R&D Chef Manager: Culinary Innovation & Scale-Up

Schodack Central School District Inc; Berkeley, Northern (IL, KY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Whitsons Culinary Group seeks an R&D Chef Manager to lead culinary product development at the Berkeley, IL facility. You will translate concepts into production-ready recipes, manage samples, and collaborate across Sales, QA, Procurement, and Production to drive launches.

The role requires 5–10 years in culinary/food manufacturing, a culinary degree, and strong regulatory knowledge. On-site work with occasional travel and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of progressive culinary or restaurant experience.
• Culinary degree from an accredited program.
• Experience in food manufacturing and R&D/product development preferred.
• Knowledge of recipe scaling and large-scale production processes.
• Experience with HACCP, FSMA, SQF, and USDA/FDA labeling requirements.
• ServSafe or equivalent certification required; HACCP a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary product development — concepting, formulating, testing, and refining recipes from bench-top through kitchen trials to production-ready, scalable formulas.
• Create new meals for Education, Residential/Senior, Shelters, Food Service, Retail, and Transportation sectors.
• Own execution and quality of customer and sales sample requests, including client tastings and product presentations.
• Provide operational support on the plant floor — troubleshooting production issues, scaling recipes, and partnering with QA and Operations to ensure formulas are manufacturable at scale.
• Serve as a key deputy on culinary initiatives, representing culinary priorities and maintaining project momentum in the absence of their manager.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, QA, Procurement, and Production to move products from concept to launch.
• Maintain accurate documentation and specifications for formulas, ensuring consistency across trials and production runs.
• Develop and cost recipes to meet target food cost and margin goals, balancing quality with budget guidelines.
• Ensure formulas comply with food safety and regulatory requirements (HACCP, FSMA, USDA/FDA labeling)
• Evaluate shelf-life and packaging considerations during recipe development.
• Source and evaluate ingredients, and build relationships with suppliers and vendors.
• Track culinary and flavor trends and competitive products, including attending trade shows and food exhibitions, to inform development priorities.
• Mentor and train junior culinary and kitchen staff.
• Perform other culinary and operational duties as assigned by the Director of Culinary.

Skills

Culinary Experience

Food Manufacturing

Regulatory Knowledge

Project Management

Communication

Education

Culinary degree

Job description

Whitsons Culinary Group seeks an R&D Chef Manager to lead culinary product development at the Berkeley, IL facility. You will translate concepts into production-ready recipes, manage samples, and collaborate across Sales, QA, Procurement, and Production to drive launches.

The role requires 5–10 years in culinary/food manufacturing, a culinary degree, and strong regulatory knowledge. On-site work with occasional travel and a comprehensive benefits package.