Position Title
Development Chef
Position Type
Regular - Full-Time
Requisition ID
42373
About the Role
The Development Chef is at the heart of delivering McCain’s culinary vision, bringing food innovation to life through strong customer partnerships and chef‑to‑chef collaboration. The role is about inspiring customers, understanding their operational needs, and creating commercially successful, scalable menu solutions that make a real impact.
Combining hands‑on culinary expertise with strategic customer engagement, the Development Chef builds trusted relationships, influences menu decisions, and showcases McCain as the value‑adding supplier of choice. The result is stronger partnerships, increased customer loyalty, and shared growth across the regional foodservice market.
Accountabilities
* Build strong partnerships with key customers and prospects, delivering proactive culinary support that brings McCain’s foodservice strategy to life.
* Lead impactful chef‑to‑chef engagement through customer visits, cook‑ups, menu trials, and presentations that inspire innovation and strengthen relationships.
* Drive customer retention, win‑back, and growth opportunities by providing hands‑on culinary expertise, technical guidance, and tailored operational support.
* Create and maintain high‑quality technical documentation, including specifications, SOPs, and trial reports, ensuring consistency and excellence across projects.
* Stay ahead of foodservice and consumer trends by attending industry events, benchmarking competitors, and championing continuous improvement initiatives.
* Turn customer insights into actionable recommendations that support product optimisation, operational improvements, and future innovation pipelines.
* Help shape compelling commercial stories through product benchmarking, performance testing, and competitive analysis that showcase McCain’s added value.
Qualifications
* Technical Skills & Knowledge
o Proven expertise in product formulation and recipe development, particularly within frozen potato‑based products.
o Strong understanding of ingredient functionality, including potatoes, oils, stabilisers, anti‑caking agents, and functional additives.
o In‑depth knowledge of appetite‑style product systems, including doughs, batters, coatings, and breading’s.
o Advanced understanding of food safety and quality systems, including HACCP and global regulatory standards such as FDA and EFSA.
o Solid knowledge of compliance requirements, including HFSS regulations and allergen management.
o Experience optimising manufacturing processes across freezing, packaging, storage, and distribution.
o Strong technical capability in industrial cooking methods, including blanching, frying, and freezing.
o Hands‑on experience with operator cooking equipment such as Rational ovens, impingement ovens, and frying systems.
o Practical knowledge of potato processing equipment, including peelers, slicers, fryers, freezing systems, and refrigeration technology.
* Customer & Engagement Capability
o Confident customer‑facing culinary professional with the ability to build credibility in chef‑to‑chef environments.
o Skilled at understanding customer kitchen operations, equipment, and constraints, translating them into practical menu and product solutions.
o Experienced in delivering engaging culinary demonstrations, cook‑ups, and technical presentations that influence menu and purchasing decisions.
o Commercially minded, with the ability to connect culinary and technical expertise to key business drivers such as yield, margin, labour efficiency, and menu profitability.
Location
This is a home‑based role with extensive travel. The head office (Customer Experience Centre) is on the outskirts of Scarborough – 1.5 hours from Leeds City Centre and about an hour from York. The hybrid model allows collaboration in the office and work‑from‑home balance to support a good life‑work balance.
Benefits
* Generous Car Allowance
* Achievable yearly bonus based on personal performance
* Excellent pension – double company contribution up to 12 % of pay
* Flexible holidays – buy & sell up to 5 days per year
* Optional health cash plan
* Cycle to work scheme
* ‘Chips In’ Volunteering Day Off to positively impact communities worldwide
Equal Opportunity and Accessibility Statement
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCain’s Global Privacy Policy and Global Employee Privacy Policy. McCain leverages AI in the hiring process, though all final decisions are made by humans. You can understand our approach to AI and how your personal information is being handled here.
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