Culinary R&D Specialist - Manufacturing

Kettle Cuisine; Lynn (MA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kettle Cuisine is seeking a Culinary R&D Specialist to support chefs in developing innovative products. You will maintain the Culinary Center, ensure labs are stocked, prepare development samples for shipment, and assist with customer tastings and taste panels.

The role requires 1–3 years of relevant experience, culinary training, and strong MS Office skills. You will collaborate closely with the culinary team in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent experience required.
• 1–3 years of experience preferred.
• Proficient with MS Office, especially Excel and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Execute sample recipes from start to finish with minimal supervision.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of the Culinary Center.
• Prepare and ship development samples to clients.
• Coordinate product orders and arrange soup tastings for clients.
• Assist chefs during taste panels and customer visits.
• Provide culinary support to the team as needed.

Skills

Passion for food

Culinary training

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Multi-tasking

Education

Associate's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

MS Office (Excel, Outlook)

Job description

JOB SUMMARYThe Culinary R&D Specialist plays a crucial role in supporting research and development chefs in creating innovative products. Responsibilities include maintaining a clean and organized Culinary Center, ensuring development workstations are equipped with necessary tools and materials, preparing R&D samples for shipment, and providing culinary support by preparing and cooking customer samples. Additionally, this role serves as an ambassador for "Honoring Food".ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIESExecute sample recipes from start to finish with minimal supervision.Assist with special functions within the scope of R&D, whether on-site or off-site.Maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and organization of the Culinary Center, including kitchen, pantry, cooler, and freezer spaces.Ensure optimal stock levels of ingredients through proper rotation, labeling, and storage.Requisition and record the usage of raw materials and ingredients as required.Set up kitchen equipment each morning, gather recipes, and procure necessary raw materials.Supply the culinary team with clean and sanitized equipment and raw materials throughout the day.Assist with cooking and/or batching recipes under supervision.Manage inventory and record-keeping for all development samples.Package, label, and ship development samples as needed.Coordinate product orders and arrange soup tastings for clients.Provide assistance to chefs during internal taste panels and customer visits as necessary.LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITYWork under close supervision with limited decision-making authority.Indirectly interact with customers on matters of minor impact on revenue.Make indirect contributions to revenue-generating efforts at a moderate level.Decisions or actions have a limited impact on the business, typically within the department.Errors are typically detected through routine verification/review but may result in some workflow disruption or repetition of work.Not responsible for influencing the decisions or actions of others.SKILLS REQUIREDAssociate's degree, or equivalent experience requiredRequires one - three years of experienceOn-the-job training of 3-6 months.Must be proficient with MS Office programs, specifically Excel and Outlook.WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL EFFORTThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Assistant Product Developer encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.Physical Demands/EffortsWork requires occasional physical exertion including some lifting of objects weighing up to 40 poundsWilling and able to stand for long periods of timeMental & Visual DemandsWork performed by this position requires moderate mental concentration to effectively execute moderately complex tasks.Work requires continuous visual effort for extended periods of time.Work Environment and HazardsEmployee works in a manufacturing setting with frequent exposure to heat/cold, dust, or other factors that may require protective equiptment and still pose a hazard.This position has regular exposure to hazards that could result in significate injury and lengthy loss of time at work.Travel is not required for this position.Additional skillsPassion for foodCulinary training; i.e. cooking techniques / knife work / sanitation / HACCP / ingredient knowledgeServSafe certification a plusAbility to adapt and multi-task via a dynamic work environment with a positive attitudeCollaborativeCustomer- CentricStrong verbal and written communication skillsKeen attention to detail