Food Fanatic Chef

US Foods•Fairburn, GA

2d•$80,000 - $130,000

About The Position

The Food Fanatic Chef partners with area leadership, sales, and support teams to build value, grow customer relationships, and drive profitable sales growth. The role serves as a culinary consultant and expert, supporting customer business success through consultation, product and sales training, strategic growth initiatives, and knowledge sharing through the Food Fanatics program, events, and chef community. The chef builds customer relationships, develops local restaurant and industry connections, identifies culinary trends and business opportunities, and advances the organization’s food culture through education, demonstrations, and training. In partnership with area teams and regional culinary leadership, the chef plans and delivers events, product demonstrations, meetings, conferences, customer assessments, customized recipes, and sales-support activities. The role also supports merchandising priorities and Exclusive Brands growth, champions the Scoop program, and contributes to Food Fanatics events, magazine, and social media presence. The position works in a kitchen environment at a distribution center or customer location and may supervise a part-time Market SOUS Chef. A comprehensive training and onboarding certification program must be completed after hire. The expected base salary is $80,000–$130,000, depending on relevant factors.

Requirements

At least 7 years of relevant work experience, including a comprehensive culinary background.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages and delivery to different audiences.
Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Refined organizational and project management skills, including the ability to lead planning and execution of high-visibility, high-impact events and communication campaigns.
Thorough knowledge of culinary, foodservice, and hospitality fundamentals, with a strong passion for the culinary arts and foodservice industry.
Expert-level product knowledge, techniques, and applications, and the ability to communicate and demonstrate that expertise through customer consultation, social media, live television and media appearances, and presentations to large audiences.
Experience designing and facilitating training programs for large and varied audiences to drive innovation, sales strategies, and the US Foods brand.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
Must successfully complete a comprehensive training and onboarding certification program upon hire.
Must be able to meet the stated physical activity requirements, including frequent standing and walking; occasional driving, sitting, lifting and carrying weights up to 100 pounds, pushing or pulling, and various bending and other movements; and continuous grasping, manipulating objects, and manual dexterity.

Nice To Haves

Prior sales or sales-support experience.
Chef certification.
Membership in local or national culinary organizations.

Responsibilities

Consult with customers, build relationships, identify pain points, and offer solutions that support customer business goals.
Develop connections in the local restaurant community and seek opportunities through local and national organizations or groups.
Work with sales and leadership teams to pursue new business and maintain communication with sellers and other stakeholders.
Create and deliver culinary education, demonstrations, training, and materials that encourage adoption of US Foods products and offerings.
Identify culinary trends and industry conditions that may create sales-growth opportunities, and communicate them to local leadership or the Regional Culinary Manager.
Lead the culinary vision and food components of sales meetings and division events, including presentations and activities that support a food-driven culture.
Plan, coordinate, and execute events, product cuttings, sales conferences, and general sales meetings with the area team.
Conduct kitchen and operations assessments for customers, develop action plans with sales-support partners, and present products and recommendations that help customers achieve business goals.
Use Menu Profit Pro to provide customized, costed recipes; discuss Check Business Tools at an introductory level; and collaborate with Restaurant Operations Consultant partners.
Collaborate through the Sous tool as part of a team-based selling approach.
Support commercial excellence and category-team priorities related to product mix, and provide product intelligence, training, and support to sales teams.
Contribute to divisional sales growth for Exclusive Brands among independent restaurant and national customers through consultations, assessments, culinary presentations, seller education, and community connections.
Lead culinary training for the area or market in support of selected strategic growth initiatives, including Scoop, and coordinate related meetings, training, and events with area and regional stakeholders.
Champion the Scoop program and seek opportunities to expand its reach in the local market.
Participate in local, virtual, and national Food Fanatics events, share best practices with chef peers, and use technology and virtual tools to support customers and events beyond the local area when appropriate.
Contribute ideas and feedback to Food Fanatics magazine and support the program’s social media presence in coordination with regional, marketing, and digital and social media teams.
Work with culinary, communications, marketing, and digital and social media leaders when using social, live, or print media, with attention to appropriate conduct and associated risks.
May supervise a Part Time Market SOUS Chef.