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Food Recipe Development Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Purple Carrot

Recipe Developer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

... 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 ...

Purple Carrot

Recipe Developer

Chicago, IL

$60K - $70K/yr

... 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 ...

Blue Plate Catering

Chef de Cuisine

Chicago, IL · On-site

$68K - $93K/yr

Ensure all food production meets Blue Plate standards for quality, presentation, taste, and portion control across events, delivery, and workplace dining programs. * Oversee recipe development ...

BLUE PLATE CATERING LTD

Chef de Cuisine

Chicago, IL · On-site

$68K - $93K/yr

Ensure all food production meets Blue Plate standards for quality, presentation, taste, and portion control across events, delivery, and workplace dining programs. Oversee recipe development ...

Blue Plate Catering

Chef de Cuisine

Chicago, IL · On-site

$68K - $93K/yr

... food production meets Blue Plate standards for quality, presentation, taste, and portion control across events, delivery, and workplace dining programs. • Oversee recipe development ...

Bar Parisette

Sous Chef

Chicago, IL · On-site

$55K - $65K/yr

The sous chef will assist the executive chef in menu planning, recipe development, and staff ... Genuine interest in food and wine * Strong communication skills and effective stress management ...

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Food Recipe Development information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$51.5K

$110.9K

$178.7K

How much do food recipe development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for food recipe development in Chicago, IL is $110,944.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $90,700.00 and $125,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is food recipe development?

A Food Recipe Development job involves creating, testing, and refining recipes for restaurants, food brands, or publications. Professionals in this field experiment with ingredients, cooking techniques, and presentation to develop unique and high-quality dishes. They may also focus on nutritional balance, cost efficiency, and scalability for commercial production. This role requires a deep understanding of culinary techniques, food science, and current market trends.

What does food recipe development involve?

In a Food Recipe Development position, you can expect to spend your days brainstorming and testing new recipes, refining ingredient lists, and ensuring recipes are reproducible and meet desired nutritional standards. You'll often collaborate closely with chefs, nutritionists, marketing teams, and food production staff to adjust flavors, textures, and ingredient sourcing. Documentation and recipe standardization for mass production or publication is a common part of the workflow. Additionally, you may participate in sensory evaluations, attend brainstorming sessions, and stay up to date on industry trends and consumer preferences. This dynamic role offers the opportunity to combine creativity with technical expertise in a collaborative environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed for food recipe development?

To succeed in Food Recipe Development, you need a strong background in culinary techniques, nutrition, and food science, often supported by formal culinary education or related certifications. Experience with recipe management software, nutritional analysis tools, and food safety regulations is highly beneficial. Creativity, attention to detail, and excellent communication skills set top candidates apart, especially when collaborating with chefs, marketing teams, and product developers. These abilities are critical to creating innovative, high-quality recipes that meet consumer tastes, nutritional requirements, and market trends.

What are the most commonly searched types of Food Recipe Development jobs in Chicago, IL?

The most popular types of Food Recipe Development jobs in Chicago, IL are:

What are popular job titles related to Food Recipe Development jobs in Chicago, IL?

For Food Recipe Development jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Food Recipe Development jobs in Chicago, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Food Recipe Development jobs in Chicago, IL are:

Food Recipe Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Recipe Development job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, and 13% Part Time. Highlights an 96% In-person, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $110,944 per year, or $53.3 per hour.

Recipe Developer

Chicago, IL • On-site

Purple Carrot
51 - 200 employees
Learn more about Purple Carrotexternal

$60K - $70K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 15 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 Recipe Developer 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!
We are looking for candidates who are obsessed with food, highly creative, and enjoy collaborating in both small and large groups.
This position will play an important role in Purple Carrot's continued effort to cultivate the plant-based revolution - one meal at a time, through delicious, well-executed recipes.
As the Recipe Developer, you will be focused on end-to-end culinary recipe development from ideation through initial editorial steps, day-to-day test kitchen operations, and close partnership with Creative and Content teams to bring recipes to life across photoshoots and brand initiatives.
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 3-5 days per week at our Culinary office and studio (West Town & Fulton Market) and creative and production partners as needed.

On the Plate
  • Drive end-to-end culinary recipe development from ideation through initial editorial steps, within menu timelines, operational guidelines, and nutrition and budget goals.
  • Own continual testing and optimization of Purple Carrot's recipes to improve customer experience, with a focus on ease, nutrition, and budget.
  • Accurately formulate, test, and document all recipes in accordance with standards set by the Director of Culinary.
  • Evaluate all recipes during development and team tastings, grounding decisions in recipe data and customer insights.
  • Contribute innovative, trend-forward recipe concepts through ongoing research and concept generation.
  • Manage day-to-day kitchen operations, including inventory, maintenance, and cleanliness.
  • Collaborate on photoshoot prep, styling, and execution in partnership with the Creative team.
  • Manage the intake and documentation of all sample products.
  • Assist with ad-hoc projects and tasks as necessary.

Main Ingredients for the Role
  • 5+ years of experience as a line cook, chef, or recipe developer; test kitchen experience a plus.
  • Culinary degree and/or related professional cooking experience.
  • Recipe writing experience, with food styling experience for e-commerce or editorial use.
  • Proficiency in Google Suite, especially Google Sheets.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Physically able to stand for long periods and lift up to 35 lbs as needed.
  • Able to commute to the Chicago office/studio as required for this role.

Extra Special Sauce
  • Experience developing a wide range of recipe categories, including multiple serving sizes, dessert, and large-batch prepared.
  • Experience in meal kit or prepared recipe development.
  • Comfortable being on camera for social and marketing content, with a natural, engaging presence that reflects the fun and vibrant tone of our brand.
  • Experience using Asana project management platform.
  • Brings creativity and positivity to ambiguity, comfortable brainstorming and iterating with Culinary and Marketing on brand initiatives.

Compensation
The anticipated base salary range for this role is $60,000- $70,000. 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.

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