Assistant R&D Chef

Abby's Catering•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Assistant R&D Chef supports culinary research and development, manages recipe and costing data, and leads employee training initiatives. The position bridges Culinary Operations and ERP to ensure accurate recipes, reliable production data, effective cost analysis, and consistent execution of culinary standards. The role develops and standardizes recipes for commercial aviation, private aviation, and corporate catering; maintains culinary data across AeroChef and related systems; analyzes costs using culinary software; and trains employees on recipes, preparation methods, production documentation, and workflows. It collaborates across Culinary, ERP, Purchasing, Warehouse, and Production, and supports food safety, HACCP, allergen, and customer requirements. Abby’s Catering serves high-profile passengers traveling from Houston aboard private, corporate, and commercial aircraft, and also provides gourmet food for corporate offices, private and corporate events, and food service management contracts. Its stated mission is to serve the Houston and Dallas metro markets using locally sourced and sustainable raw ingredients, personalized attention to detail, fiscally sound budgets, and high food safety standards.

Requirements

Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience.
Experience in recipe development, costing, and high-volume food production.
Experience with culinary costing software and data analysis.
Demonstrated ability to train and develop culinary employees.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Valid Food Protection Manager Certification, such as ServSafe.
Technical aptitude and proficiency with recipe costing software.

Nice To Haves

Airline catering experience.
Experience with ChefTec, xtraCHEF, AeroChef, or comparable systems.
ERP or production planning experience.
Bilingual English/Spanish.

Responsibilities

Develop, test, cost, and standardize recipes for commercial aviation, private aviation, and corporate catering.
Maintain accurate ingredient specifications, yields, portions, allergens, and preparation methods.
Support production trials, menu presentations, tastings, and new menu implementations.
Own culinary data accuracy across AeroChef and related systems.
Enter and maintain recipes, sub-recipes, ingredients, yields, and units of measure.
Validate production lists, preparation lists, and warehouse requisitions.
Troubleshoot recipe configurations, calculation errors, and data discrepancies.
Support ERP testing, implementation, and process improvements.
Develop and deliver training on recipes, preparation methods, portion control, and quality standards.
Create and maintain training materials, recipe guides, and SOPs.
Train employees on ERP-generated production documentation and workflows.
Evaluate training effectiveness and provide corrective coaching.
Use ChefTec, xtraCHEF, and related software to analyze recipe costs and profitability.
Validate yields, conversions, ingredient quantities, and automated costing calculations.
Analyze ingredient consumption, waste, and cost discrepancies.
Provide data-driven recommendations to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Coordinate with Culinary, ERP, Purchasing, Warehouse, and Production.
Support project milestones and system adoption.
Ensure compliance with food safety, HACCP, allergen, and customer requirements.
Provide direct supervision of culinary development, training, and departmental priorities.