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Menu Development Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Radiate Hospitality, LLC

Executive Chef

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$115K - $128K/yr

Responsibilities include all food production and menu development including that used for the restaurant, banquet functions and other outlets, while monitoring food purchase specifications and ...

Radiate Hospitality, LLC

Executive Chef

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$115K - $128K/yr

Responsibilities include all food production and menu development including that used for the restaurant, banquet functions and other outlets, while monitoring food purchase specifications and ...

Radiate Hospitality

Executive Chef

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$84K - $116K/yr

Responsibilities include all food production and menu development including that used for the restaurant, banquet functions and other outlets, while monitoring food purchase specifications and ...

Palm Tree At The Boardwalk Inc

Be Seen First

Prep/Line Cook

Orangevale, CA · On-site

$23 - $35/hr

Follow all food safety and sanitation regulations to maintain a clean and organized kitchen. * Assist in menu development. * Work closely with kitchen staff and front-of-house-teams to ensure smooth ...

Beer Baron Whiskey Bar & Kitchen

Head Chef

Livermore, CA · On-site

$70K - $90K/yr

Maintain cleanliness and food safety standards * Assist with menu development and inventory management Requirements: * Previous experience as a Head Chef or Kitchen Manager preferred * Strong ...

Sodexo

Registered Dietitian 3

King City, CA · Hybrid

$77K - $100K/yr

Lead recipe creation and raw material development to support menu innovation and consistency. * Manage food cost strategies to ensure cost-effectiveness and profitability. * Provide technical ...

Palm Tree At The Boardwalk Inc

Be Seen First

Prep/Line Cook

Orangevale, CA · On-site

$23 - $35/hr

Follow all food safety and sanitation regulations to maintain a clean and organized kitchen. * Assist in menu development. * Work closely with kitchen staff and front-of-house-teams to ensure smooth ...

Sodexo

Registered Dietitian 3

King City, CA · On-site

$77K - $100K/yr

Lead recipe creation and raw material development to support menu innovation and consistency. * Manage food cost strategies to ensure cost-effectiveness and profitability. * Provide technical ...

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All JobsMenu Development JobsMenu Development Jobs in California

Menu Development information

See California salary details

$49.3K

$106.3K

$171.2K

How much do menu development jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for menu development in California is $106,287.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $86,800.00 and $119,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is menu development?

A Menu Development job involves creating, testing, and refining food and beverage menus for restaurants, cafes, or catering businesses. Professionals in this role research food trends, balance flavors, and ensure profitability while maintaining brand identity. They collaborate with chefs, suppliers, and marketing teams to design appealing and cost-effective menu items. Additionally, they may consider dietary restrictions, sustainability, and customer preferences to enhance the dining experience.

What does someone in menu development do?

In a Menu Development role, daily tasks often include researching food trends, developing and testing new recipes, analyzing menu performance data, and collaborating with chefs, nutritionists, and procurement teams. Menu developers may also be responsible for adjusting existing menus to optimize profitability and catering to customer preferences while ensuring quality and consistency. Regular meetings and tastings are part of the job, as is working closely with marketing teams to create visually appealing menu descriptions. This collaborative environment allows you to have a direct impact on both culinary creativity and the business success of the organization.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in menu development?

Excelling in Menu Development requires a strong understanding of culinary trends, nutrition, recipe costing, and food safety, often backed by experience in culinary arts or hospitality management. Familiarity with menu engineering software, inventory systems, and culinary certifications such as ServSafe are commonly beneficial. Creativity, collaboration, and attention to detail help professionals design attractive and cost-effective menus that align with brand standards. These skills ensure menus are innovative, profitable, and meet customer and operational needs.

What are the most commonly searched types of Menu Development jobs in California?

The most popular types of Menu Development jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Menu Development jobs in California?

For Menu Development jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Menu Development jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Menu Development jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Menu Development jobs?

Cities in California with the most Menu Development job openings:

Menu Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Menu Development job openings in California as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $106,287 per year, or $51.1 per hour.

