R&D CHEF

Standard Meat•Fort Worth, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Summary The R&D Chef supports the development and commercialization of innovative food products by combining culinary expertise with manufacturing and customer insights. This role partners closely with Culinary, Sales, R&D, FSQA, and Operations to bring concepts from ideation through production while ensuring alignment with customer expectations and operational capabilities. This role includes approximately 25–30% travel to support customer engagements, product development, innovation sessions, and plant trials.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, flavor profiles, and food trends
Understanding of food science principles, ingredient functionality, and product development processes
Ability to translate culinary concepts into scalable, commercially viable products
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to collaborate across functions and with customers
Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and execution
Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt in a fast-paced environment
Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts or a related field preferred
7+ years of relevant experience in culinary, food manufacturing, or product development

Nice To Haves

Protein manufacturing experience preferred

Responsibilities

Product Development & Culinary Innovation Develop and refine new product concepts through research, experimentation, and culinary expertise
Translate culinary ideas into commercially viable products that align with manufacturing processes, scalability, and operational capabilities
Lead or support product development from concept through commercialization, including plant trials and scale-up
Customer Engagement & Sales Support Support customer-facing culinary sessions, including ideation, product reviews, and innovation presentations
Support customer relationships by contributing to innovation and product development discussions, while partnering with Sales and Culinary leadership on overall customer strategy.
Build and maintain chef-to-chef relationships with customers to support collaboration and product development
Partner with Sales to deliver solutions that are on-trend, customer-relevant, and operationally feasible
Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate with R&D, FSQA, Operations, and Sales to ensure successful product execution and commercialization
Facilitate clear communication across teams to align product expectations, timelines, and outcomes
Support resolution of product or customer-related challenges as they arise
Quality, Testing & Execution Conduct product testing and evaluation to ensure quality standards for taste, texture, appearance, and consistency
Support plant trials, product cuttings, and commercialization activities
Ensure developed products meet both customer expectations and internal production standards