Associate R&D Chef

Home Chef • Chicago, IL

15h • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate R&D Chef is part of Home Chef’s Tempo culinary team in the new product development department. This in-office role works in the R&D kitchen at the Old Post Office in downtown Chicago and in the production kitchen in Bedford Park, Illinois. The position supports product development through ingredient and meal formulation, cooking, ingredient preparation, production-meal accuracy checks, photography, testing, and project work. The role requires 0–10% travel.

The Associate R&D Chef manages R&D and production-kitchen ingredients and supplies, helps coordinate grocery sourcing and inventory, and serves as a resource for cross-functional teams. The position prepares, tests, refines, and scales compound ingredients and meals from bench-top formulations through R&D and production batches, following applicable food-safety, sanitation, and GMP requirements.

The role also supports new-meal development by checking production meals and assembly photos, tasting meals and samples, and providing feedback and recommendations. The Associate R&D Chef regularly participates in culinary and cross-functional meetings and responds to input from R&D, production, and Product Team colleagues to improve products and workflows.

Requirements

• Culinary background required.
• Strong understanding of food.
• High attention to detail and ability to follow shopping lists and Home Chef cooking specifications exactly.
• ServSafe certification or a strong understanding of sanitary practices.
• Ability to carry grocery bags through an elevator daily; carts are available.
• Ability to taste and provide thorough feedback on meal and ingredient samples, including vegetarian, pork, chicken, steak, seafood, dairy, and added-sugar items.
• Completion of a two-year program, such as an Associate degree in Culinary Arts.

Nice To Haves

• At least 1 year of consumer packaged goods experience preferred.
• At least 1 year of professional cooking experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain ingredients for R&D and recipe scaling at the Bedford Park production kitchen, including inventory, ordering stock items, and removing expired products.
• Ensure needed items are transferred between the production and R&D kitchens.
• Own RTH ingredient inventory in the R&D kitchen, including item locations and short- and long-term tracking and storage.
• Coordinate grocery processes with Culinary Apprentices and R&D kitchen personnel, including making lists, shopping, putting away groceries, and sourcing last-minute items.
• Help order kitchen supplies, specialty ingredients, and kitchen equipment from suppliers, production facilities, and online sources.
• Serve as a resource for cross-functional teams.
• Prepare mise en place and execute assigned meals or compound ingredients.
• Cook bench-top draft formulations of compound ingredients and assess viability for production, including flavor, nutrition, execution, and performance over time.
• Assemble meals to specifications.
• Photograph meals and compound ingredients, edit meal photos, and upload photos to appropriate folders.
• Participate in ingredient and meal feedback discussions and implement feedback with the manager to improve formulations and procedures.
• Refine ingredient quantities, recipe wording, and timing for successful products.
• Scale recipes to full R&D batches for testing and formulation refinement.
• Scale recipes to full production batches and test them as needed at the Bedford Park facility.
• Scale non-cooking kitchen or assembly operations at the Bedford Park facility.
• Follow food-safety practices in the R&D kitchen and sanitation, GMP, and food-safety rules in the production kitchen.
• Respond to feedback from R&D chefs, production chefs, and Product Team members to improve work output and workflows.
• Test techniques and recipe changes to improve quality, yield, nutrition, and efficiency.
• Participate in setup and tasting for the new ingredient sampling process.
• Execute key project work and drive workstreams when necessary.
• Participate in weekly and ad hoc production-meal edit checks and ad hoc bulk meal and ingredient updates.
• Assess the accuracy of meal assembly photos on live menus and reshoot photos as needed.
• Taste and provide feedback daily on meals developed by Tempo R&D chefs.
• Regularly attend and participate in required Tempo culinary and cross-functional team meetings.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance available.
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation time.
• 401(k) program.
• Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses.
• 401(k) match.
• Home Chef customer promotion: promo code PEOPLE30 offers $30 off the first order.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree