Culinary Specialist

Sysco; Ontario (CA); On-site; USD 74,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

The Culinary Specialist at Sysco will act as an ambassador for Sysco brand and culinary innovation, driving category strategies and sales growth across regions. You will engage at culinary events, train teams, and work closely with stakeholders to deliver data-driven, customer-focused solutions.

You will manage test kitchen operations, collaborate on menu planning, and execute market insights to optimize customer outcomes, while maintaining safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years in Foodservice management and 3+ years as Executive Chef.
• Post-secondary education required; Red Seal Chef with Diploma preferred.
• Culinary, restaurant operations, and food trends proficiency required.
• Strong financial acumen; ability to plan and execute business plans.
• Proven success in consultative selling and networking.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to influence stakeholders.
• Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business.
• Self-directed with ability to structure weekly schedule for success.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and deliver high-quality results.
• Strong restaurant operations acumen to manage sophisticated customers.
• Willingness to learn proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth.
• Proficient with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute targeted culinary strategies to meet annual business goals and drive profitable growth across categories.
• Coordinate with leadership to identify top opportunities for business reviews using data.
• Collaborate with sales to understand customer needs and deliver creative, productive solutions.
• Track activities and results; champion team-selling processes using Salesforce CRM.
• Leverage sampling to close sales in a solutions-oriented manner.
• Stay informed about market trends, product innovations, and competitors; share insights with customers.
• Plan and support internal/external culinary events, shows, and catering.
• Coordinate kitchen logistics for internal and external culinary events.
• Lead and deploy the Revolution Vendor program.
• Assist with employee training and demonstrations with the sales team.
• Manage test kitchen/culinary center operations, including sanitation and costs within budget.
• Support menu planning services and regulatory inspections.
• Uphold a Customers First mindset in daily duties and food safety compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Sales

Communication

Networking

Time management

Culinary knowledge

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

CRM proficiency

Education

Red Seal Chef

Diploma in Culinary Management

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Salary Range: $74,000 - $105,000

The Culinary Specialist will be an ambassador for Sysco brand, innovation and Category Management (Sourced) products and will leverage all opportunities to close the sale with customers. This individual will represent Sysco at culinary events and in appropriate organizations in the industry. Specialists will prioritize time, targets, and team selling efforts based on market insights and data analytics. The incumbent will be a resource for both internal and external culinary sessions, customer events, workshops and trainings.

Role Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute targeted culinary strategies to achieve individual and region annual business goals, delivering profitable sales growth and penetration across categories, specialty segments, and Sysco brand.


• Coordinate with Director of Business Resources, leveraging data to identify top opportunities for business reviews.


• Collaborate with sales team partners to clearly identify customer challenges, needs, or opportunities and deliver creative and productive solutions to help grow customer business and drive case growth.


• Track activities and results, collaborate on opportunities, and champion the team selling process through use of Salesforce (Sysco’s CRM tool).


• Leverage sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales.


• Be informed of market conditions and trends, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales; share information with customers as part of value-added services provided.


• Facilitate internal/external food shows, catering and event planning activities.


• Coordinate kitchen logistics in support of internal/external culinary events.


• Lead, enable, and execute the Revolution Vendor program.


• Assist with employee training by working with sales to facilitate training sessions and complete demonstrations.


• Manage all operations of the test kitchen/culinary center including sanitation, product rotation, laundry service and the organization and upkeep of equipment, displays and the general appearance of the culinary facility.


• Manage test kitchen food and supply costs within budgetary parameters.


• Accompany and respond to regulatory agency kitchen/culinary center inspections.


• Enable and execute menu planning services.


• Supports a Customers First Mindset while carrying out daily duties.


• Complies with Sysco’s Food Safety Policy and procedures to ensure food safety, quality and legality requirements are met.


• Is willing to work safely with minimal environmental impact and understands the importance of reporting all hazards, incidents, and environmental spills immediately to their Supervisor.


• Understands that they play an integral role in their own safety and that of their colleagues and is willing to speak out when hazards are present.


• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Skills/Job Requirements (About you):

• Minimum of five (5+) years of Foodservice management or equivalent combination including a minimum of three (3) years as Executive Chef.


• Completion of post-secondary education, Minimum: Red Seal Chef with preferred Diploma in Culinary Management or Restaurant Management.


• Proficiency in culinary, restaurant operations, and food trends required (Internal Certification & External Certification may be required).


• Strong financial acumen and ability to properly plan and execute business plans.


• Track record of success in the area of consultative selling and networking.


• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work with and influence a variety of key stakeholders.


• Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business.


• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to structure a weekly schedule to be successful.


• Demonstrated ability to deliver against deadlines and produce high-quality results (accuracy, thoroughness in the deliverables they are producing).


• Strong business and restaurant operations acumen to manage sophisticated customers.


• Ability to learn the use of proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth.


• Proficient in Microsoft Applications Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).