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Director Culinary Development Jobs in Crown Point, IN

Culinary Innovation Manager: Ready-to-Eat

Chicago, IL · On-site

$85K - $105K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an integral part of the Culinary department, you will join forces with the Director of Culinary ... development, product development, or culinary innovation. * Strong understanding of product ...

Culinary Innovation Manager: Ready-to-Eat

Chicago, IL · On-site

$85K - $105K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an integral part of the Culinary department, you will join forces with the Director of Culinary ... development, product development, or culinary innovation. * Strong understanding of product ...

Culinary Innovation Manager: Ready-to-Eat

Chicago, IL · On-site

$85K - $105K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As an integral part of the Culinary department, you will join forces with the Director of Culinary ... development, product development, or culinary innovation. * Strong understanding of product ...

Culinary Operations and Procurement Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

$81 - $99/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

## Culinary Operations and Procurement DirectorApplyremote type: In-Personlocations: Chicago, ILtime ... development and ongoing training.**Who is HHS?**Founded in 1975, HHS is a private, family-owned ...

EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95K - $100K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Culinary & Operational Leadership * Support menu development, daily production, and food ... Partner with the Executive Chef in client tastings, catering events, and direct client interaction.

Direct procurement data gathering and managing the client purchasing rebate program to maximize ... Dedicated career development and ongoing training. Who is HHS? Founded in 1975, HHS is a private ...

Direct procurement data gathering and managing the client purchasing rebate program to maximize ... Dedicated career development and ongoing training. Who is HHS? Founded in 1975, HHS is a private ...

Executive Chef

Matteson, IL · On-site

$60K - $80K/yr

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... development experience, financial knowledge, and the ability to manage multiple kitchen operations in a fast-paced environment. Key Responsibilities * Direct culinary operations for Applebee's, the ...

Marketing Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

$230 - $240/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As Marketing Director, you will help elevate Newly Weds Foods' market presence, influence ... Partner with Culinary and R&D to guide innovation efforts that align with customer needs and market ...

Marketing Director

Chicago, IL

$190K - $240K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

As Marketing Director, you will help elevate Newly Weds Foods' market presence, influence ... Partner with Culinary and R&D to guide innovation efforts that align with customer needs and market ...

Culinary Lead (Sur La Table)

Chicago, IL · On-site

$21 - $22.34/hr

Key Responsibilities Leadership & Team Development · Supports the recruitment, training, and ... directing associates and/or class participants while selling to customers. · The capability to ...

Culinary Lead (Sur La Table)

Chicago, IL · On-site

$17.75 - $22.75/hr

Key Responsibilities Leadership & Team Development • Supports the recruitment, training, and ... directing associates and/or class participants while selling to customers. • The capability to ...

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Showing results 1-20

Director Culinary Development information

See Crown Point, IN salary details

$15.2K

$90.8K

$168.9K

How much do director culinary development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for director culinary development in Crown Point, IN is $90,812.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $70,200.00 and $108,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of culinary development do?

A Director of Culinary Development oversees the creation and enhancement of menu items, recipes, and food concepts for a restaurant, hospitality group, or food company. They work closely with chefs, product developers, and marketing teams to ensure that new dishes align with brand standards and customer preferences. Their responsibilities often include trend research, menu innovation, quality control, and managing culinary teams. This role requires a blend of creativity, leadership, and a deep understanding of culinary techniques and market trends.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of culinary development?

To thrive as a Director of Culinary Development, you need extensive culinary expertise, menu innovation experience, and a background in food service management, often supported by a culinary degree or equivalent professional certifications. Familiarity with recipe management software, food costing tools, and industry-standard kitchen equipment is essential. Strong leadership, creativity, and excellent communication skills help drive team performance and foster collaboration across departments. These skills are vital for developing successful culinary programs, ensuring operational efficiency, and maintaining a competitive edge in the food industry.

What are some common challenges faced by a director of culinary development, and how can they be addressed?

A Director of Culinary Development often encounters challenges such as keeping up with rapidly changing food trends, ensuring consistency across multiple locations, and managing cross-functional collaboration between culinary teams and other departments like marketing and operations. To address these, it's important to stay informed about industry innovations, implement clear training protocols, and foster open communication with stakeholders. Building a strong team culture and establishing regular feedback mechanisms also help in overcoming obstacles and driving continuous improvement.

What job categories do people searching Director Culinary Development jobs in Crown Point, IN look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Culinary Development jobs in Crown Point, IN are:

What cities near Crown Point, IN are hiring for Director Culinary Development jobs?

Cities near Crown Point, IN with the most Director Culinary Development job openings:

Infographic showing various Director Culinary Development job openings in Crown Point, IN as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $90,812 per year, or $43.7 per hour.

