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Culinary Research Development Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Executive Chef

Ann Arbor, MI · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Partner with Chef Partner Garrett Lipar on menu development, seasonal evolution, tastings, and research & development * Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing culinary team rooted in ...

Executive Chef

Ann Arbor, MI · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Partner with Chef Partner Garrett Lipar on menu development, seasonal evolution, tastings, and research & development * Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing culinary team rooted in ...

Executive Chef

Ann Arbor, MI

$95K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Partner with Chef Partner Garrett Lipar on menu development, seasonal evolution, tastings, and research & development * Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing culinary team rooted in ...

Executive Chef

Ann Arbor, MI · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Partner with Chef Partner Garrett Lipar on menu development, seasonal evolution, tastings, and research & development * Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing culinary team rooted in ...

R&D Meat Scientist

Holland, MI · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

R&D Meat Scientist Indiana Packers Corporation (IPC) is a fully integrated retail, foodservice and ... This position translates technical and culinary concepts into scalable, commercially viable ...

Executive Chef - Commissary Chef

Troy, MI

$70K - $80K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Conduct research and development of new culinary trends and ideas for menus. * Oversee menu testing, prototyping and recipe compliance and generation. * Complete weekly production sheets. * Complete ...

Executive Chef - Commissary Chef

Troy, MI · On-site

$67K - $93K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Conduct research and development of new culinary trends and ideas for menus. * Oversee menu testing, prototyping and recipe compliance and generation. * Complete weekly production sheets. * Complete ...

Executive Chef - Commissary Chef

Troy, MI · On-site

$70K - $80K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Conduct research and development of new culinary trends and ideas for menus. * Oversee menu testing, prototyping and recipe compliance and generation. * Complete weekly production sheets. * Complete ...

Executive Chef

Detroit, MI · On-site

$76K - $84K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Culinary Leadership & Vision * Develop and execute seasonal, ingredient-driven menus that reflect refined American cuisine. * Lead tasting, testing, and R&D processes to ensure ...

Sushi Line Cook

Plymouth, MI · On-site

$19 - $22/hr

Training & development Benefits/Perks * Flexible Scheduling * Competitive Compensation * Career ... Create menus according to season and customer research * Set up the kitchen with necessary tools ...

Lead tasting, testing, and R&D processes to ensure dishes meet the highest standards of flavor ... Elevate plating aesthetics and overall culinary storytelling aligned with the Elia Group's brand ...

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Showing results 1-20

Culinary Research Development information

See Michigan salary details

$11

$22

$34

How much do culinary research development jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for culinary research development in Michigan is $22.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.78 and $26.83 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are culinary research development jobs?

Culinary research and development jobs focus on using food science and the culinary arts to create new food and drink options for a menu. Common job titles include research chef, culinary research and development specialist, and culinary research and development chef. In any of these roles, you may select the ingredients for each recipe, help determine whether or not a dish should go on the menu, and focus on using innovation during the R&D process to meet the company's goals. This job has two major components. First, on the culinary side, your job is to create the best dishes you can. On the other hand, employers also expect you to consider the practical and business aspects of a dish. This includes how costly the ingredients are, how easy the ingredients are to get, whether or not it's possible to work the ingredients into a supply chain, and how easy it is for another chef to replicate the dish in a timely manner.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in culinary research development, and why are they important?

Culinary Research and Development (R&D) is a specialized field that focuses on creating, testing, and improving food products, recipes, and cooking techniques. Professionals in this area work in various settings, such as food manufacturing companies, restaurants, and test kitchens, to innovate and develop new menu items or packaged foods. They blend culinary creativity with scientific principles to ensure products are safe, tasty, and marketable. Culinary R&D often involves collaborating with chefs, food scientists, and marketing teams to bring new food concepts to life.

What are some common challenges faced in a culinary research development role and how can they be overcome?

