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Culinary Development Chef Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Boar's Head Brand

Culinary Development Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

$147K/yr

Additionally, the Culinary Development Chef will be responsible for developing and implementing new food products and foodservice concepts in both manufacturing and retail environments, enabling the ...

Maple

Maple & Ash Chicago - Chef De Cuisine

Chicago, IL · On-site

$135K - $150K/yr

Who You Are The R&D Chef is the culinary architect for the brand, bridging the gap between Michelin-caliber artistry and multi-unit scalability. This role demands a rare hybrid of elite creativity ...

Flik Hospitality Group

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95K - $100K/yr

Culinary & Operational Leadership * Support menu development, daily production, and food ... Lead, coach, and mentor sous chefs and front-line associates to strengthen skills, teamwork, and ...

Compass Group

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95K - $100K/yr

Culinary & Operational Leadership * Support menu development, daily production, and food ... Lead, coach, and mentor sous chefs and front-line associates to strengthen skills, teamwork, and ...

Compass Group

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95K - $100K/yr

Culinary & Operational Leadership * Support menu development, daily production, and food ... Lead, coach, and mentor sous chefs and front-line associates to strengthen skills, teamwork, and ...

Compass Group

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Chicago, IL

$95K - $100K/yr

Culinary & Operational Leadership * Support menu development, daily production, and food ... Lead, coach, and mentor sous chefs and front-line associates to strengthen skills, teamwork, and ...

Atomic Hospitality

Culinary Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

This role oversees multiple concepts, partnering with executive chefs, culinary managers, and ... Oversee development of seasonal menus and new food concepts while maintaining each brand's unique ...

Park Hyatt Chicago

Sous Chef

Chicago, IL · On-site

$63K - $78K/yr

THE ROLE: As Sous Chef , you will serve as a key culinary leader and brand ambassador for Park ... Team Development: Support and develop the culinary team through hands‑on training, coaching ...

Kraft Heinz Company

Corporate Chef

Glenview, IL · On-site

$104K - $130K/yr

Act as a culinary mentor to junior chefs, providing guidance and professional development ... opportunities. * Utilize standardized customer facing templates and other corporate resources

COREcruitment Ltd

Sous Chef

Chicago, IL · On-site

$67K - $77K/yr

... menu development and seasonal culinary innovation * Ensure smooth kitchen execution during high ... Chef or equivalent) * Michelin-starred or luxury fine dining background required (2-3 Michelin ...

Compass Group

REGIONAL CHEF

Chicago, IL · On-site

$114K - $124K/yr

Provides Culinary Leadership to Chefs within the respective Territory. * Assists with training, coaching, and development of Culinary personnel within assigned territory. * Completes all required ...

Compass Group

REGIONAL CHEF

Chicago, IL · On-site

$114K - $124K/yr

Provides Culinary Leadership to Chefs within the respective Territory. * Assists with training, coaching, and development of Culinary personnel within assigned territory. * Completes all required ...

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All JobsCulinary Development Chef JobsCulinary Development Chef Jobs in Chicago, IL

Culinary Development Chef information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$33K

$81.7K

$117.4K

How much do culinary development chef jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for culinary development chef in Chicago, IL is $81,699.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $68,500.00 and $93,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a culinary development chef typically collaborate with other departments to bring new menu items to market?

Culinary Development Chefs work closely with cross-functional teams such as marketing, procurement, and operations to ensure new menu items are both innovative and feasible. They often participate in brainstorming sessions, conduct taste tests, and adjust recipes based on feedback from stakeholders. Collaboration with supply chain teams is crucial to source ingredients that meet quality standards and fit within budget constraints. Additionally, they work with training teams to develop materials that help kitchen staff consistently execute new dishes across multiple locations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a culinary development chef, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Culinary Development Chef, you need advanced culinary expertise, creativity in recipe development, and a solid understanding of food safety, typically supported by a relevant culinary degree or certification. Familiarity with commercial kitchen equipment, recipe management software, and knowledge of current food trends are essential technical assets. Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These abilities ensure the creation of innovative, high-quality dishes that meet both operational goals and customer expectations.

What is the difference between Culinary Development Chef vs Pastry Chef?

AspectCulinary Development ChefPastry Chef
CredentialsCooking certifications, culinary degreesPastry arts certifications, culinary degrees
Work EnvironmentTest kitchens, product development labsBakery, pastry shops, restaurants
Industry UsageFood manufacturing, restaurant chains, product innovationBakery, patisserie, dessert-focused establishments

The Culinary Development Chef focuses on creating new recipes, product development, and culinary innovation, often working in test kitchens or labs. In contrast, a Pastry Chef specializes in baking and pastry arts, working primarily in bakeries or pastry shops. While both roles require culinary skills and certifications, their work environments and industry applications differ significantly.

What is a culinary development chef?

Culinary Development Chefs are professional chefs who specialize in creating and improving recipes, menus, and food products for restaurants, food manufacturers, or hospitality companies. They blend culinary creativity with technical knowledge to develop new dishes, enhance existing offerings, and ensure that recipes can be consistently reproduced on a large scale. Their work often involves testing ingredients, refining cooking techniques, and collaborating with other departments such as marketing and production. Culinary Development Chefs play a key role in keeping a brand’s food offerings innovative, appealing, and competitive in the marketplace.
What are popular job titles related to Culinary Development Chef jobs in Chicago, IL? For Culinary Development Chef jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Culinary Development Chef jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Culinary Development Chef jobs in Chicago, IL are:
Culinary Development Chef jobs near you
Infographic showing various Culinary Development Chef job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $81,699 per year, or $39.3 per hour.

