Junior Development Chef
Location: Llantrisant
Full Time | Permanent | 40 hours per week
Standard Hours: 8:00am – 4:00pm / 9:00am – 5:00pm (Flexibility required for trials, launches, tenders, etc.)
Salary: £26,000 – £28,000 (Depending on experience)
Overview
We’re looking for a passionate and creative Junior Development Chef to join a forward-thinking food manufacturing team in Llantrisant, focused on developing and improving chilled snack products across a broad customer base. This is a hands-on role, ideal for someone with a flair for innovation and a drive to bring exciting, high-quality products to life.
You’ll work closely with the Product Development and wider site teams to support both new product launches and improvements to existing lines, ensuring each product meets operational, nutritional, and quality standards.
Key Responsibilities
Assist with New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD) within agreed timescales and cost parameters
Contribute to customer briefs, helping to create innovative, on-trend food concepts
Support in recipe formulation, costings, and product presentation
Conduct benchmarking and internal tasting sessions to gather insights and feedback
Identify and research food trends to help maintain a fresh and competitive product range
Work collaboratively with procurement, finance, and technical teams to source ingredients and align development with business objectives
Conduct regular tastings to assess quality, flavour, and texture, adjusting recipes as needed
Participate in kitchen trials and support full-scale factory trials and product launches
Maintain kitchen hygiene, documentation, and stock control procedures
Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, allergen management, and labelling requirements
Ideal Candidate
A passion for food with a desire to grow a career in development chef roles
Background in hospitality, food service, or food manufacturing
Minimum 1–2 years in a product development or culinary role (preferred)
Culinary qualification or degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts or related field (preferred)
A valid UK driving licence (essential)
Key Skills & Attributes
Strong culinary skills with an innovative, trend-led approach
Knowledge of pastry and chilled food production is highly desirable
Creative mindset with the ability to balance flavour, texture, and appearance
Understanding of HACCP, allergen management and food safety standards
Strong organisational and time management abilities
Effective communication and teamwork skills across various departments and levels
Comfortable using basic computer systems for recipe management and documentation
Proactive, detail-oriented and committed to delivering excellence
What You’ll Get
Competitive salary of £26,000 – £28,000, depending on experience
Standard 40-hour week with core hours of 8am–4pm or 9am–5pm
Flexible working around key development activities such as trials, launches, and customer visits
A supportive environment to grow your culinary and product development skills
Opportunity to work on exciting, trend-led food projects in the chilled category
Hands-on training, mentorship, and real career progression potential
If you're a creative thinker with a genuine passion for food and innovation, we’d love to hear from you