Innovation Chef

The organisation

We are currently working with one of the UK's most dynamic and innovative food businesses, supplying the Major Grocers, Retail and Food Service channels. Based in Middlesex they currently turnover £250m and are growing rapidly. They are looking for an experienced Innovation Chef to join their dynamic and fast paced team, based at their head office in Middlesex with some flexible working.

The Role

Purpose of Job

Deliver and support the creative culinary expertise in the NPD process, providing an educational service to our clients and lead the day to day operation of the development kitchen. You will be a key interface with the customer.

• Treats people with decency and respect. Recognises what motivates others. Makes appropriate interventions to motivate the NPD team. Supports colleagues who are under pressure. Notices and comments when things are going well, and give positive feedback.
• Recognises the impact of their preferred leadership style on others. Flexible in working with the preferred style of others.
• Works to keep things working rather than to fix it when broken. Recognises when someone’s performance falls below standard and acts immediately.
• Implements processes that capture customer feedback and proactively meets and exceeds customer expectations. Sells change and new business opportunities as exciting developments. Involves the team in new projects and initiatives.
• Uses coaching techniques to help people reflect on feedback.
• Keeps people in the loop – feeds key information to those who may need it. Supports new ideas and new way of working. Finds ways to overcome obstacles to success. Is a subject matter expert through benchmarking and networking
• Sees and pursues opportunities for the business, suggests sustainable and profitable ways to make money, save money and create competitive advantage. Actively encourages their team to work in a smarter way. Expects high standards of work.
• Search for opportunities by seeking innovative ways to change, grow and improve. Demonstrates empathy and respect.
• Decisive. Articulates the benefits of decisions to get buy in from colleagues and customers. Mitigates any negative impact of decisions on customers and colleagues. Builds commitment to decisions by ensuring the involvement of all concerned.

Key Areas of Responsibility and Standards of Performance (Job specific outcomes)

30%        Design - Appropriate recipe creation and make up in line with briefs with meticulous detail whilst striving for the best quality products to reflect changes in the market, ingredient or costs.

20%        Innovate - Inspire and be a source of knowledge for the NPD team and business, and offer  coaching in terms of product formulation and how ingredients perform together and over life. Generates ideas (plant).

20%        Research -  Communicate current food trends through appropriate media. Analysing current market trends and data in line with category insights, identifying gaps in the market and translating findings into business opportunities.

10%        Influence the Customer - Support the NPD Managers and other chefs in customer presentations demonstrating a high level of precision and awareness. Demonstrating creative culinary expertise to win others over at first submission.

10%        Standards - Support across all sites, the Executive Development Chef to manage the efficient, organised running of the development kitchens in compliance with health, safety and food safety standards. Assist in maintaining a clean as you go policy and best practice with everything relating to NPD.

10%        Muck in - To provide support to the NPD Teams in timely product development, sample making and ingredient gathering in line with budgetary and margin constraints.

Person Specification

• Experience of working in the chilled food industry within a Development chef role      
• Catering qualification or equivalent                                                                           
• Proven track record of success in innovative concepts                                       
• Demonstrable knowledge of cuisines, produce, seasonality, ingredients and enthusiasm to learn about the sandwich industry and ‘food to go’ markets
• Excellent presentation skills, communicating knowledge and inputting into customer presentations/discussions. Woo.                                                                                                                                         
• Promotes a food culture and constantly challenges the norm in the pursuit of quality  
• Ability to be innovative when developing new recipes for our customers. Know how to research new trends and proven ability to generate ideas and turn them into products that work.             
• Results focussed individual who operates with an efficient work style, coupled with attention to detail and good time management, the ability to work to short deadlines.                              
• Ability to communicate at all levels, excellent presentation skills, communicating knowledge and inputting into customer presentation/discussions                                                                           
• Flexible, supportive attitude, keen to run multiple tasks and hungry to taken on new challenges, ability to work in a fast paced environment.                                                                                              
• Well presented professional with easy communication style, able to effectively influence cross functional team                                                                                                                                                   
• High level of computer literacy – Microsoft Excel/Word/internet and Outlook                 
• Valid driving licence                                                                                                          

Mackenzie Jones

About Mackenzie Jones

At Mackenzie Jones we connect people within FMCG Food and Drink businesses. We connect talented candidates with exciting Marketing opportunities. 
We manage permanent and interim assignments both in the UK and internationally. Opportunities range from £40k to £90k for permanent roles, and £250 to £1,200 a day for interim assignments. 
If you need a recruitment partner with a different outlook, one that delivers results whilst building long-term relationships, then we should talk. Or alternatively, if you are considering that next step in your Marketing career, get in touch to see how we can help you achieve your goals.