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Culinary Product Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Kinder's

Culinary Experience Specialist

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

$38K - $52K/yr

This role is designed for a culinary professional who wants to grow inside an ambitious, fast ... This role blends hands-on cooking, product testing, recipe development, field execution, and cross ...

Kinder's

Culinary Experience Specialist

Walnut Creek, CA

$38K - $52K/yr

Gain exposure across Product Development, Innovation, Quality, Brand Management, Sales, and ... Support field culinary experiences at customer events, trade shows, retailer demos, consumer ...

Kinder's

Culinary Experience Specialist

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

$38K - $52K/yr

Gain exposure across Product Development, Innovation, Quality, Brand Management, Sales, and ... Support field culinary experiences at customer events, trade shows, retailer demos, consumer ...

PepsiCo

R&D Research and Innovations Chef - Foods

Plano, TX · On-site

$89K - $149K/yr

Responsibilities This role involves leading technical and creative culinary product development by translating consumer needs into innovative product designs. You will support the expanding Away from ...

PepsiCo

R&D Research and Innovations Chef - Foods

Plano, TX · On-site

$89K - $149K/yr

Responsibilities This role involves leading technical and creative culinary product development by translating consumer needs into innovative product designs. You will support the expanding Away from ...

Haliburton International

Culinary Chef

Ontario, CA · On-site

Works on a variety of projects including menu concept development, product development, customer ... Takes the lead on assigned culinary presentations ensuring seamless execution through adequate ...

Kinder's

Culinary Development Manager

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

With over 100 products sold nationwide, we're now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at ... The Culinary Development Manager will be a critical leader in contributing to our culinary ...

Kinder's

Culinary Development Manager

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

With over 100 products sold nationwide, we're now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at ... The Culinary Development Manager will be a critical leader in contributing to our culinary ...

Kinder's

Culinary Development Manager

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

$135K - $155K/yr

This role blends hands-on cooking, product testing, recipe development, field execution, and cross ... Culinary Development & Innovation * Drive culinary development of new flavor profiles and products ...

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Culinary Product Development information

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How much do culinary product development jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 18, 2026, the average hourly pay for culinary product development in the United States is $24.93, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.43 and $26.20 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in Culinary Product Development, and why are they important?

To succeed in Culinary Product Development, you need a strong background in food science, culinary arts, and recipe formulation, often supported by a degree in food science, culinary management, or a related field. Familiarity with product lifecycle management systems, sensory evaluation tools, and food safety certifications like HACCP is highly valued. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong collaboration skills help professionals innovate and adapt to market trends while working in cross-functional teams. These skills ensure the development of safe, appealing, and commercially viable food products that meet consumer and regulatory standards.

What is culinary product development?

Culinary product development is the process of creating new food products or improving existing ones for restaurants, food manufacturers, or retail markets. This role involves researching food trends, experimenting with recipes and ingredients, conducting taste tests, and ensuring products meet quality, safety, and cost standards. Culinary product developers often collaborate with chefs, food scientists, marketing teams, and suppliers to bring innovative and marketable food items from concept to production.

What are some common challenges faced in a Culinary Product Development role, and how can they be addressed?

Culinary Product Development professionals often encounter challenges such as balancing innovative flavors with production feasibility, meeting strict food safety regulations, and adapting recipes for large-scale manufacturing without compromising quality. To address these, it's important to work closely with cross-functional teams including food scientists, quality assurance, and production staff. Staying updated on industry trends, maintaining clear documentation, and conducting thorough product testing can also help overcome these hurdles and lead to successful product launches.

What is the difference between Culinary Product Development vs Food Scientist?

