Senior Manager, Customer Innovation & Culinary

Dessert Holdings Inc.; Aurora (CO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Dessert Holdings is seeking a Sr. Manager, Customer Innovation & Culinary to partner with Sales, Marketing and Product Development, driving culinary innovation and new product concepts across retail and foodservice channels.

Based in a US location near Denver, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas or Minneapolis/St. Paul, this role requires 5+ years in culinary roles within food manufacturing or CPG, and up to 70% travel.

Qualifications

• Professional culinary training from an accredited program is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Hospitality Management, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of culinary experience within food manufacturing, ingredient solutions, foodservices, or CPG environments.
• Strong culinary techniques and food application expertise.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with executive leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Product Development teams.
• Established knowledge of restaurant, foodservice, and retail trends.
• Ability to manage multiple customer projects simultaneously.
• Ability to travel to and navigate customers and manufacturing facilities within North America up to 70%.
• Ability to work in typical kitchens and food manufacturing facilities; lift up to 50 pounds and stand/walk for >4 hours.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative food concepts, applications, and recipes that align with customer needs and market trends.
• Partner closely with the Sales team to support customer meetings, presentations, innovation sessions, and business reviews, serving as the culinary subject matter expert.
• Evaluate and monitor emerging food, flavor, ingredient, and menu trends to identify innovation and growth opportunities.
• Conduct culinary presentations, product demonstrations, and ideation workshops for current and prospective customers.
• Provide application expertise and recommendations to help customers enhance their product portfolios.
• Serve as a culinary ambassador for the company, promoting innovation capabilities and product excellence at strategic customer visits, trade shows, and industry events.
• Translate marketplace insights into new product concepts that deliver customer value.
• Analyze competitive products and emerging food categories to support innovation strategies.
• Support product optimization efforts related to flavor, texture, functionality, cost, and manufacturability.
• Champion efficiency and consistency in product development process, recipe management, and documentation.

Skills

Culinary expertise

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive communication

Travel up to 70%

Education

Culinary training from accredited program

Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts / Food Science / Hospitality Management

Job description

Sr. Manager, Customer Innovation & Culinary

Dessert Holdings is the leading premium dessert company in the world. We craft artisanal, scratch-made desserts at scale, combining culinary innovation with the finest real ingredients. With a rich heritage spanning seven distinctive brands, we bring unmatched expertise and tailored solutions to our Retail and Foodservice partners.

We are looking for a Sr. Manager, Customer Innovation & Culinary to be a key partner to the Sales, Marketing, and Product Development teams by providing culinary expertise that helps drive innovation and business growth across retail and foodservice channels. This role is responsible for developing customer-focused culinary solutions, creating new product concepts, conducting product demonstrations, and translating consumer and industry trends into commercially viable food products. The Culinary Chef works directly with customers to identify opportunities, solve product challenges, and support strategic growth initiatives.

Ideally, this individual will be located in or near Denver, CO; Boston, MA; Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX; or Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop innovative food concepts, applications, and recipes that align with customer needs and market trends.
• Partner closely with the Sales team to support customer meetings, presentations, innovation sessions, and business reviews, serving as the culinary subject matter expert.
• Evaluate and monitor emerging food, flavor, ingredient, and menu trends to identify innovation and growth opportunities.
• Conduct culinary presentations, product demonstrations, and ideation workshops for current and prospective customers.
• Provide application expertise and recommendations to help customers enhance their product portfolios.
• Serve as a culinary ambassador for the company, promoting innovation capabilities and product excellence at strategic customer visits, trade shows, and industry events.
• Translate marketplace insights into new product concepts that deliver customer value.
• Analyze competitive products and emerging food categories to support innovation strategies.
• Support product optimization efforts related to flavor, texture, functionality, cost, and manufacturability.
• Champion efficiency and consistency in product development process, recipe management, and documentation.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional culinary training from an accredited culinary program required
• Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Hospitality Management, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of culinary experience within food manufacturing, ingredient solutions, foodservices, or CPG environments
• Strong culinary techniques and food application expertise
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to interact with executive leadership, key customers, and cross-functional teams
• Experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Product Development teams
• Established knowledge of restaurant, foodservice, and retail trends
• Ability to manage multiple customer projects simultaneously
• Ability to travel to and navigate customers and manufacturing facilities within North America up to 70%
• Ability to work in typical kitchens and food manufacturing facilities, and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand/walk for greater than 4 hours

About Dessert Holdings

Dessert Holdings is a collection of premium dessert companies and brands: The Original Cakerie, Lawler's Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company, Steven Charles, Dianne's Fine Desserts, Kenny's Great Pies, and Willamette Valley Pie Company. Dessert Holdings is owned by Bain Capital, is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, employs more than 3,500 people across ten manufacturing facilities, and is continuing its journey of rapid growth.

EEO Statement

Dessert Holdings and its related entities provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristics protected by law.