Research Chef

Job ID: EB-4605384987
Job Title: Research Chef
Location: Waukegan, IL

Title: Research Chef – Restaurant Chain Accounts

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports to: Director, Culinary, dotted line Director, Business Development (Sales)

Supervises: No Direct Report

Travel: >50%

Job Classification: In Office

Department: Commercial / Research & Development

Revision Date: 02.03.2025

POSITION TITLE: Research Chef – Restaurant Chain Accounts

SUMMARY: Woodland Gourmet is seeking a highly skilled, passionate, and experienced Research Chef to join our dynamic and growing Culinary team. This role is critical to our mission of developing innovative, custom solutions that deliver exceptional taste, texture, and functionality for our clients in the restaurant and foodservice industry. This candidate will have proven track record of working collaboratively with restaurant chain Culinary and Research & Development (R&D) teams to create tailored products that drive menu differentiation and consumer appeal. This role will be responsible for collaborating closely with restaurant chains to understand their needs and create customized solutions, developing innovative and gold standard recipes and product applications elevating differentiation and performance through ingredients, science, technical / flavor capability to develop competitive solutions.

This role will report directly into the Director, Culinary, but will have a dotted line reporting structure to the Director, Business Development (Sales). This candidate will be part of a team (Sales, R&D, Research Chef) that will be responsible for bringing in the next 2-4 major chain accounts, partnering with Woodland Gourmet on custom solutions.

Target Restaurant Chain Accounts: This role will focus on building relationships and driving sales with innovative, high growth restaurant chains in fast casual, casual dining, and regional chains, as well as food manufacturers (industrial).

Responsibilities:

Culinary Innovation & Product Development:

• Develop a diverse range of recipes and menu applications using Woodland Gourmet’s ingredients, tailored to restaurant chain clients’ needs and industry trends.
• Ideate and create new product concepts in collaboration with sales and product development teams.
• Deliver culinary insights, trends, and inspiration sessions for innovation projects.
• Develop “culinary gold standard” prototypes and work with R&D scientists to ensure technical feasibility.
• Test product performance in applications and document findings to refine formulations.
• Conduct competitive product reviews and assessments to drive innovation.
• Ensure culinary product quality throughout the stage-gate development process.
• Integrate nutrition awareness into product innovation and recipe development.
• Engage in ingredient sourcing and supplier qualification processes to ensure product integrity.
• Maintain lab and sample inventories in coordination with R&D and technical services teams.

Customer Engagement & Sales Support:

• Conduct culinary presentations and demonstrations to showcase Woodland Foods’ ingredient capabilities and versatility.
• Directly engage and maintain relationships with key Culinary partners at the customer. Provide ongoing culinary consultation and support to restaurant chain clients to enhance their product offerings.
• Partner with sales, brand marketing, and insights teams to create customer-centric solutions.
• Prepare and ship product samples as needed for client evaluations.

Market Research & Trend Analysis:

• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify emerging trends and innovation opportunities in the restaurant industry.
• Attend industry events, conferences, and trade shows to stay informed about culinary innovations.
• Monitor evolving flavor profiles, ingredient trends, and menu developments to inform product ideation.
• Network with industry culinary trendsetters, suppliers, and organizations to stay ahead of the competitive landscape.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership:

• Work closely with sales, marketing, R&D, and product development teams to align culinary initiatives with business objectives.
• Partner with the internal culinary team to share knowledge, insights, and best practices.
• Collaborate with WG product developers to address functional product aspects during development.
• Ensure seamless execution of culinary projects across multiple departments and stakeholders.

Food Safety & Operational Excellence:

• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and hygiene standards in all culinary operations.
• Maintain kitchen and lab efficiency, with a focus on operational best practices, safety, and financial responsibility.
• Uphold Woodland Gourmet’s high standards for recipe consistency, ingredient integrity, and overall product quality.

Qualifications:

• Culinary & Food Science Expertise:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience as a Research Chef or in a similar role within the food industry.
  • Deep understanding of food science principles and ingredient functionality.
  • Proven track record of developing successful recipes and menu applications for restaurant chains.
  • Strong knowledge of culinary techniques and global cuisines.
• Restaurant Chain Experience:
  • Experience working with national or regional restaurant chains and industrial (food manufacturers.
  • Established relationships with key decision-makers in the restaurant industry.
  • Understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities associated with developing products for restaurant chains.
• Communication and Collaboration:
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport with clients and colleagues.
  • Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment.
  • Strong organizational and project management abilities with a detail-oriented mindset.
• Business Acumen:
  • Understanding of the foodservice industry and market dynamics.
  • Ability to translate culinary trends into successful business opportunities.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Passion and Creativity:
  • Passion for food and culinary innovation.
  • Creative mindset and ability to think outside the box.
  • Strong work ethic and commitment to excellence

For additional information please get in touch with Owen Carryl at 972-265-5307 or ocarryl@kbic.com