AspectCulinary Product DevelopmentFood Scientist
CredentialsCooking or culinary arts certifications, culinary degreesFood science degrees, certifications in food safety
Work EnvironmentTest kitchens, culinary labs, food companiesResearch labs, manufacturing facilities, quality control
Industry UsageFood companies, restaurants, product startupsFood manufacturing, research institutions, regulatory agencies

While Culinary Product Development focuses on creating and testing new food products through culinary techniques, Food Scientists analyze the chemical and physical properties of food to ensure safety, quality, and shelf life. Both roles collaborate closely in the food industry but serve different functions in product innovation and scientific research.

More about Culinary Product Development jobs
What cities are hiring for Culinary Product Development jobs? Cities with the most Culinary Product Development job openings:
What states have the most Culinary Product Development jobs? States with the most job openings for Culinary Product Development jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Culinary Product Development jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Culinary Product Development jobs are:
Culinary Product Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Culinary Product Development job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 78% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 4% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $51,854 per year, or $24.9 per hour.
Product Development & Customer Experience Specialist

Product Development & Customer Experience Specialist

Country Fresh

Denver, CO • On-site

Other

Posted 20 days ago

Job description

The Product Development & Customer Experience Specialist is a hands-on culinary role within the Product Development team, supporting the creation, commercialization, and customer presentation of value-added proteins and meals. This position partners closely with Product Development, Operations, Quality, and Sales to help bring new Ready-to-Heat and Ready-to-Cook products from concept through launch. In addition to development and plant commercialization work, this role leads customer-facing cooking presentations and tastings, bringing products to life and clearly demonstrating quality, functionality, and real-world application. The ideal candidate blends strong culinary expertise with product development experience and is comfortable both in the test kitchen and in front of customers.

Department: Product Development

We are seeking a Product Development & Customer Experience Specialist to be an integral member of our Product Development team, supporting the creation, commercialization, and customer-facing presentation of value-added proteins and meals. We are looking for a culinary professional who comes with experience in both the Ready-to-Heat & Ready-to-Cook value added meat categories. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working cross-functionally in product development and also excels at bringing products to life through customer cooking presentations and tastings.

You will be part of the Product Development team and will partner closely with Operations, Quality, and Sales to help translate concepts into scalable, market-ready products. In parallel, you will partner with our sales team and represent our products in customer meetings by preparing and presenting food in a way that clearly demonstrates quality, functionality, and real-world application.

This role includes U.S. travel based on customer needs.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Product Development & Commercialization

Support Product Development in ideation, bench work, and iterative product testing.

Assist in scaling products from concept through commercialization, ensuring culinary intent is maintained.

Create specs and product outlines to ensure that the products can be commercialized and produced in all plants consistently. Ensure that products developed are supported by appropriate marketing materials and catalogues.

Participate in internal cuttings, plant trials, and commercialization runs.

Collaborate with Operations and Quality to ensure products meet performance, cost, and food safety requirements.

Have an in depth understanding of the trends and opportunities in the market and provide culinary input on flavor profiles, preparation methods, and product applications.

Customer Cooking & Presentations

Prepare and cook products for customer meetings, line reviews, and innovation sessions.

Execute live or semi-live cooking demonstrations to showcase product performance and versatility.

Partner with Sales to support customer presentations with strong culinary execution and storytelling.

Tailor cooking methods, recipes, and applications to specific customer needs and channels.

Act as a culinary resource during customer discussions, telling the story behind the concept and answering preparation and usage questions.

Culinary & Market Insight

Translate market and flavor trends into actionable product development ideas.

Support competitive benchmarking and customer-focused tastings.

Help maintain culinary documentation, demo recipes, and inspiration materials.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

3-5 years of experience in culinary product development, R&D, or customer-facing culinary roles.

Culinary Arts degree or Certified Chef preferred.

Experience working in food manufacturing and Ready-to-Heat & Ready to Cook value-added proteins/meals strongly preferred.

Ability to work collaboratively within a Product Development team.

Confidence preparing and presenting food for customers.

Strong communication skills and attention to detail along with ability to create marketing materials and catalogues.

Willingness to travel for customer meetings and presentations.

Apply