Recipe Development Chef

Mindful Chef | B Corp; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working flexibility

Free Mindful Chef meals

Gym access

Vertical farm on-site

Pet-friendly policies

Vitality health insurance

LinkedIn Learning access

Mental health support

AI coaching tools

30 days holiday + bank holidays

Product discounts

Parental leave policy

Job summary

Mindful Chef is seeking a Development Chef with a passion for healthy, delicious food to lead recipe creation, testing and cost management. You will collaborate with Buying, Marketing and wider Food teams to bring seasonal recipes to life, while ensuring nutritional, brand and regulatory standards are met.

You’ll have 2+ years in recipe development, kitchen experience, and strong data skills (Excel/Google).

Qualifications

• 2+ years’ experience in recipe creation, development and writing is desirable.
• Experience working in a professional kitchen, food development or product development environment.
• Experience with editorial recipe development and working to style guidelines is a plus.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with commercial, marketing and wider food teams.
• Experience in NPD or food product development is desirable.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills, with confidence using Excel and Google data platforms to interpret data, identify insights and support informed decision‑making.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, cook, cost and write recipes in line with briefs, food trends and customer insights.
• Style and shoot dishes for the recipe magazine and other brand content.
• Ensure all recipes meet nutritional, brand, quality and regulatory standards.
• Collaborate with Buying to source fresh, seasonal and cost-effective ingredients.
• Work closely with the Recipe Editor to maintain and evolve our recipe writing style and standards.
• Take part in recipe tastings, reviews, feedback and innovation sessions, giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Manage ingredient ordering and stock for recipe development within the test kitchen.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen organisation, cleanliness and food safety.
• Ensure ingredient lists and recipe methods are accurate, clear and easy to follow.
• Support NPD and EPD activity, including ingredient testing, onboarding and identifying new opportunities for our ingredient catalogue.
• Meet weekly recipe and team deadlines with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proofread weekly recipe booklets ahead of print deadlines.
• Use customer feedback, performance data and insights to improve existing recipes and inform new recipe development.
• Stay up to date with food trends, customer preferences and competitor activity to inspire new ideas.
• Support protein validation checks, ensuring they are completed accurately and in line with regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement across Food team processes and ways of working.
• Support social media activity by taking part in regular filming and confidently presenting recipes and development work on camera, creating engaging and on‑brand content.

Skills

Recipe development

Recipe writing

Editorial recipe development

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis (Excel/Google data)

Job description

As a proud B-Corp we focus on using business as a force for good. We do this by balancing out people and planet with profit. For every Mindful Chef recipe box bought we donate the equivalent of a school meal to a child in a less developed country (over 20 million meals donated and counting...) and we have also pledged to go Net Zero by 2030 but there are so many other initiatives that we would love to tell you about!

What we are looking for

We’re looking for a creative and commercially minded Development Chef with a genuine passion for healthy, delicious food and a strong understanding of recipe development. You’ll be confident creating, testing and refining recipes, with a sharp eye for detail and a focus on consistency, quality and customer appeal. You’ll understand how to balance creativity with commercial and operational considerations, including ingredient availability, cost and scalability. A collaborative approach is essential, as you’ll work closely with Buying, Marketing and wider Food teams to bring seasonal recipes to life. Most importantly, you’ll be curious, organised and hands‑on, with a passion for creating food that customers love.

You will

• Develop, test, cook, cost and write recipes in line with briefs, food trends and customer insights.
• Style and shoot dishes for the recipe magazine and other brand content.
• Ensure all recipes meet nutritional, brand, quality and regulatory standards.
• Collaborate with Buying to source fresh, seasonal and cost-effective ingredients.
• Work closely with the Recipe Editor to maintain and evolve our recipe writing style and standards.
• Take part in recipe tastings, reviews, feedback and innovation sessions, giving and receiving constructive feedback.
• Manage ingredient ordering and stock for recipe development within the test kitchen.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen organisation, cleanliness and food safety.
• Ensure ingredient lists and recipe methods are accurate, clear and easy to follow.
• Support NPD and EPD activity, including ingredient testing, onboarding and identifying new opportunities for our ingredient catalogue.
• Meet weekly recipe and team deadlines with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proofread weekly recipe booklets ahead of print deadlines.
• Use customer feedback, performance data and insights to improve existing recipes and inform new recipe development.
• Stay up to date with food trends, customer preferences and competitor activity to inspire new ideas.
• Support protein validation checks, ensuring they are completed accurately and in line with regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement across Food team processes and ways of working.
• Support social media activity by taking part in regular filming and confidently presenting recipes and development work on camera, creating engaging and on‑brand content.

Your profile

• 2+ years’ experience in recipe creation, development and writing is desirable.
• Experience working in a professional kitchen, food development or product development environment.
• Experience with editorial recipe development and working to style guidelines is a plus.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with commercial, marketing and wider food teams.
• Experience in NPD or food product development is desirable.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills, with confidence using Excel and Google data platforms to interpret data, identify insights and support informed decision‑making.
• Highly organised and detail‑oriented, with a passion for food, creativity and continuous improvement.
• An interest in nutrition and relevant experience or skills would be a plus. There is scope for the right candidate to develop this aspect of the role, working closely with our Head of Health to strengthen the kitchen team’s nutrition knowledge and practices, and to develop and refine recipes in line with our wider health and nutrition strategy.

Why us?

• A competitive package that rewards your skills and dedication.
• Flexibility of hybrid working, from our office based in Wandsworth.
• Be part of a Better Business (B-Corp), making a positive impact on profit, people, and planet.
• Join an award‑winning startup backed by the largest food and beverage company globally: Nestle
• Experience a workplace that feels like home, complete with free meals, a gym, a vertical farm, and pet‑friendly policies.
• Prioritise your well‑being with perks like Vitality health insurance, access to LinkedIn Learning, mental health support, Better Up AI Coaching and a generous holiday package (30 days + bank holidays).
• Enjoy a 50% discount on all Mindful Chef products.
• Enhanced policy of up to 6 months full pay primary parental leave and up to 6 weeks full pay secondary parental leave.

About us

We are MINDFUL. This is intrinsic to everything we do. From the healthy recipes we design, to the local, expert and caring suppliers we select and the way we treat each other, our customers and our environment.

We are CONNECTED to each other and the world around us, championing a food system that supports both people and planetary health. Guided by our community, we value shared food memories, trust, openness, and honest relationships—staying real and true to ourselves and each other as we grow.

We are UNAFRAID. We want to be the best – to challenge conventions, to think differently and be imaginative in how we solve problems. Brave enough to take on the big players and to do what’s right even when it’s difficult.

At Mindful Chef, we embrace diversity and inclusion as a foundation that enriches our culture and fuels the success of our business. We are mindful of everyone’s differences and we take pride in the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents that each individual brings to our team.

We are unafraid to tackle biases and challenge stereotypes, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their personal strengths. Our commitment to diversity is not just a policy; it's a personal and collective responsibility that we take to heart.

We believe that by being mindful of our differences, unafraid to confront barriers, and embracing the personal stories and journeys of our team members, we can achieve greater innovation, creativity, and harmony in the workplace. Together we celebrate diversity, and together, we are better.