Associate Culinary Chef

McCormick & Company; Sonipat; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,700,000; Full time

Job summary

McCormick India seeks a Culinary Development Chef to lead thought leadership on new food trends, flavors and profiles for domestic and international customers. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to create concepts and ensure flavor integrity across products.

You will present culinary findings through demonstrations, train staff, and support global flavor forecasting while contributing to ongoing culinary projects within the Global Culinary Department.

Qualifications

• Level of education and discipline: tertiary qualification in Culinary Science; Certified Chef.
• Certifications: Food Safety and Sanitation preferable.
• 5–10 years in industrial food manufacturing (FMCG, ingredients, etc.).
• Experience with savoury culinary knowledge across wet and dry categories; flavour forecasting.

Responsibilities

• Develop new product concepts based on briefs from Flavor Solutions and Consumer Marketing teams.
• Provide feedback to R&D and sensory teams on prototypes and flavour profiles.
• Research food trends in India and globally; share insights with cross-functional partners.
• Contribute to the global annual flavor forecast from the India region.
• Conduct trainings and presentations on culinary trends for technical and commercial teams.
• Support QA and Customer Service with product-related queries and corrective actions.

Skills

Culinary knowledge

Flavor forecasting

Presentation & training

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Culinary Science qualification

Food Safety Certification

Qualified Chef

Job description

The Culinary Development Chef will be responsible for bringing thought leadership to McCormick India regarding new food trends, flavor ideas and flavour profiles. In collaboration with cross functional partners the Culinary Development Chef will use their knowledge and skills to create new product concepts for existing and potential customers (both domestic and international). The chef will provide culinary and flavor knowledge to customers through presentations, culinary demonstrations, and culinary collaboration sessions. In their role the Chef will be responsible for ensuring flavor and preparation integrity in all products is maintained. The culinary chef will also provide culinary and test kitchen services to all divisions in McCormick.

The role based out of Sonipat, India will also be a key member of the Global Culinary Department, tasked with ensuring efficient and aligned culinary ways of working and contributing to global culinary projects such as the annual flavour forecast.

• Develop new product concepts based on briefs and requests from the flavor solutions and consumer marketing teams. Ensure that concept and flavour development is achieved in a timely manner and suitable in flavor profile and appeal for the target consumer
• Provide feedback and support to the R&D and sensory team on prototype development and relevant flavor profiles based on consumer preferred profiles
• Working closely with consumer insights, marketing, sensory and R&D, actively research food trends across India and for global customers/consumers. Share this knowledge to cross functional partners and business leaders. Maintain an active presence in industry groups & associations to stay connected to food trends
• Provide contribution from the India region for the development of the global annual flavor forecast
• Conduct training and presentations to the technical team, Consumer Marketing, and Flavour Solutions commercial teams on culinary and food trends. Support the commercial teams in proactive presentations with customers and consumers
• Support QA and Customer Service in customer queries relating to products and giving feedback on corrective actions. Highlighting any issues and corrective actions to R&D and QA which may exist with products when consumed as per the pack instructions

Education & Experience

• Level of Education and Discipline Tertiary qualification in Culinary Science (Qualified Chef)
• Certifications and/or Licenses Preferred Food Safety and Sanitation Certification
• Fully Qualified Chef with 5-10 years of work experience in an industrial food manufacturing environment. E.g. an FMCG business, Food Distribution, Ingredient supplier etc.
• Thorough and in-depth understanding of the food industry, particularly ingredients, culinary trends, recipe creation, flavor forecasting
• Savoury culinary knowledge and experience preferred in both Wet and Dry Categories - Herbs, Spices, Condiments, Sauces, Coating, Seasonings and Flavouring. Experience with Flavour science/technology also highly regarded.