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Contractual Research Development Chef Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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 ...

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 ...

Zippy's

Research and Development Chef

Waipahu, HI · On-site

$85K - $100K/yr

Research and Development Chef REPORTS TO: Food Solutions General Manager STATUS: Exempt DATE: July 2026 LOCATION: Food Solutions POSITION SUMMARY: The Research and Development Chef is responsible for ...

RUPRECHT CO

R&D Chef

Mundelein, IL

Qualifications and Education Requirements Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts with concentration in food science / R&D preferred 1 to 3 years R&D Chef Experience Must be Proficient in MS Office Suite ...

Coursekingdom

Senior R&D Chef (all genders) We are seeking a Senior R&D Chef to join the culinary team of our newest brand, Factor: a healthy, ready-to-heat meal delivery service. At Factor, our goal is to ...

Ruprecht Company

R&D Chef

Mundelein, IL · On-site

Qualifications and Education Requirements • Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts with concentration in food science / R&D preferred • 1 to 3 years R&D Chef Experience • Must be Proficient in MS ...

Kilcoy Global Foods

R&D Chef

Mundelein, IL · On-site

Qualifications and Education Requirements · Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts with concentration in food science / R&D preferred · 1 to 3 years R&D Chef Experience · Must be Proficient in MS ...

Plat Du Jour Inc

Nutritionist

Charlotte, NC · On-site

... Chef and Research & Development Chef to obtain accurate recipe formulations, ingredient specifications, and portion weights for all products requiring nutritional analysis Analyze and produce ...

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 ...

Kagome Inc.

Business Development Chef

San Carlos, CA · On-site

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 ...

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Contractual Research Development Chef information

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$48.5K

$101.8K

$165K

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

As of Sep 13, 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 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.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contractual research development chef?

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.

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 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.

What cities are hiring for Contractual Research Development Chef jobs?

Cities with the most Contractual Research Development Chef job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Research Development Chef jobs?

The most popular types of Research Development Chef jobs are:

What states have the most Contractual Research Development Chef jobs?

States with the most job openings for Contractual Research Development Chef jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Contractual Research Development Chef jobs?

For Contractual Research Development Chef jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

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% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,794 per year, or $48.9 per hour.

R&D Chef

Lake Forest, CA • On-site

Del Taco
Food Services and Drinking Places • 5 - 10K employees
Learn more about Del Tacoexternal

