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Test Kitchen Chef Jobs (NOW HIRING)

RaceTrac Petroleum, Inc.

Culinary Specialist

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$33K - $44K/yr

Assists the Corporate Executive Chef with documenting and testing of Culinary Prototypes and ... Responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Test Kitchen, including inventorying all incoming ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Full-time Personal Chef

Stamford, CT · On-site

$24 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Full-time Personal Chef

Miami, FL · On-site

$25 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Personal Chef

Jersey City, NJ · On-site

$23 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Pay: $23-28 per hour Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Personal Chef

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$26 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement) ? Full Day Stage (Paid) Supplemental pay types: * Bonus pay

Tiny Spoon Chef

Personal Chef

Wellesley, MA · On-site

$26 - $29/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement) ? Full Day Stage (Paid) Supplemental pay types: * Bonus pay

Tiny Spoon Chef

Personal Chef

Boston, MA · On-site

$26 - $29/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement) ? Full Day Stage (Paid) Supplemental pay types: * Bonus pay

Tiny Spoon Chef

Personal Chef

Westport, CT · On-site

$25 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Pay: $25-28 per hour Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal ...

Tyson Foods

Senior Chef II

Springdale, AR

The Senior Chef II is an integral part of our culinary team, focused on the development of ... Ensure a well-maintained test kitchen culture * Model brand ambassador expectations for the ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Full-time Personal Chef

Charlotte, NC · On-site

$23 - $24/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Full-time Personal Chef

Summit, NJ · On-site

$23 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement ...

Tiny Spoon Chef

Full-time Personal Chef

Paterson, NJ · On-site

$23 - $28/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal (Reimbursement ...

Tiny Spoon Chef, Inc

Personal Chef

Charlotte, NC

$23 - $24/hr

Opportunities to grow beyond the kitchen into events, education, and leadership Why Work With Us ... Pay: $23-24 per hour Interview Process 15-min fit call - Video interview - Bench Test, cook a meal ...

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Test Kitchen Chef information

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$10

$24

$44

How much do test kitchen chef jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for test kitchen chef in the United States is $24.63, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.83 and $31.01 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.

Who are the cooks on test kitchen?

Test Kitchen chefs are professional cooks responsible for developing, testing, and refining recipes in a controlled environment. They often have culinary training, experience in food preparation, and skills in recipe development, working in a team to ensure quality and consistency in food testing and presentation.

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 to become a test kitchen chef?

To become a test kitchen chef, candidates typically need culinary training or experience in professional kitchens, strong cooking skills, and knowledge of recipe development and food science. Experience with food testing, attention to detail, and familiarity with kitchen equipment are also important. Some roles may require a culinary degree or certification, along with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

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.

Is America's test kitchen a good place to work?

A Test Kitchen Chef typically works in a collaborative environment focused on recipe development and testing, often requiring culinary skills and attention to detail. The workplace is known for its professional standards and creative atmosphere, making it a reputable employer in the food media industry.

How much does a test kitchen chef make?

A test kitchen chef's salary varies depending on experience, location, and employer, but typically ranges from $40,000 to $80,000 annually. Senior or specialized chefs with culinary certifications may earn higher wages, especially in larger media or food companies with dedicated testing facilities.

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.
More about Test Kitchen Chef jobs
What cities are hiring for Test Kitchen Chef jobs? Cities with the most Test Kitchen Chef job openings:
What states have the most Test Kitchen Chef jobs? States with the most job openings for Test Kitchen Chef jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Test Kitchen Chef jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Test Kitchen Chef jobs are:
Test Kitchen Chef jobs near you
Infographic showing various Test Kitchen Chef job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $51,225 per year, or $24.6 per hour.
Culinary Specialist

Culinary Specialist

RaceTrac Petroleum, Inc.

Atlanta, GA • On-site

$33K - $44K/yr

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago

RaceTrac rating

4.7

Company rating: 4.7 out of 10

Based on 194 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

37th of 46 rated convenience stores

Job description

RaceTrac Company Overview
Job Description:
The Culinary R&D Specialist is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of all information and assets related to food products that are taken through ideation, and recipe formulation. They will ensure items are developed to meet the safety, operational, nutritional, and financial requirements of the organization. This individual will draw from their strong food science background to ensure developed menu items meet all technical and regulatory criteria, while continually delivering on quality and value expectations.
Responsibilities:
  • Assists the Corporate Executive Chef with documenting and testing of Culinary Prototypes and coordination of Product Samplings, Gate Presentations and Studies.
  • Assists the Corporate Executive Chef with development and documentation of propriatary product commercialization and testing.
  • Responsible for maintaining a database of all samples, equipment tests, yield, shelf life and hold time tests to track and document findings and analysis of results.
  • Responsible for development, conducting, and recording sensory evaluations for all food products within the Food Programs and Offers Team.
  • Thorough knowledge of food safety standards, HAACP, GMP practices, and Serve Safe Certification.
  • Work cross-functionally with Food Safety, Category, Demand Planning, Marketing and Operations on projects.
  • Responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the Test Kitchen, including inventorying all incoming products, cleaning and sanitizing equipment and managing the Test Kitchen schedule.
  • Develops nutritional panels, maintains nutritional information and database, coordinates approval and validation with Food Safety and Quality Team and internal teams when updates are required.
  • Conduct regular audits of digital and physical assets to ensure compliance with ingredient specs, recipe builds, and product formulations.

Qualifications:
  • 2-3 years' experience in food product R&D for QSR, institutional, manufacturing, or retail food service required.
  • Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Culinary Science & Nutrition preferred.
  • Culinary Degree a plus.
  • Ability to create & document sensory studies, recipe cards, interpret technical data sheets, and develop nutritional panels with a focus on FDA requirements.
  • Experience working in ESHA Genesis or other Nutrition Management Systems
  • Working knowledge of HACCP and SQF Practices. Strong knowledge of food product labeling requirements
  • Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software.
  • Strong math skills including calculations of percentages, scaling recipes & yields, and unit of measurement conversions, statistical analysis, etc.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work well with others and participate as part of a team.
  • Serve Safe certification a plus.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment with RaceTrac without regard to their race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

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