Culinary Specialist

Sysco•New York, NY

4d•$96,400 - $144,600

About The Position

This is a professional sales position focused on growing new business and achieving assigned business goals while enhancing the customer experience. The Culinary Specialist maintains industry- and category-specific certifications and sells categories directly to customers through internal and external business reviews. As a key member of Sysco’s team-selling model, the specialist represents the Sysco brand, innovation, and Category Management (CatMan) products, and pursues opportunities to close sales. The role also represents Sysco at culinary events and relevant industry organizations and may supervise kitchen assistants or culinary interns. Time, targets, and team-selling efforts are prioritized using market insights and data analytics. The position develops and executes culinary strategies to grow profitable sales and category penetration, supports sales teams with customer solutions and product expertise, and manages test-kitchen operations and costs. It also supports culinary events, customer and employee education, food safety compliance, and coordination with regulatory agencies. On-target performance includes the Sysco Leadership Framework components: Core Qualities, Shaping the Future, and Delivering Business Results.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 3 years of executive chef experience in the foodservice industry.
Proficiency in culinary skills, restaurant operations, and food trends.
Ability to express information in terms of profit and loss, food cost, and expense ratios.
Strong financial acumen and ability to plan and execute business plans.
Track record of success in consultative selling and networking.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with and influence varied stakeholders.
Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business.
Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to structure a weekly schedule for success.
Ability to meet deadlines and produce accurate, thorough, high-quality work.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, including ability to execute multiple initiatives simultaneously.
Strong business and restaurant-operations acumen for managing sophisticated customers.
Flexibility, willingness to accept change, and openness to new ideas.
Proficiency in basic-level mathematics.
Ability to learn proprietary CRM tools for sales-growth planning and forecasting.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Understanding of marketing principles, product lines, ordering procedures, and Sysco credit terms.
Currently authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent culinary degree.
At least 3 years of foodservice sales experience.
Internal and external certifications may be required.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute targeted culinary strategies to meet individual and regional annual business goals, growing profitable sales and penetration across categories, specialty segments, and Sysco brand.
Coordinate with the Director of Business Resources and use data to identify leading opportunities for business reviews.
Collaborate with sales team partners to identify customer challenges, needs, and opportunities and provide solutions that grow customer business and case sales.
Track activities and results, collaborate on opportunities, and champion team selling using Salesforce, Sysco’s CRM tool.
Use sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales.
Monitor market conditions and trends, product innovations, and competitors’ products, prices, and sales; share relevant information with customers.
Facilitate internal and external food shows, catering, and event-planning activities.
Coordinate kitchen logistics for internal and external culinary events.
Build and maintain relationships with customers, chefs, and sales teams through local events, culinary competitions, culinary schools, and other relevant opportunities.
Advise the sales team on product specifications and serve as an expert on Cutting Edge Solutions and innovation items, Sysco Brand, and CatMan products.
Support employee training by facilitating sessions and demonstrations with sales.
Manage test-kitchen and culinary-center operations, including sanitation, product rotation, laundry service, equipment and display organization, and facility appearance.
Manage test-kitchen food and supply costs within budget parameters.
Comply with local and state food-safety and health-code regulations.
Accompany and respond to regulatory-agency inspections of the kitchen or culinary center.
Provide work direction to additional culinary staff, third-party vendors, and sanitation staff as necessary.