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Contractual Research Development Chef Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Crumbl

Research & Development Chef

Provo, UT

Under the direction of the Director of Research & Development the R&D Chef will execute daily tasks meant to elevate current recipes or bring new concepts to life as well as any projects needed to ...

Crumbl

Research & Development Chef

Provo, UT

Under the direction of the Director of Research & Development the R&D Chef will execute daily tasks meant to elevate current recipes or bring new concepts to life as well as any projects needed to ...

Crumbl

Research & Development Chef

Provo, UT · On-site

Under the direction of the Director of Research & Development the R&D Chef will execute daily tasks meant to elevate current recipes or bring new concepts to life as well as any projects needed to ...

Lab37

Research & Development Chef

Los Angeles, CA

This isn't just an R&D role -- you're helping define the culinary roadmap for a business with ambitions of X+locations, household-name brands, and the gold standard in digital-first dining. You'll ...

Lab37

Research & Development Chef

Los Angeles, CA

$75K - $110K/yr

This isn't just an R&D role -- you're helping define the culinary roadmap for a business with ambitions of X+locations, household-name brands, and the gold standard in digital-first dining. You'll ...

Del Taco, LLC

R&D Chef

Lake Forest, CA

$89K - $110K/yr

JOB TITLE: R&D Chef FLSA STATUS: Exempt DEPARTMENT: Research and Development REPORTS TO: Director of Culinary Research & Development LOCATION: Lake Forest, CA Test Kitchen SALARY RANGE : $89,000 ...

Vespertine

Research and Development Chef

Culver City, CA

$80K - $100K/yr

SUMMARY OF POSITION The R&D Chef is a collaborative culinary leadership role working closely with Chef/Owner Jordan Kahn and the Director of Culinary to develop, refine, and bring ideas to fruition ...

Del Taco

R&D Chef

Lake Forest, CA · On-site

$89K - $110K/yr

JOB TITLE: R&D Chef FLSA STATUS: Exempt DEPARTMENT: Research and Development REPORTS TO: Director of Culinary Research & Development LOCATION: Lake Forest, CA Test Kitchen SALARY RANGE : $89,000 ...

Lab37

Research & Development

Los Angeles, CA

$20 - $28/hr

Culinary R&D Associate, Robotic Kitchen Product Lab37 Robotics, is a technology company focused on ... In this role, you will work directly under our senior chefs to help bring new brands and menu ...

KAGOME, Inc.

Business Development Chef

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$77K - $127K/yr

Work with Kagome R&D managers and scientists to develop products/ideas/applications that meet ... Certified Research Chef or Certified Culinary Scientist, a plus * Years and Type of Related ...

Stir Foods

Development Chef

Fullerton, CA · On-site

$70K/yr

Product Development Chef Employer Information Organization Name: Stir Foods LLC Website: www ... Director of Culinary R&D Job Location: Orange/ Fullerton, CA Hours/Week: Monday through Friday 40 ...

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All JobsContractual Research Development Chef Jobs

Contractual Research Development Chef information

See salary details

$48.5K

$101.8K

$165K

How much do contractual research development chef jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for contractual research development chef in the United States is $101,794.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $77,500.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Contractual Research Development Chef vs Research and Development Chef?

AspectContractual Research Development ChefResearch and Development Chef
CredentialsCulinary certifications, food safety, and possibly project managementCulinary certifications, food safety, and innovation skills
Work EnvironmentContract-based, project-specific settings, often with multiple clientsIn-house or corporate kitchens focused on product development
Employer & Industry UsageFood manufacturing, consulting firms, contract kitchensFood companies, restaurants, hospitality industry
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding contract-based culinary R&D rolesIn-house culinary innovation roles

The Contractual Research Development Chef typically works on a project basis for multiple clients, focusing on developing new food products under contract. In contrast, the Research and Development Chef is usually employed full-time within a company, dedicated to ongoing product innovation. Both roles require culinary expertise and food safety knowledge, but their work settings and employment structures differ significantly.

How does a Contractual Research Development Chef typically collaborate with product development teams to create new menu items or food products?