Culinary Innovation Manager: Ready-to-Eat

Purple Carrot

Chicago, IL • On-site

$85K - $105K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

About Purple Carrot
Founded in 2014, Purple Carrot delivers clean, long-lasting energy through the power of plants. As the only company in America devoted entirely to plant-based eating, we have spent over a decade perfecting the balance of protein and fiber that only plants can provide. Offering chef-crafted, dietitian-designed meals delivered right to your door, we make plant-forward eating effortless, flexible, and endlessly exciting. Our menu spans quick weeknight dishes, occasion-worthy dinners, breakfast, lunch, snacks, and ready-to-eat meals.
Purple Carrot prioritizes taste and flexibility, offering no membership fees, the freedom to skip or unskip weekly deliveries whenever you want, and a no-pressure, cancel-anytime policy. We pride ourselves on doing plants better than anyone else - and we have the receipts to prove it.
Description
We are looking for a Culinary Innovation Manager, Ready-to-Eat to join our mission-driven team. As an integral part of the Culinary department, you will join forces with the Director of Culinary (to whom you will also report) in our continued effort to inspire people to eat more plants!
This position will play an important role in owning the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) portfolio - serving as the primary culinary partner to our co-manufacturer and driving the day-to-day strategy and execution of the category.
As the Culinary Innovation Manager, Ready-to-Eat, you will oversee product commercialization, menu planning, portfolio management, and cross-functional execution, partnering closely with Operations, Procurement, Marketing, Creative, QA, and Fulfillment to ensure our meals are operationally sound, financially successful, and aligned with the Purple Carrot brand.
We greatly thank all applicants; however, only those under serious consideration will be contacted.
Location
  • This role is based in Chicago, IL, with on-site presence alternating between our Fulton Market test kitchen, Marketing Office, Chicago production partner, and co-manufacturer in the northwest suburbs.

On the Plate
  • Own the Ready-to-Eat portfolio end-to-end, ensuring products align with our culinary standards, operational capabilities, financial targets, and customer expectations.
  • Lead RTE commercialization with co-manufacturing partners - from product handoff through testing, scale-up, launch, and post-launch optimization.
  • Serve as the primary culinary contact for co-manufacturing and production partners, building relationships that ensure consistent product quality and operational excellence.
  • Partner with vendors to resolve product, quality, and commercialization challenges, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
  • Drive cross-functional execution with Procurement, Operations, QA, Marketing, Creative, and Fulfillment to launch new products and execute weekly menus.
  • Manage commercialization timelines, workbacks, and milestones to keep launches on schedule.
  • Be on-site at production facilities during key launches to troubleshoot issues in real time.
  • Manage RTE merchandising (menu rankings, web display) and maintain accurate product documentation - pricing, specs, shelf life, launch dates.
  • Assist with ad-hoc projects and tasks as necessary.

Main Ingredients for the Role
  • Culinary degree or equivalent professional culinary experience.
  • 5+ years of experience in recipe development, product development, or culinary innovation.
  • Strong understanding of product commercialization, from concept through launch.
  • Working knowledge of recipe costing, ingredient specifications, nutrition labeling, and food manufacturing processes.
  • Comfortable working in both a test kitchen and at manufacturing facilities.
  • Proficient in Google Workspace; able to quickly learn recipe management, project management, and product lifecycle software.
  • Able to commute regularly to our Chicago-area sites (test kitchen, office, co-manufacturer).

Extra Special Sauce
  • Leadership experience is a plus, including managing direct reports and leading cross-functional initiatives.
  • Experience working with co-manufacturers, commissaries, meal kits, or large-scale food production.
  • Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects, priorities, timelines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong analytical skills - comfortable using customer insights, product performance, and business metrics to drive decisions.
  • Experience collaborating cross-functionally across Culinary, Procurement, Operations, QA, Marketing, Creative, Product, and Fulfillment.
  • Exceptional organizational skills with strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

Compensation
The anticipated base salary range for this role is $85,000 - $105,000. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for an annual bonus based on a combination of individual achievements and overall company performance. Compensation is based on experience and qualifications, and the posted range is not a guarantee of any specific offer.
Garnish
We love our staff, and show it with benefits (including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, FSA, and life insurance), matching retirement plan, generous and flexible paid time off, Purple Carrot box delivery credits, professional development, and the opportunity to work in collaboration with teammates who are passionate about food!
Final Touches
We are committed to a safe and inclusive work environment, free of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetics, national origin, ancestry, age, medical condition, mental or physical disability, handicap, veteran status, or marital status.