I’m currently recruiting for a Development Chef to join a fast paced and forward thinking food business based in South West England. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is genuinely passionate about food, thrives on innovation, and enjoys working across multiple product areas and customers.
Operating within a group environment, this role offers far more than a typical single site position. You will gain exposure to a wide range of products, teams, and sites, giving you real scope to broaden your experience and accelerate your career.
The Role
As Development Chef, you will work closely with NPD, Category, and Commercial teams to bring new and exciting products to life. You will be involved from concept through to launch, creating innovative and commercially viable products for a diverse retail and foodservice customer base.
Key responsibilities
- Developing and refining products across multiple categories
- Responding to customer briefs with creative and market relevant concepts
- Presenting ideas internally and externally to key stakeholders and customers
- Working closely with procurement, finance, and technical teams to ensure feasibility and cost effectiveness
- Keeping ahead of food trends and bringing fresh ideas into the business
- Playing a key role in driving innovation across both site and wider group
The Environment
This is a collaborative and fast moving environment where you will work closely with chefs, technologists, and cross functional teams across multiple sites.
You can expect
- Exposure to a wide range of product categories and customer bases
- Involvement in wider group projects and innovation initiatives
- The opportunity to work across different sites and teams
- A role that offers far more variety than a typical single site position
About You
You will have experience within a manufacturing or food production environment, or a strong understanding of the journey from kitchen concept through to scaled production.
You will likely
- Have a genuine passion for food and innovation
- Enjoy working across different product areas rather than specialising in one
- Be comfortable working at pace and managing multiple projects
- Be confident collaborating with different teams and stakeholders
- Have a strong interest in trends, ingredients, and new product development
The Opportunity
This is more than just a Development Chef role. It is a chance to be part of a business where you can learn, evolve, and progress within a wider group structure.
What you will gain
- Exposure to a group structure with real career progression opportunities
- The ability to move across sites, categories, and roles as your career develops
- A broader commercial and technical understanding of food development
- The chance to work on exciting and innovative products across multiple areas
If you are looking for a role where you can make an impact, continue learning, and be part of a business that values innovation and growth, I would love to speak with you.
