Corporate Chef
About The Position
Griffith Foods is the caring, creative product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers while sustaining the planet. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, Griffith Foods is known for true, collaborative innovation guided by their Purpose of “We Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World”. The company’s product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet. For more information, visit www.griffithfoods.com . Custom Culinary, a subsidiary of Griffith Foods, is hiring a Corporate Chef, Central Region to lead the Lombard Culinary Center while supporting regional business development across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa . This role serves as a culinary hub leader and regional commercial chef , balancing in-house culinary execution, cross-functional collaboration, and in-market customer engagement. The position plays a critical role in translating Custom Culinary’s product portfolio into operator-ready solutions that drive sales growth and strengthen customer relationships. The Corporate Chef integrates culinary innovation, business acumen, and field activation in support of the company’s Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, Performance).
Requirements
- Associate’s degree in culinary arts required
- 10+ years of progressive culinary experience
- 3+ years in a corporate, regional, or commercial development chef role
- Experience working with national, regional, or distributor-based accounts
- Certified professional certification (ACF or RCA) or willingness to obtain within 18 months
- Willingness and ability to travel ~50% within the Central Region
- Must be authorized to work in the United States (no sponsorship available)
- Candidates must currently possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. Work visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree in food science, Culinary Science, or related field
- Certified Research Chef (CRC®)
- Experience in food manufacturing, R&D, or commercial product development
- Experience working with distributors or broker networks
- Strong organizational skills with experience managing a culinary facility or test kitchen
Responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day operations of the Lombard Culinary Center, ensuring readiness for internal and external engagements.
- Execute customer ideations, sales meetings, training, and internal culinary initiatives within the facility.
- Maintain a high standard of organization, product execution, and culinary excellence in all center activities.
- Partner with Culinary Leadership to optimize center utilization and align with business priorities.
- Support regional business development across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa in partnership with Sales and regional chefs.
- Participate in customer visits, ideations, and operator consultations to drive product adoption and growth.
- Act as a culinary extension of the regional team, providing in-market support where needed.
- Build chef-to-chef relationships with operators, distributors, and regional accounts.
- Translate customer needs into menu solutions using Custom Culinary products.
- Lead ideation sessions and culinary presentations that support retention and new business opportunities.
- Manage travel and project budgets in alignment with business objectives.
- Maintain accurate culinary documentation, reporting, and follow-up.
- Represent Custom Culinary at regional events, customer engagements, and industry functions.
Benefits
- Medical, Rx, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts, EAP, Health Advocacy, Financial Planning, Parental Leave, Care.com, Adoption & Surrogacy Assistance, Education Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement, Safety Reimbursement, Lifestyle Spending Account, Group Life & AD&D, Voluntary Life Insurance, Short Term & Long Term Disability, 401(k) Plan with Company Match, ESOP, PTO, Holiday’s & Leaves, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Home & Auto Insurance, Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Long Term Care + Life Insurance & Legal Assistance.
- There is also potential for a discretionary bonus, this bonus is based on personal & company performance and is not a guaranteed bonus plan.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
Number of Employees
501-1,000 employees
