Sous-Chef, Culinary Innovation

PepsiCo • Albuquerque, NM

1d

About The Position

The Sous-Chef plays a hands-on role in bringing our culinary vision to life through kitchen-based experimentation, gold standard development, and MVP support. Working closely with the Executive Chef and innovation partners, the Sous-Chef helps execute food concepts with creativity, discipline, and a commitment to quality and consistency.

This role is key to maintaining culinary standards and translating food inspiration into compelling, testable ideas across platforms and formats.

Requirements

• 5–8 years in culinary innovation, commercial kitchens, or food service product development, with an understanding of structured and corporate environment.
• Strong knife skills, recipe development, and plating ability.
• Passion for innovation and cross-functional collaboration.
• Comfortable working in an agile, high-paced test kitchen environment.

Nice To Haves

• Culinary degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support Gold Standard Creation: Assist in the design and execution of gold standard dishes for new culinary platforms in RTE, RTC, and AFH formats.
• Conduct Kitchen Trials & Prep Testing: Prepare and document small-batch prototypes for MVP development and consumer or internal evaluation.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work with Product Developers, Food Technologists, and Design to help translate chef concepts into scalable food forms.
• Maintain Culinary Integrity: Ensure every output reflects the culinary vision in taste, texture, visual appeal, and prep experience.
• Document & Codify Processes: Record recipes, prep steps, and technical notes to support handoff to development and manufacturing teams.
• Assist in External Chef Collaboration: Support engagements with external chefs or culinary schools through joint sessions, test kitchens, or food jam events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees