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Product Development Chef Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Stir Foods

Development Chef

Fullerton, CA · On-site

$70K/yr

Product Development Chef Employer Information Organization Name: Stir Foods LLC Website: www.stirfoods.com About Our Organization: We are the WOW flavor behind some of your favorite meal experiences.

Del Taco, LLC

R&D Chef

Lake Forest, CA · On-site

$89K - $110K/yr

JOB TITLE: R&D Chef FLSA STATUS: Exempt DEPARTMENT: Research and Development REPORTS TO: Director ... Identify and present opportunities to optimize Core Menu products, procedures or workflow. * Liaise ...

Del Taco

R&D Chef

Lake Forest, CA · On-site

$89K - $110K/yr

JOB TITLE: R&D Chef FLSA STATUS: Exempt DEPARTMENT: Research and Development REPORTS TO: Director ... Identify and present opportunities to optimize Core Menu products, procedures or workflow. * Liaise ...

KAGOME, Inc.

Business Development Chef

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$77K - $127K/yr

The Business Development Chef provides culinary leadership, engages Kagome's strategic customers in ... Production Control, Production, Costing, QC, QC_Shared, R & D Shared. Software: Office 365, VPN ...

Kagome Inc.

Business Development Chef

San Carlos, CA · On-site

The Business Development Chef provides culinary leadership, engages Kagome's strategic customers in ... Production Control, Production, Costing, QC, QC_Shared, R & D Shared. Software: Office 365, VPN ...

Lab37

Research & Development Chef

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$75K - $110K/yr

You'll own the full pipeline from first sketch to production-ready, and launch execution ... Lead the R&D pipeline for both new and core brands * Own the full recipe pipeline: menu outline → ...

KAGOME, Inc.

Business Development Manager

Los Banos, CA · On-site

$77K - $127K/yr

... Development Chef, to conceptualize and develop on-trend, scalable sauce solutions tailored to ... In production facilities, will be exposed to food processing environment with changes in ...

Haliburton International

Culinary Chef

Ontario, CA · On-site

The Corporate Chef's position combines food and menu research, hands-on cooking and product development with live customer cooking presentations and demonstrations. Haliburton Corporate Chef's must ...

Palace Casino Resort

Asian Specialty Chef

Pala, CA · On-site

Pala, CA Reporting to Assistant Executive Chef Asian Cuisine, the incumbent will assist all chefs ... and product development abilities * Excellent food presentation skills and possess upfront ...

Vallarta Supermarkets

Culinary Field Chef

Canyon, CA · On-site

Culinary Field Chef Classification: Exempt Reports to: Director of Culinary Job Summary: The ... Support product development and assist with implementation in the field * Identify operational ...

New

Vallarta Supermarkets

Culinary Field Chef

Delano, CA · On-site

Culinary Field Chef Classification: Exempt Reports to: Director of Culinary Job Summary: The ... Support product development and assist with implementation in the field * Identify operational ...

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Showing results 1-20

All JobsProduct Development Chef JobsProduct Development Chef Jobs in California

Product Development Chef information

See California salary details

$41.9K

$125.3K

$142.6K

How much do product development chef jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for product development chef in California is $125,325.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $113,000.00 and $141,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a product development chef do?

A Product Development Chef creates and tests new food products for restaurants, food manufacturers, or retail brands. They blend culinary creativity with market trends, ensuring products are innovative, scalable, and cost-effective. Their work involves recipe development, ingredient sourcing, and collaboration with food scientists and marketing teams. Ultimately, they help bring new and exciting food concepts from the kitchen to consumers.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a product development chef?

To excel as a Product Development Chef, you need extensive culinary expertise, menu innovation experience, and knowledge of food science or nutrition, often supported by a culinary degree or relevant certifications. Familiarity with recipe development software, product testing equipment, and compliance with food safety regulations like HACCP is valuable. Strong creativity, collaboration, and project management skills help you work effectively with cross-functional teams and adapt to market trends. These competencies are critical to creating successful new food products that align with business goals and consumer demands.

What does a typical day look like for a product development chef?

A Product Development Chef’s typical day involves collaborating with R&D, marketing, and production teams to brainstorm and refine new recipes or food products. You'll spend time in both the test kitchen, experimenting with ingredients and techniques, and in meetings to discuss market trends, feasibility, and scalability. The role often requires tasting, adjusting recipes, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, and documenting formulations for commercialization. It’s a dynamic environment that combines creativity with technical precision, making each day varied and engaging.

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

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

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

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

What cities in California are hiring for Product Development Chef jobs?

