Culinary Development Chef - R&D India

McCormick & Company; Sonipat; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

McCormick India is seeking a Culinary Development Chef to drive thought leadership on new trends and flavor profiles. You will collaborates with cross-functional teams to create concept ideas for domestic and international customers, and support culinary services across divisions in McCormick.

The role emphasizes maintaining flavor integrity and delivering presentations, demonstrations, and global project contributions.

Qualifications

• A tertiary culinary science qualification is required.
• Solid knowledge of ingredients, recipes, and flavor forecasting.
• Experience in an industrial food manufacturing setting is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop new product concepts based on briefs from flavor solutions and consumer marketing teams.
• Ensure concepts and flavor development meet target profiles and timelines.
• Provide feedback to R&D and sensory teams on prototypes and flavor profiles.
• Research Indian and global food trends with cross-functional partners.
• Share knowledge with business leaders and maintain industry connections.

Skills

Culinary expertise

Flavor forecasting

Industrial food manufacturing

Cross-cultural experience

Presentation skills

Education

Culinary Science degree (Qualified Chef)

Food Safety & Sanitation Certification

Job description

About the Role:

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.

Responsibilities:

• 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.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Culinary Science (Qualified Chef)
• Food Safety and Sanitation Certification

Required Skills

• Fully Qualified Chef with previous 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
• Experience having worked internationally, outside of own country, and across multiple cultures is strongly preferred
• 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.