Culinary R&D & Production Chef – On-Site Plant Leader

Wow Bao; Forest City (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Voluntary Life Insurance

Short-Term Disability

Long-Term Disability

Paid Time Off & Holidays

Job Training Opportunities

Employee Discount Programs

CARE culture

Job summary

Wow Bao is seeking a Culinary R&D/Production Chef for our new Forest City, NC food manufacturing plant. You’ll split your time between culinary creativity and operational excellence, shaping products from concept to scale, testing recipes with the VP of Culinary, and partnering with production to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency.

This on-site role requires 5+ years in culinary R&D or large-scale food service, a Bachelor’s in food science or culinary arts, and proven cross-functional

Qualifications

• 5+ years minimum in culinary R&D, food manufacturing, corporate chef or large-scale food service operations.
• Bachelor's degree in food science, culinary arts or equivalent professional training required.
• Strong knowledge of food science, flavor development, and manufacturing processes.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with operations, quality assurance, and supply chain teams.
• Proven ability in plant operations, including budgeting, cost control, and resource management.
• Passion for culinary innovation and ability to balance creativity with operational feasibility.
• Strong understanding of food safety regulations (USDA, FDA), quality standards (HACCP, GMP) and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to generate and implement creative culinary solutions.
• Ensures accuracy in recipes, processes, and documentation.
• Clear and effective collaboration across teams.
• Some travel required
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations focused on process improvements, while approving the taste, texture, size, and shape of all products to ensure quality and consistency.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to ensure all products meet food safety, regulatory, and company quality standards.
• Work with team to address product defects, implement corrective actions, and ensuring continuous improvement in product quality.
• Partner with Operations to optimize production workflow, and capacity planning to optimize efficiency and meet demand.
• Maintain accurate records of recipes, formulations, and testing results for compliance and reproducibility.
• Provide culinary guidance and training to the production team on existing and new product launches.
• Promote a positive work culture, providing guidance and motivation to employees while ensuring that they understand and follow goals and standards.
• Ensure all products are manufactured in accordance with company specifications, quality standards, and food safety regulations (UDSA, FDA, HACCP, and GMP).
• Champion plant safety efforts, ensuring that all safety policies and procedures are followed to maintain a safe working environment.
• Collaborate with the Plant Manager for continuous improvements in lean manufacturing practices to increase plant efficiency and reduce waste.

Skills

Culinary R&D experience

Food manufacturing

Cross-functional collaboration

Plant operations budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in food science or culinary arts

Job description

Wow Bao is seeking a Culinary R&D/Production Chef for our new Forest City, NC food manufacturing plant. You’ll split your time between culinary creativity and operational excellence, shaping products from concept to scale, testing recipes with the VP of Culinary, and partnering with production to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency.

This on-site role requires 5+ years in culinary R&D or large-scale food service, a Bachelor’s in food science or culinary arts, and proven cross-functional