Assistant Development Chef

Major Recruitment are currently recruiting for an Assistant Development Chef, to join an established FMCG business.

As part of the ongoing growth plan, as Assistant Development Chef you will be an integral part of NPD and Manufacturing team. We are looking for someone who is used to high volume catering and confident in creating and developing a range on multinational food dishes.

Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:30pm or 9am - 6pm, with flexibility for occasional weekend working if required

Salary Circa �28,000

Job Description Assistant Development Chef

You will be someone who is self-motivated and focused on customer delivery and confident working with a small team of manufacturing operatives. This is a hand on role, where you will need to demonstrate initiative and ownership. Enjoy working collaboratively with colleagues. You will be flexible and adaptable to new challenges and change.

Responsibilities as Assistant Development Chef

• Working with the Operations Director and Development Chef to create NPD items bespoke for our clients, also to ensure correct production specification if followed,
• Ensure all recipes can be produced on a medium to large-scale volume with keeping consistency and quality.
• Optimising ingredients and procedures to minimise production inaccuracies.
• Support innovation and development of new recipes with costings and ingredients.
• Monitor trends and develop recipes in accordance with customer demands and response.
• You will be responsible to manage and maintain the ongoing development of new and existing quality products.
• Work with the NPD department to take product from concept to launch with in the operation's current capabilities.
• Follow meticulously detailed NPD process.
• Ensure all recipes, information and cost are kept updated in line with internal and external tastings as part of ongoing recipe and process development.
• EPD - review current products, update products, process and commercials
• Work closely with production teams across capabilities - taking new products into production as well as assist on existing products - review process and assist with updating process and or problem solving.
• Work closely with Procurement, Technical teams.
• Conduct shelf life testing.
• Sample making, as well as always maintain excellent standards in NPD kitchen, you will also be involved in collection of ingredients and day-to-day housekeeping.
• Monitor process to ensure compliance to all health and regulation requirements.
• Managing and updating knowledge management systems in line with the quality standards and protocols
• Implement coaching and improvement programs as needed
• Customer facing - from product presentations to cooking and presenting.

What are we looking for?

• Min 5 years' experience as a chef working within quality restaurant, hotel or food manufacturing environment.
• Relevant industry qualifications.
• Previous (NPD and EPD) experience ideally in both high care and low care food manufacturing environment would be desirable.
• Work in fast pace environment with short lead times
• Ability to work from very specific briefs to blue sky innovated new concepts
• Must be a passionate foodie and have outstanding food knowledge and ability to demonstrate natural flair with a good pallet.
• Have the ability to bring whole concepts together as well as working on silo products.
• Ability to quickly learn the capabilities of the current operation and work alongside the capabilities when developing products for our demanding customers
• Must have an eye for detail and with good organization skills
• Good knowledge of cuisines from around the world, with a bias on Asian and Mexican flavours.
• Good all-round knowledge of various cooking techniques and production processes.
• Up to date with latest food trends and innovative food orientated mindset
• Good communication skills working closely with customers, chefs, product developers and procurement teams ranging across hospitality industry
• Good customer presentation skills.

Major Recruitment act as an Employment Agency for permanent roles and an Employment Business for temporary opportunities.

INDSS