Culinary Development Manager

Boar's Head Brand

Chicago, IL • On-site

$147K/yr

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago

Boar's Head rating

7.5

Company rating: 7.5 out of 10

Based on 36 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

153rd of 435 rated food and drinks producers

Job description

Hiring Company:
Delicatessen Services Co., LLC
Overview:
Boar's Head Brand is seeking dynamic professional candidate with good knowledge and passion for food and foodservice industry. In this role, the candidate will be a dedicated resource to building and maintaining positive recognition of the Boar's Head Brand across all industry segments and be a resource to internal and external customers; both Purveyors, Channel Business Development Managers (CBDM) and Operators. Additionally, the Culinary Development Chef will be responsible for developing and implementing new food products and foodservice concepts in both manufacturing and retail environments, enabling the Boar's Head Brand to bring fresh, innovative, and trendsetting products and concepts to support our penetration in the Prepared Foods industry.
Reporting to the Sr. Culinary Development Manager, the candidate will collaborate with his/her supervisor, the CBDM team and be tasked with relationship development and product marketing to increase the quantity of new business opportunities and ultimately the foodservice division's success.
Job Description:
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
  • Represent, protect, and grow our Brand across all retail and foodservice channels.
  • Collaborate under the direction of the Sr. Manager of Culinary Development/Executive Chef with various business channels to move prepared foods programs and recipes from concept stage to an executable operational reality and scalability.
  • Maintain strategic accountability for all product development and research, including management and scheduling of test kitchen facilities in collaboration with PF Operations Managers.
  • Develop in collaboration with PF Operations Managers effective build sheets and training materials to ensure the ability to execute at both store level and at central manufacturing facility (FFM).
  • Actively support a culture of safety which includes, but it not limited to, food safety, employee safety and customer safety.
  • Design and implement new products in high volume facilities. When possible be on-site for initial product runs to ensure first runs meet documented organoleptic measures.
  • Adhere to federal, state and county or local regulations and existing laws regarding food safety. Work with food scientists on nutritional and ingredient statements while constantly championing nutritionally responsible foods.
  • Maintain awareness of competitive activity and new trends in the business, communicating ideas for improvement.
  • Maintain awareness of optimizing ingredient usage, production capabilities and production requirements.
  • Determine how to get the most utility across product lines. Understand the benefit of additional sales opportunities and secondary opportunities for selling products, reducing overall shrink risk.
  • Assist in menu development for retail and restaurant concepts, including on-site training and evaluation of operations.
  • Review and evaluate retail execution of designed programs, including initial training, profitability review and on-site audits.
  • Analyses customer menus to create and communicate Boar's Head products into unique, versatile and operational concepts.
  • Organize, schedule and conduct off-site demonstrations with clients to illustrate the benefits of various BH products and their potential applications.
  • Research, create, and write recipes that are scalable in retail and commissary environments.
  • Actively supports training and development team in Sarasota and New York with Best-Practices and trainer leadership. Routinely shares relevant best-practices with internal network.
  • Engage with professional affiliations (ACF, WCR, Catersource) to showcase Boar's Head commitment to Culinary Arts while networking for business development.
  • Assist clients and Local Purveyors in development of new culinary and Grab & Go programs
  • Maintain current and up to date on evolving all food and culinary trends with focus on global and domestic influences.
  • Possess well-developed ability to taste and evaluate food with a strong ability to accurately communicate findings using sensory-based language
  • Support the Culinary Development Team with the operations for the Foodservice Culinary Lab including but not exclusive to the following: Maintenance & Cleaning, Supplies and Inventory Control, Operations & Security.
  • Coordinate - work cross-functionally with supply chain, culinary, marketing, operations, training, and sales to integrate recipe development plans and new product roll outs throughout the company in a collaborative, efficient and profitable manner.
  • Coordination and attendance at regional, national food shows and association specific shows.
  • Maintain an active, up-to-date calendar of events and activities (training dates, events, tradeshows)
  • Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Education and Experience
  • Culinary or Hospitality (BA/BS) Degree or related discipline
  • ACF Certification or similar preferred
  • 5-7 years of culinary experience in the hospitality or restaurant industry
  • Knows the difference with premium brands vs. value drivers

Skills / Abilities
  • Passionate about food, flavors, and the prepared foods industry
  • Technical competency in deli meats, cheeses & innovation, trends, ingredient functionality, and commercialization.
  • Adept understanding of sensory, consumer, analytical
  • Ability to multi-task and work agilely across different product types and categories.
  • Strong commercial acumen, technical development skills, judgment and understanding of the business and industry.
  • Experience and understanding of food forward consumer trends, including culinary as well as technical/regulatory experience with non-gmo, organic, and/or clean-label food design.
  • Demonstrated leadership strength in capability development and stakeholder management and supplier relationships. Excellent communications skills to interact with general management at a senior level.
  • Strong project management skills and proven ability to work with cross-functional teams.
  • Experience and passion for the intersection of creativity and innovation, including consumer-centric approaches.

Language Skills
  • Must be fluent in English (oral and written)

Mathematical Skills
  • Intermediate to Advanced math skills required - ability to convert grams to lbs, oz to kg, and be able to properly quantify recipes, formulas, etc.

Reasoning Ability
  • Self-starter that does not need to be micro-managed and comfortable with navigating ambiguity. The candidate must also maintain confidentiality to ensure the integrity of the department is not jeopardized.

Work Environment
  • This position involves up to approximately 25% travel utilizing commercial flights, automobile and other forms of transportation. The remainder of time is spend in an office or commercial kitchen environment.

Location:
Chicago, IL
Time Type:
Full time
Department:
Foodservice

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