Professionals in Culinary Research Development often encounter challenges such as balancing creativity with cost-effectiveness, adapting recipes for large-scale production, and meeting diverse dietary requirements. Collaboration with cross-functional teams—like marketing, nutrition, and manufacturing—is essential to ensure that products are innovative yet feasible. Staying up-to-date with food trends and consumer preferences also requires ongoing research and flexibility. Success in this role often depends on strong project management skills and open communication within the team.

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

AspectCulinary Research DevelopmentFood Scientist
CredentialsCooking and culinary certifications, culinary degreesFood science degrees, certifications in food safety
Work EnvironmentTest kitchens, culinary labs, product development kitchensLaboratories, manufacturing facilities, research centers
Industry UsageFood companies, restaurants, product development firmsFood manufacturing, research institutions, quality control

While Culinary Research Development focuses on creating and testing new recipes and culinary concepts, Food Scientists analyze food properties, safety, and quality. Both roles often collaborate but serve different primary functions within the food industry.

What are popular job titles related to Culinary Research Development jobs in Michigan?

For Culinary Research Development jobs in Michigan, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Culinary Research Development job openings in Michigan as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $47,234 per year, or $22.7 per hour.

$125K/yr

Other

Posted 19 days ago


Nino Salvaggio rating

6.0

Company rating: 6.0 out of 10

Based on 16 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Director Of Culinary Development

Nino Salvaggio is currently searching for a new Director of Culinary Development to oversee all culinary operations of all locations. This position will require travel to all metro Detroit locations (Troy, Clinton Twp, St Clair Shores, Bloomfield and Livonia). Responsibilities include overseeing all culinary recipe development and implementation in stores, maintaining proper recipes in the recipe computer system, working with vendors to ensure best pricing and quality products, ensuring products are made in accordance with all food safety laws and regulations, creating and maintaining demo schedules, determining and negotiating pricing for culinary items, contributing to party planning pricing and item selection, maintaining Standard Operating Procedures Books for all culinary departments, maintaining product packaging books, assisting in creating and maintaining cafe menus at each location, conducting store sanitation and quality walk throughs at each location, ensuring product pricing in culinary departments are meeting the target gross profit, ensuring inventory procedures are completed accurately, ensuring that culinary departments are following all shelf life procedures and scale labels are accurate, monitoring culinary managers to ensure all policies and procedures are being followed, overseeing all commissary operations, ensuring that all culinary managers are maintaining Serv Safe certification and standards, assisting in determining current menu selection in Gourmet to Go and monitoring the display cases, ensuring that all culinary departments are following the pull down process and no expired food is on display, ensuring that coolers are properly rotated and dated and product placement is in accordance to food safety policies, assisting in culinary social media content, evaluating equipment and renovation costs to keep kitchens up to date and in compliance, working with co-packers to ensure all culinary recipes are being followed to company specifications, handling customer service correspondences and issues as needed, evaluating movement reports for all culinary departments, communicating ideas to improve sales, ensuring all culinary programs are kept up to date with all regulations and laws, and planning, organizing, directing and controlling all research and development activities and special projects with the assistance of General Managers, Department Managers and other supervisory personnel.

Qualifications include having a culinary degree, multi-unit culinary experience, 10+ years experience in culinary, previous kitchen renovation experience, retail culinary experience preferred, great computer skills, being organized and a multi-tasker, being able to lift 50+ pounds, and being able to stand for 8 or more hours at a time.

Compensation based on experience. If interested please complete the two part application process of submitting your resume and then completing the formal application. EOE Compensation: $125,000.00 per year.

Every successful company is built on a core principle. At Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace, it's Family. From the actual Salvaggio family that created our store in 1979, to the family of thousands who staff our four locations in Metro Detroit, to the families we serve as customers every day. So whether you love working with customers or thrive in a kitchen environment, whether you know fresh produce or cash registers, whether you've graduated high school or learned a trade, it doesn't matter. If you want a job, chances are you've got family waiting for you at Nino's.

Troy Clinton Twp. St. Clair Shores Bloomfield Twp.


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