to 7.5% pension
• Life assurance
• Wide range of online and in-house training
• Access to an employee discount scheme, with access to hundreds of nationwide retailers

Ready to apply...?

Click apply, submitting an up-to-date CV tailored to this opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you.

At Premier foods we believe in inclusion, authenticity and individuality. We aim to ensure all existing and future colleagues are given equitable opportunities and are respected, valued and encouraged to bring their true authentic selves to work no matter who they are, what they look like, who they love or what they believe in. Our culture is one where everyone is welcome.

We're proud to be a Disability Smart employer and are committed to supporting disability inclusion throughout our recruitment process. If you experience any access issues or require reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know so we can ensure you have the support you need.