Cities in California with the most Product Development Chef job openings:

Product Development Chef jobs near you
Infographic showing various Product Development Chef job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $125,325 per year, or $60.3 per hour.

Development Chef

Stir Foods

Fullerton, CA • On-site

$70K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 days ago

Job description

Product Development Chef


Employer Information



Organization Name:

Stir Foods LLC



Website:

www.stirfoods.com



About Our Organization:


We are the WOW flavor behind some of your favorite meal experiences. We are the partner to some of the most well-known names in food, food service and retail. You will find our products on fast-casual menus, frozen meals, retail deli, meal kits and RTE bagged salads.


We co-create and supply our partners with hot-cooked products including sauces, cheese sauces, soups, chilis and marinades. Our cold-processed products include dressings, sauces, spreads and batters.


We are a fast-growing food organization with 2 production facilities in So Cal.



Department:

Culinary



Reports To:

Director of Culinary R&D



Job Location:

Orange/ Fullerton, CA



Hours/Week:

Monday through Friday 40+


FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

Prepared Date:

06/15/2026



Benefits



  • 401(k)
  • Dental Insurance
  • Health Insurance
  • Fringe Benefits
  • Paid Holidays

  • Free Snacks
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Paid Vacation
  • Life Insurance


Safety and Quality


Stir Foods employees are committed to safety and quality. We adhere to, promote, and improve quality and safety policies and practices within the department and throughout the facility. Safety and quality are at the forefront of our culture.


Job Purpose

Work under the direction of the Director and assigned direct reports. Position is responsible for developing samples on the bench and with training over time begin specific areas of modifying recipes, manufacturing processes, and technical documents of food products. Working with existing and newly discovered ingredients and technologies to support development of new recipes and white paper culinary concepts.


Job Functions


  • Navigate our software platforms to pull up formulas, specifications, and answer to internal emails.
  • Generate specific samples assigned by the Director and/or specific direct reports.
  • Research current consumer markets, ingredients, and technolosies to develop new product concepts.
  • Ability to create documentation to repeat processes, ensure safety and consistency as well as optimize products.
  • Create new or optimized food products on white paper concepts to present to customers based on specific requests from Director and Sales.
  • Carrying out process support and development, new product development, and documentation of quality attributes.
  • Liaising and cooperating with technical and commercial colleagues in procurement, sales, and technical services, marketing and distribution.


Competencies


  • Team Player: Great communication skills
  • Ethical: Ability to demonstrate conduct conforming to set of values and accepted standards.
  • Accountable: Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/ her actions
  • Ability to inspire oneself and others to reach a goal and or perform to the best of their ability.
  • Ability to actively attend to, convey and understand the comments and questions of others.
  • Technical Aptitude: Ability to comprehend complex technical topics and specialized information.
  • Resource management (People & Equipment): Ability to obtain and appropriate the proper usage of equipment, facilities, materials, as well as personnel.
  • Applied Learning: ability to participate in needed learning activities in a way that makes the most of the learning experience.
  • Communication: Ability to communicate effectively with others using the spoken word.
  • Organized: Possessing the trait of being organized or following a systematic method of performing a task
  • Process and Detail Oriented: Ability to pay attention to the minute details of a project or task.
  • Safety Awareness: Ability to identify and correct conditions that affect employee safety.




Skills

  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office is needed Word, Outlook, Excel.
  • Must be able to manage multiple priorities and provide direction to accomplish tasks as necessary.
  • Strong understanding of GMP, Food Science, and Food Safety best practices.
  • Experience utilizing common kitchen equipment used for handling food the research and development process.



Ww


Work Content

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.


Lifts Weight or Exerts Force Work Environment

The employee will occasionally lift to 15 pounds.


Visions

Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision; Distance vision; Ability to adjust focus.


Work Environment

This is a fast-paced, constantly changing environment. Warehouse, Distribution, and office centre that is subject to exposure to extreme temperature changes, moisture, noise, orders, and moving equipment.


Qualification


Qualifications


Education and Experience

Years of Experience

Minimum of 2 years’ experience in the field of Food Manufacturing, Product Development field or with a Bachelors: 12 plus months of experience in Food Manufacturing, Product Development.


Education

High School Graduate or General Education Degree: Required associate’s degree, A.A. or A.S Required Bachelor’s Degree (University or Technical School) related filed of study: Food Science, Culinary or related discipline. Food handlers’ certificate and HACCP certification preferred.


AAP/EEO Statement




Other Duties


We are an EEO employer.


Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.