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Test Kitchen Chef Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Purple Carrot

Recipe Developer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

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.

New

Purple Carrot

Recipe Developer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

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.

New

Shakou Restaurants

Line and Prep Cook - LV

Libertyville, IL · On-site

$14.50 - $18/hr

... head kitchen chef. * Prepare plate presentations, correctly set up according to tickets or as ... May be required to pass a written test regarding Shakou's menu. Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time and ...

Shakou Restaurants

Line and Prep Cook - PR

Park Ridge, IL · On-site

$14.75 - $18.25/hr

... head kitchen chef. * Prepare plate presentations, correctly set up according to tickets or as ... May be required to pass a written test regarding Shakou's menu. Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time and ...

Shakou Restaurants

Line and Prep Cook - BAR

Barrington, IL · On-site

$15 - $18.50/hr

... head kitchen chef. * Prepare plate presentations, correctly set up according to tickets or as ... May be required to pass a written test regarding Shakou's menu. Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time and ...

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All JobsTest Kitchen Chef JobsTest Kitchen Chef Jobs in Illinois

Test Kitchen Chef information

See Illinois salary details

$9

$23

$43

How much do test kitchen chef jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for test kitchen chef in Illinois is $23.86, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.30 and $30.05 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a test kitchen chef?

A Test Kitchen Chef is a culinary professional who develops, tests, and refines recipes in a controlled kitchen environment, often for food companies, magazines, or restaurants. Their primary role is to ensure that recipes are accurate, reproducible, and meet specific standards of taste, appearance, and safety. Test Kitchen Chefs may also evaluate new ingredients, cooking techniques, or kitchen equipment, and provide feedback or recommendations. They often collaborate with food scientists, nutritionists, and editors to perfect recipes before they are published or used commercially.

What is the difference between Test Kitchen Chef vs Line Cook?

AspectTest Kitchen ChefLine Cook
CredentialsCooking certifications, culinary degree often preferredHigh school diploma or equivalent, culinary training
Work EnvironmentTest kitchens, culinary labs, product testing facilitiesRestaurant kitchen, fast-paced food service
Employer & IndustryFood companies, culinary media, product testing firmsRestaurants, hotels, catering services
Primary FocusRecipe development, product testing, quality controlFood preparation, plating, and service

The Test Kitchen Chef specializes in recipe development and product testing within culinary labs or food companies, focusing on quality control and innovation. In contrast, a Line Cook works in restaurant kitchens, preparing and cooking dishes for service. While both roles require culinary skills and certifications, their work environments and primary responsibilities differ significantly.

How does a test kitchen chef typically collaborate with product development and marketing teams?

Test Kitchen Chefs play a vital role in bridging culinary creativity with business objectives. They regularly work alongside product development teams to create, refine, and test new recipes or food products, ensuring consistency, scalability, and quality. Collaboration extends to marketing teams, as Test Kitchen Chefs often provide insights on food trends, participate in promotional content creation, and help translate technical recipes into consumer-friendly formats. This cross-functional teamwork is both rewarding and essential to bringing successful products to market.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a test kitchen chef, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Test Kitchen Chef, you need strong culinary expertise, recipe development skills, and often a degree or certification in culinary arts. Familiarity with kitchen equipment, recipe management software, and food safety standards is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication help you innovate and clearly convey recipe instructions. These skills are crucial for developing reliable, appealing recipes that can be reproduced consistently in various food industry settings.

What are popular job titles related to Test Kitchen Chef jobs in Illinois?

For Test Kitchen Chef jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Test Kitchen Chef jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Test Kitchen Chef jobs in Illinois are:

What cities in Illinois are hiring for Test Kitchen Chef jobs?

Cities in Illinois with the most Test Kitchen Chef job openings:

Test Kitchen Chef jobs near you
Infographic showing various Test Kitchen Chef job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 93% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $49,638 per year, or $23.9 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 4 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.

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