Product Development Chef – Savory Menu

Caffe Concerto; London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for a Product Development Chef to innovate and enhance their savory menu offerings. This role is pivotal in ensuring the menu stays fresh and aligned with modern culinary trends. The ideal candidate will possess strong expertise in hot food preparation, seasonal menus, and high-volume production. You will lead the creation of visually appealing and commercially viable dishes, while collaborating with various teams to ensure consistency and quality across multiple locations. If you are passionate about culinary innovation and thrive in a dynamic environment, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Head Chef or Product Development Chef is essential.
• Strong knowledge of culinary trends and hot food preparation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test new savory dishes for various menus.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure new items meet quality standards.

Skills

Hot food preparation

Seasonal menu development

High-volume production

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Menu engineering

Cost control

Job description

Job Summary: Caffe Concerto is seeking a Product Development Chef – Savory Menu to lead the innovation and enhancement of our food offerings. This role is crucial for ensuring our menu remains fresh, exciting, and aligned with modern culinary trends, helping us stand out in a competitive market. The ideal candidate will have expertise in hot food, seasonal menus, and high-volume production, ensuring that every dish is both innovative and commercially viable.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Develop and test new hot and savory dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, ensuring a balance between classic flavors and modern trends.
2. Create innovative, scalable, and commercially viable dishes suitable for high-volume production.
3. Introduce seasonal and event-specific menus throughout the year, including Christmas, January health-conscious options, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Spring, Summer, and beyond.
4. Innovate with seasonal ingredients to create dynamic, high-quality dishes.
5. Collaborate with procurement to source premium ingredients while managing costs effectively.
6. Standardize recipes and ensure kitchen teams can replicate them consistently across multiple locations.
7. Work closely with operations and training teams to ensure seamless implementation of new menu items.
8. Support marketing efforts by providing insights and ideas for showcasing new dishes.
9. Ensure all new products meet food safety and quality standards.

Requirements:

1. Experience as a Head Chef or Product Development Chef in a high-quality restaurant, café, or production kitchen.
2. Strong knowledge of hot food preparation, seasonal menus, and modern culinary trends.
3. Ability to create visually appealing, flavorful, and scalable dishes that fit the Caffe Concerto brand.
4. Strong leadership and communication skills.
5. Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
6. Familiarity with menu engineering, cost control, and food production at scale.

Location: Production Kitchen (Primarily) & Multiple Locations (for Training & Presentations).

Salary: £45,000 – £60,000 per year (depending on experience).

Job Type: Full-time

Experience: Required
Employment: Full-time
Salary: £45,000 – £60,000 yearly
Starting time: Immediate start!

About Caffe Concerto:
Caffe Concerto is a very popular and iconic luxury cafe/restaurant with branches based all over the UK.