Junior Development Chef
Workmate Agency are looking for a Junior Development Chef on behalf of our client, a high-quality, fast-growing food business operating within the foodservice and hospitality sector.
This is an excellent opportunity for a chef with foodservice or hospitality experience who is looking to move into a development-focused role, working closely with a Head of NPD to create, refine, and launch innovative food concepts. The role suits someone who is passionate about food, enjoys working collaboratively, and wants to develop a long-term career in product development rather than traditional kitchen service.
The Role
As a Junior Development Chef, you will:
* Work alongside the Head of NPD to create new, seasonal menu propositions for travel and hospitality clients, considering production, regeneration, and shelf-life requirements
* Ensure recipes are suitable for medium to large-scale production while maintaining consistency and quality
* Optimise ingredients and processes to reduce variation and minimise human error
* Liaise with local suppliers to source high-quality, fresh ingredients
* Support recipe documentation, specifications, and costings
* Monitor food trends and adapt recipes to meet customer demand
* Support the development of new and existing products, working closely with customers and internal teams
* Assist in taking products from concept through to launch, aligned with operational capabilities
* Work closely with production teams to introduce new products and review or improve existing processes
* Collaborate with Procurement, Technical, Commercial, and Account Management teams
* Conduct shelf-life testing and sample production
* Maintain excellent standards within the NPD kitchen, including ingredient collection and daily housekeeping
* Ensure compliance with food safety, health, and regulatory standards
* Manage and update internal knowledge and recipe systems
* Take part in customer-facing activity, including product presentations and tastings — acting as a confident and welcoming host
What We’re Looking For
* Minimum 1 year’s experience as a chef
* Experience working in a fast-paced environment with short lead times
* Ability to work from detailed briefs
* A genuine passion for food, strong flavour knowledge, and natural culinary flair
* Strong attention to detail and organisational skills
* Ability to develop both full concepts and individual product components
* Willingness to quickly learn operational capabilities and work within them
* Good all-round knowledge of global cuisines, cooking techniques, and production processes
* An innovative mindset with awareness of current food trends
* Strong communication skills
* Ability to work independently and collaboratively on larger projects
* Confident problem-solving skills
* Computer literate, with working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Please note: this role may involve additional duties as required to meet the needs of the business.
If this sounds like something you’d be up for, give Bea a call on (phone number removed) for a confidential chat and more details.
Whilst we aim to provide valuable feedback to all candidates who apply for our roles, please understand this may not be possible during busy periods. If you do not hear back from us within 5 working days, your application has unfortunately been unsuccessful.
Disclaimer: No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on any grounds - every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications, and abilities to perform the duties of the job. Workmate Agency acts as an employment business for temporary positions and an employment agency for permanent positions. Please visit the Workmate Agency website for more information on our services