Creative Research Chef for Food Innovation & Prototyping

Bell Flavors & Fragrances LATAM; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full‑time benefits package

Job summary

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. in Northbrook, IL, is seeking a creative and hands-on Research Chef to join our Research & Development team to drive culinary innovation through concept development, prototypes, and testing of formulas and recipes.

The ideal candidate will have strong cooking skills, food science knowledge, and experience taking products from raw ingredients to consumer-packaged goods while collaborating with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D. Travel up to 20% may be required.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent restaurant industry experience required.
• Bachelor’s degree in culinary science, Food Science, Culinology, or related field required.
• 3–6 years of experience in food manufacturer environment preferred.
• Minimum of one year of food product development experience in multi-project environment.
• Strong cooking skills and experience developing manufactured food products.

Responsibilities

• Research, source, and prepare high-quality food concepts and prototypes for appropriate business channels.
• Support day-to-day test kitchen operations, including inventory and kitchen readiness.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D to deliver innovative product concepts.
• Write, test, edit, and improve proprietary formulas and recipes while maintaining integrity.
• Demonstrate cooking methods, train others, and showcase Bell products.
• Coordinate food products and presentation materials for meetings and events.
• Maintain notebooks and data records to support reliable decisions.
• Travel up to 20% for customer presentations and trade shows.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Team-building

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Passion for food and productinnovation

Education

Associate degree in Culinary Arts

Bachelor’s degree in culinary science / Food Science / Culinology

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. in Northbrook, IL, is seeking a creative and hands-on Research Chef to join our Research & Development team to drive culinary innovation through concept development, prototypes, and testing of formulas and recipes.

The ideal candidate will have strong cooking skills, food science knowledge, and experience taking products from raw ingredients to consumer-packaged goods while collaborating with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D. Travel up to 20% may be required.