Executive Chef

Valencia, CA • On-site

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Six Flags Entertainment Corporationexternal

$72K - $99K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 15 days ago

Six Flags rating

6.4

Company rating: 6.4 out of 10

Based on 533 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Overview
POSTING
Seeking a highly experienced and dynamic Executive Chef to lead the development of a guest-centric culinary team. This role is responsible for recruiting, training, mentoring, and managing a high-performing culinary team while fostering a culture of excellence, engagement, and accountability. The Executive Chef will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of all culinary functions across 22 restaurants, carts, special events, and catering operations, ensuring exceptional quality, consistency, innovation, and guest satisfaction.
Role Overview
The Executive Chef sets the culinary vision for the park and provides strategic leadership for all culinary operations. This position oversees food quality, menu development, food safety programs, production systems, financial performance, labor planning, inventory management, and culinary team development. The Executive Chef ensures the consistent execution of culinary standards across all foodservice locations, catering operations, picnic programs, special events, and central production facilities.
The Executive Chef reports directly to the Vice President of In-Park Services (IPS) and maintains a functional reporting relationship with the Director of Food & Beverage. This position provides leadership to culinary team members while partnering with park leadership to drive innovation, profitability, operational excellence, and guest satisfaction.
Responsibilities
Culinary Leadership & Menu Development
  • Entertains and delights guests by offering creative and innovative menu options across our restaurants and during limited-time seasonal events throughout the year. Continuously evaluates and enhances food and beverage offerings to increase guest satisfaction, encourage repeat visitation, and drive revenue growth.
  • Develops and maintains the park culinary vision and strategic direction.
  • Leads recipe creation, development, testing, standardization, and implementation.
  • Plans, prices, and maintains menus aligned with guest expectations and financial objectives.
  • Researches emerging food trends and develops seasonal and promotional menus.
  • Ensures consistency in food quality, taste, presentation, and portion control.

Culinary Operations & Team Leadership
  • Inspires and develops a high-performing culinary team through effective coaching, teaching, direction, and clear communication. Fosters a culture of excellence by
  • reinforcing standards, sharing the guest perspective, and empowering team members to consistently deliver exceptional food quality, service, and memorable dining experiences.
  • Provides strategic leadership for all park culinary operations.
  • Directly supervises Kitchen Managers and culinary leadership personnel.
  • Oversees hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, evaluations, succession planning, and retention.
  • Establishes staffing plans and labor strategies.

Food Safety, Sanitation & Compliance
  • Ensures compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
  • Maintains food safety, sanitation, and quality assurance programs.
  • Conducts routine inspections of culinary facilities.
  • Maintains required compliance records and documentation.
Financial Management, Purchasing & Inventory Control
  • Develops and manages annual operating budgets and labor plans.
  • Monitors food cost, labor cost, inventory levels, and controllable expenses.
  • Establishes purchasing strategies, PAR levels, and inventory controls.
  • Partners with Purchasing and Warehouse teams.
  • Analyzes reports for profitability improvements.

Facilities, Equipment & Operational Excellence
  • Ensures proper operation and maintenance of culinary facilities and equipment.
  • Identifies capital equipment needs and improvement initiatives.
  • Coordinates preventive maintenance efforts.
  • Leads continuous improvement initiatives.

Administrative & Communication Duties
  • Provides operational, financial, and staffing updates to leadership.
  • Prepares reports, forecasts, schedules, and budgets.
  • Maintains effective communication with departments and vendors.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
Qualifications
  • Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, Business Management, or related field required; culinary degree preferred.
  • Minimum 8-10 years of progressively responsible culinary leadership experience including 5 years of senior leadership experience overseeing multiple foodservice outlets, catering operations or large-scale culinary production
  • Proven ability to build and develop a culinary team from the ground up, establishing a strong culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence. Has successfully recruited, trained, and mentored, team members to perform at a high level, enabling consistent execution of quality standards with minimal oversight while maintaining a strong focus on the guest experience.
  • Demonstrated success in menu development, purchasing, inventory management, budgeting, and labor management.
  • Strong understanding of food safety regulations and sanitation programs.
  • Experience managing catering, banquet, picnic, and special event operations.
  • Strong financial acumen including forecasting and cost control.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
  • Valid California Food Handler Card and ServSafe Food Manager Certification required.
  • Valid driver license required.
  • Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

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