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Product Development Chef Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Maple

Maple & Ash Chicago - Chef De Cuisine

Chicago, IL · On-site

$135K - $150K/yr

Who You Are The R&D Chef is the culinary architect for the brand, bridging the gap between Michelin ... Identify bottlenecks in production and re-engineer workflows to improve speed without sacrificing ...

Koch Industries

Product Manager

Lisle, IL · On-site

$80K - $120K/yr

Present new Product Development requests including project information provided by the customer and ... At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ...

Koch Industries

Business Development Manager

Lisle, IL · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

Identify market/customer trends, unmet market needs and product opportunities in the Medical Device ... At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ...

Bell Flavors & Fragrances

Research Chef

Northbrook, IL

$50K - $100K/yr

Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D to deliver innovative product concepts in a ... Ideal role for a chef who enjoys hands-on development, customer-facing demonstrations, and bringing ...

Bell Flavors & Fragrances

Research Chef

Northbrook, IL · On-site

$50K - $100K/yr

Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D to deliver innovative product concepts in a ... Ideal role for a chef who enjoys hands-on development, customer-facing demonstrations, and bringing ...

Koch Industries

Product Design Engineer

Lisle, IL · On-site

$85K - $110K/yr

Collaborate closely and directly with customer engineering during product development lifecycle ... At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ...

Koch Industries

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Lisle, IL · On-site

$120K - $160K/yr

Lead new product design from Concept through Design, Development, Testing, and Industrialization ... At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ...

Barry Callebaut

Head Chef, Chicago Academy

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

$110K - $125K/yr

About the Role The Head Chef directs and drives the successful operations of the Chocolate Academy ... product development applications * Supports Sales and Marketing through strategic campaigns and ...

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Product Development Chef information

See Illinois salary details

$41.2K

$123.1K

$140K

How much do product development chef jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for product development chef in Illinois is $123,054.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $111,000.00 and $138,600.00 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 the most commonly searched types of Product Development Chef jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Product Development Chef jobs in Illinois are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Product Development Chef jobs near you
Infographic showing various Product Development Chef job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 19% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,054 per year, or $59.2 per hour.

R&D Chef Manager - Berkeley Culinary Center

Whitsons Culinary Group

Berkeley, IL • On-site

$75K - $90K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 10 days ago

Whitsons Culinary Group rating

6.1

Company rating: 6.1 out of 10

Based on 60 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

37th of 68 rated caterers

Job description

SUMMARY

The R&D Chef Manager serves as a key culinary partner and right hand to the Director of Culinary, Whitsons Culinary Group's Berkeley, IL facility. This role leads day-to-day culinary product development, operational support, and execution of customer samples. The R&D Chef Manager translates culinary vision into production-ready recipes and ensures consistent, high-quality execution from concept through manufacturing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES

  • Lead culinary product development - concepting, formulating, testing, and refining recipes from bench-top through kitchen trials to production-ready, scalable formulas, executing the culinary direction of Whitsons
  • Responsible for creating new meals for ALL sectors that we serve (Education, Residential/Senior, Shelters, Food Service, Retail, Transportation)
  • Own execution and quality of customer and sales sample requests, including client tastings and product presentations, as directed.
  • Provide operational support on the plant floor - troubleshooting production issues, scaling recipes, and partnering with QA and Operations to ensure formulas are manufacturable at scale.
  • Serve as a key deputy on culinary initiatives, representing culinary priorities and maintaining project momentum in the absence of their manager.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, QA, Procurement, and Production to move products from concept to launch.
  • Maintain accurate documentation and specifications for formulas, ensuring consistency across trials and production runs.
  • Develop and cost recipes to meet target food cost and margin goals, balancing quality with budget guidelines.
  • Ensure formulas comply with food safety and regulatory requirements (HACCP, FSMA, USDA/FDA), including writing product specifications and nutrition fact panels.
  • Evaluate shelf-life and packaging considerations during recipe development.
  • Source and evaluate ingredients, and build relationships with suppliers and vendors.
  • Track culinary and flavor trends and competitive products, including attending trade shows and food exhibitions, to inform development priorities.
  • Mentor and train junior culinary and kitchen staff.
  • Perform other culinary and operational duties as assigned by the Director of Culinary.

Apply today and help us power a production line that fuels excellence -Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time

This role offers a salary range of $75,000 - $90,000 annually, based on skills, experience, and location. Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, and time off.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

  • 5-10 years of progressive culinary or restaurant experience.
  • Culinary degree from an accredited culinary program.
  • Experience in food manufacturing and culinary R&D/product development strongly preferred.
  • Working knowledge of recipe scaling, food safety standards, and large-scale production processes.
  • Working knowledge of food safety and regulatory frameworks (HACCP, FSMA, SQF, USDA/FDA labeling requirements).
  • ServSafe or equivalent food handler certification required; HACCP certification a plus.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and timelines concurrently.
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills across cross-functional teams.
  • Ability to work on-site at the Berkeley, IL facility; occasional travel required for trade shows, supplier visits, or customer sites.
WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER DETAILS

Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time exempt position. Typical work hours are Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., with additional hours as needed to meet business demands and production schedules. As an exempt position, it is expected that Team Member will devote whatever time necessary to accomplish the goals and responsibilities. This will often require extended work hours, evening, and/or weekend work.

Travel Requirements:

Periodic travel to production facilities, vendor sites, and industry events may be required.

Physical Demands of the Job:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work is performed primarily in an operational or facilities-based environment, with regular presence in active areas such as kitchens, production spaces, warehouses, loading docks, or administrative areas within the facility. The noise level in the work environment may vary and can range from moderate to occasionally high, depending on location and operational activity.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Company and employee and is subject to change by the Company as the needs of the Company and requirements of the job change. Employee's signature below constitutes an employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position.

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About Whitsons Culinary Group

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Whitsons Culinary Group, located in Islandia, NY, US, operates in the food service industry, offering a diverse range of services including school nutrition, residential and healthcare dining, prepared meals, emergency dining, and culinary education. First established in 1979, the family-owned company has built a reputation for its bespoke catering services, committed to delivering nutritionally balanced, tastefully diverse and quality assured meals. The company embraces a mission to enrich life one meal at a time, underlined by a focus on food quality, health, wellness, superior service, and social responsibility.

Industry

Food and drink manufacturing

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Islandia, NY, US

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