As a Contractual Research Development Chef, collaboration with product development teams is a core part of the role. Chefs work closely with food scientists, marketing professionals, and supply chain specialists to conceptualize, test, and refine new recipes or products. This often involves participating in brainstorming sessions, conducting taste tests, providing feedback on ingredient sourcing, and ensuring that new items meet both culinary standards and production feasibility. The chef acts as a bridge between culinary creativity and practical implementation, ensuring that the final product aligns with brand goals and consumer preferences.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Contractual Research Development Chef, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Contractual Research Development Chef, you need extensive culinary expertise, a strong background in food science, and experience with recipe development, often supported by a culinary degree or relevant certifications. Familiarity with kitchen technology, food safety regulations, and product development software is typically required. Creativity, adaptability, and effective collaboration with cross-functional teams are essential soft skills for success. These skills enable the chef to innovate, ensure product quality, and efficiently meet client or company objectives in a dynamic food industry environment.

What is a Contractual Research Development Chef?

A Contractual Research Development Chef is a culinary professional hired on a contract basis to create, test, and refine new recipes, menu items, or food products for restaurants, food manufacturers, or hospitality businesses. Their work involves innovation in cooking techniques, food presentation, and ingredient sourcing to meet specific client needs or market trends. They often collaborate with product development teams, conduct taste tests, and ensure new offerings are both delicious and cost-effective. This role is crucial for organizations looking to stay competitive by regularly updating their menus or product lines.
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Contractual Research Development Chef jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contractual Research Development Chef job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 78% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,794 per year, or $48.9 per hour.

Research & Development Chef

Farm To People

New York, NY

$22 - $25/hr

Full-time

Medical, PTO

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

The Role

The Culinary R&D Associate guides new products from idea to production-ready launch.
Working out of our kitchen alongside the culinary, procurement, marketing, and data teams, this
role develops and standardizes recipes, crunches the numbers behind them, and helps build the
systems that keep our R&D pipeline organized and on schedule. The position blends real
cooking with the business of food: costing, product analytics, and go-to-market execution. It
suits a strong, consistent cook with an interest in how food products get made, priced, and sold.

Responsibilities

Recipe & Product Development
● Take recipes from first draft (your own or others') to production-ready, including scaling
math, waste and yield validation, batch sizing, and nutritional information, with guidance
from our chef on first iterations.
● Support new SKU ideation alongside procurement and marketing, contributing
competitive research and SKU performance data.
● Commission, execute, and interpret food science analyses, including shelf-life testing
and nutrition fact generation.
● Select and test packaging for new SKUs, balancing regulatory requirements, durability,
presentation, and cost.
● Lead tastings of developed products with senior management.

Launches, Costing & Systems

● Coordinate product launches from start to finish: generate labels and pricing, upload
SKUs into our ERP and Sanity CMS, coordinate product photography, order first-run
ingredients, and schedule initial production runs.
● Help build and maintain COGS and cost analyses that inform pricing and margin
decisions.
● Maintain the recipe management system and kitchen software database: onboard new
products, recipes, and ingredients, and offboard discontinued products from systems
and production schedules.
● Help improve the R&D workflow and kitchen technology (e.g., Parsley, Combi Oven
automated programs) to keep the pipeline organized, on schedule, and efficient.

Kitchen & Team Support

● Help train kitchen team members on new recipes, ensuring consistency and quality.
● Periodically verify and audit recipes in production, and revise them or re-train based on
how cooks are executing them.
● Help keep work and storage spaces clean and organized.

Ideal Candidate

● 2+ years of experience in a culinary environment: restaurant, catering, test kitchen, or
production kitchen.
● A real love of food and the ability to cook it exceptionally well and consistently.
● Experience with recipe development, testing, or documentation. You can scale a recipe
mathematically and understand yield calculations.
● Proficient in Google Sheets and Excel; you're comfortable working with data, building
formulas, and picking up new software systems quickly.
● A careful documenter who takes pride in writing clear processes, procedures, and
specifications.
● A strong communicator who can collaborate across teams, from the kitchen to
marketing, and manage multiple projects on deadline.
● Familiarity with nutrition labeling, food safety protocols, or shelf-life considerations is
preferred.
● Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

This position starts as hourly, paid $22 - $25+ / hour depending on experience.
Benefits include:
● Health Benefits + Paid Time Off
● Employee discount on Farm to People groceries and meals
● Working for a mission driven company that makes a difference!

To apply please email jobs@farmtopeople.com and evan@farmtopeople.com with your
cover letter and resume.

More detail about Farm To People, please visit https://culinaryagents.com/entities/307230-Farm-To-People