Menu Development Chef (Remote)

Placements24; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 446,000 - 781,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible remote working arrangement

Competitive contract rate

Opportunity to shape culinary方向

Collaborative virtual team environment

Work on various catering projects

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a creative Menu Development Chef for a remote, contract role to design new menu concepts, develop recipes, and tailor offerings to market trends. You will work with our culinary and operations teams to ensure cost-effective, dietary-compliant menus.

The ideal candidate has proven menu development experience, strong recipe-writing skills, and the ability to collaborate remotely using digital tools. Flexibility and reliability are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Chef with menu development/recipe creation focus.
• Strong culinary arts and food science knowledge, including dietary considerations.
• Excellent recipe writing and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines in a remote setting.
• Proficient with digital collaboration tools for remote teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and develop innovative menu items and seasonal specials.
• Create detailed recipes with ingredient lists, prep steps, and nutrition info.
• Research food trends and customer preferences to inform menu development.
• Collaborate with procurement to manage ingredient costs.
• Ensure recipes are tested for quality and scalability for large-scale production.
• Provide culinary guidance to the catering team as needed.

Skills

Menu development

Recipe development

Culinary arts knowledge

Dietary considerations

Recipe documentation

Remote collaboration

Digital collaboration tools

Tools

Digital collaboration tools

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a creative and experienced Menu Development Chef to join their team on a remote, contract basis, contributing to their innovative catering solutions based out of Centurion . In this role, you will be instrumental in designing new menu concepts, developing recipes, and ensuring that our offerings meet evolving market trends and client expectations. You will leverage your culinary expertise and understanding of ingredient sourcing, costing, and dietary requirements to create exciting and profitable menus. This position offers the flexibility of remote work, allowing you to contribute your talent from anywhere while collaborating closely with our culinary and operations teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and develop innovative menu items and seasonal specials for various catering events.
• Create detailed recipes, including ingredient lists, preparation instructions, and nutritional information.
• Conduct research on food trends, competitor offerings, and customer preferences to inform menu development.
• Collaborate with the procurement team to identify reliable suppliers and manage ingredient costs.
• Ensure all developed recipes are tested for quality, consistency, and scalability for large-scale production.
• Provide culinary guidance and support to the wider catering team as needed.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Chef, ideally with a focus on menu development or recipe creation.
• Strong understanding of culinary arts, food science, and dietary considerations (e.g., vegan, gluten-free).
• Excellent recipe writing and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and meet deadlines in a remote setting.
• Proficiency in using digital collaboration tools for communication and file sharing.
• A portfolio showcasing successful menu creations or recipe development projects is highly desirable.

Benefits

• Flexible remote working arrangement.
• Competitive contract rate based on experience and project scope.
• Opportunity to shape the culinary direction of a dynamic catering business.
• Collaborative and supportive virtual team environment.
• Work on a variety of exciting catering projects.