$89K - $110K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 25 days ago

Del Taco rating

5.7

Company rating: 5.7 out of 10

Based on 93 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

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 - $110,000 / Annual
SUMMARY:
The position supports the organization in the identification, ideation, development and implementation of New Product initiatives and Innovation pipelines in support of the Brand vision and growth strategies, bringing Core Menu brand positioning to life through the optimization, benchmarking, testing and validation of current menu offerings. Skills required include a blend of highly developed culinary creativity with a demonstrated knowledge of food (a well-developed understanding of American/Mexican/Latin fusion inspired food is greatly preferred). Practical operational capabilities must include: food costing and related financial skills, practical experience with both quantitative and qualitative evaluation of foods and food equipment/procedures, effective utilization of vendor/supplier assets against strategic goals and a demonstrated ability to effectively train peers and unit-level internal partners in support of new product roll-outs.
Key responsibilities include: concept ideation; prototype development; manufacturer scale up, operational viability optimization, training and presentation of concepts and products, analytical evaluation of products, maintenance of the internal recipe and costing database and the efficient sourcing and management of the Test Kitchen product inventory.
Must demonstrate the ability to successfully manage multiple projects concurrently in a lean, dynamic and fast-paced culture.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Identify and present opportunities to optimize Core Menu products, procedures or workflow.
  • Liaise with Operations and various departments to provide culinary/R&D solutions and improvements to in-restaurant performance.
  • Support training department with the development and execution of operations procedure, job aids and in-field training.
  • Regularly audit unit-level execution of food and beverage initiatives, providing feedback and solutions for improvement.
  • Maintain and regularly update the internal recipe and recipe costing databases, yield calculations and vendor portfolio.
  • Partner with Purchasing and other departments on the development of packaging and procedural solutions for all products.
  • Prepare appropriate documentation and materials to ensure a seamless transition from Research and Development to key departments, including cost analysis.
  • Interact in partnership with Operations/Purchasing/QA to refine product specifications to deliver executional consistency, viability and recipe yields
  • Take on additional projects as required by department or concept. Partner with Purchasing on an as-needed basis to validate cost savings opportunities.
  • Support Marketing on projects requiring a culinary resource such as photo shoots
  • Maintain the cleanliness and organization of the test kitchen, test kitchen coolers and freezers, and all equipment and small wares. The test kitchen must be kept clean to company and county health department standards.
  • Assist R&D team with development and presentations.
  • Support the team to maintain our Research & Development plans and timelines, including key tasks and milestones to meet project due dates.
  • Perform technical functions, such as product yields, shelf life, time hold and improvements studies.
  • Set up and break down cooking stations.
  • May perform other responsibilities as assigned. Responsibilities and duties may change when circumstances dictate. (e.g., emergencies, changes in workload, rush projects, other tasks)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
NA
QUALIFICATIONS:
  • 2+ years minimum progressive experience as an R&D Chef/Executive Chef. Experience in the chain restaurant (QSR/Fast Casual) segment preferred.
  • Creativity: ability to identify opportunities and create new, innovative solutions. Strong analytical/investigative and troubleshooting skills
  • Ability to manage multiple projects from start to finish while maintaining priorities and details
  • Culinary expertise: theoretical understanding and practical application of culinary principles.
  • Ability to create a prototype product solely from an idea. Can reverse engineer a finished product back to its source ingredients. Well-developed sense of taste, aesthetics, and value-drivers in food. Knowledge of American/Mexican/Latin cuisine.
  • Operations experience - is familiar and comfortable with the level of operational capabilities and equipment platforms within our category and is able to design products for success within those parameters.
  • Financial acumen: has experience in food costing, yield analysis and financial reporting.
  • Consumer driven: integrates consumer feedback, trends and insights into product development process.
  • Demonstrated ability to take direction, formulate a plan and execute that plan with limited direct supervision.
  • Demonstrates the exceptional attention to detail required when documenting formulations, inputting costs, evaluating products and managing multiple deliverables/timelines.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
  • Must openly engage and leverage knowledge and experience during cross-functional ideations, meetings and planning sessions.
  • Assist with culinary execution for specific PR initiatives
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Demonstrated strength presenting ideas in a food cutting, training, or PR initiative environment.
  • Must work well with diverse groups and support a working team relationship
  • High energy, positive, proactive, and flexible team player
  • Able to work independently, proactively, and communicate with the team (verbal and written)

COMPUTER SKILLS:
Good computer skills with advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and Power Point.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to handle or feel, and also to reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to stand and/or walk for extended periods of the workday.
Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • Travel up to 20%

EQUIPMENT USED:
  • All relevant kitchen/food production equipment
  • Computer, fax, calculator, copier, phone.

Licenses / Permits Required:
• ServSafe Manager Certification (can be obtained once hired)
• Food Handler's Certificate (can be obtained once hired)
• Valid Driver License and reliable transportation

What Del Taco employees say

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About Del Taco

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

We proudly work harder to make fast, awesome fresh Mexican food accessible to everyone, creating delightful moments for our guests. Working at Del Taco, you'll feel proud that you are part of an iconic brand, where we actually grill, shred and chop fresh ingredients. You'll feel proud that you have a chance to grow and earn more as you work through a realistic and achievable career path. It's not about JUST DOING IT, It's about BEING THE BEST at doing it. Learn more about being the best you can be.

Industry

Food services and drinking places

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Lake Forest, CA, US

Year founded

1964

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