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Culinary Research Development Jobs in Paramus, NJ

Vivibowl

Culinary Innovation Chef

Manhattan, NY

$90K - $120K/yr

Culinary Innovation Chef Mexican, Mediterranean, or Asian Fusion Cuisine Location: New York, NY ... We're seeking an innovative, hands-on Chef to join our Research & Development (R&D) team and help ...

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Line Cook

Tarrytown, NY

$18 - $22/hr

Collaborating closely with the front of house team to ensure seamless execution of service and culinary R&D programs. * Attending Cook's meetings and tour trainings. * Maintaining equipment, tools ...

FOODMatch

Product Development Coordinator

New York, NY · On-site

$26.25 - $32.75/hr

Support innovation and renovation projects by assisting with research, sample coordination ... Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field ...

FOODMatch

Product Development Coordinator

New York, NY

$26.25 - $32.75/hr

Support innovation and renovation projects by assisting with research, sample coordination ... Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field ...

FOODMatch

Product Development Coordinator

New York, NY

$26.25 - $32.75/hr

Support innovation and renovation projects by assisting with research, sample coordination ... Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Arts, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field ...

Compass Group

PASTRY COOK, R&D (FULL TIME)

Brooklyn, NY

$18.50 - $22.25/hr

R&D position. * Location : Note: online applications accepted only. * Schedule : Tuesday through ... Founded in 2005 as Hudson Yards Catering, Union Square Events is a culinary and operations leader ...

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Culinary Research Development information

See Paramus, NJ salary details

$13

$26

$40

How much do culinary research development jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for culinary research development in Paramus, NJ is $26.36, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.47 and $31.15 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 Are Culinary Research and 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?

To excel in Culinary Research Development, a strong background in culinary arts, food science, and recipe formulation—often supported by a relevant degree or certification—is essential. Familiarity with food safety regulations, sensory evaluation tools, and product development software is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication set outstanding professionals apart in this field. These skills are crucial for innovating new food products that are both safe and appealing, while meeting industry standards and consumer needs.

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 is Culinary Research and Development?

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.
More about Culinary Research Development jobs
Culinary Research Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Culinary Research Development job openings in Paramus, NJ as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 78% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $54,838 per year, or $26.4 per hour.

Research & Development Chef

Farm To People

New York, NY

$22 - $25/hr

Full-time

Medical, PTO

Posted 16 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