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Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Maintain kitchen operations, including sanitation, maintenance, and organization. Ingredients ... Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition ...

... test kitchens and Kagome's Global Innovation Center * Work with Kagome R&D managers and scientists ... Kitchen and pilot plant equipment * Personal computer (specific experience with Excel, Word ...

Style food and sets for photography and video in collaboration with our Test Kitchen and creative ... Deep knowledge of food, cooking techniques, and recipe development. * Creative eye for composition ...

Business Development Chef

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$77K - $127K/yr

... test kitchens and Kagome's Global Innovation Center * Work with Kagome R&D managers and scientists ... Kitchen and pilot plant equipment * Personal computer (specific experience with Excel, Word ...

Executive Chef

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

This role requires a balanced leader - creative and strategic in recipe and menu development, yet ... Kitchen Operations & Financial Oversight * Manage food cost, labor cost, and inventory controls.

Executive Chef

Corpus Christi, TX · On-site

$69K - $95K/yr

... recipe execution standards, ingredient sourcing strategy, and kitchen leadership development ... in the test kitchen and analyzing food cost variance across a multi-unit P&L. Mandatory:

Development Chef

Omaha, NE · On-site

$63K - $93K/yr

Maintain kitchen operations, including sanitation, maintenance, and organization. Ingredients ... Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition ...

Under minimal supervision, tests and proposes optimal parameters (light, fertilizer, irrigation ... We started with strawberries, which we debuted at Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, the three star ...

Food preparation, Safe food handling, Recipe development, Kitchen management. Must be able to work weekends, between the hours of 6 to 12am.

Food preparation, Safe food handling, Recipe development, Kitchen management. Must be able to work weekends, between the hours of 6 to 12am.

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Sous Chef

Oxnard, CA · On-site

$23 - $30/hr

We are looking for a talented and dedicated Sous Chef to join our dynamic kitchen team ... Preferred Skills:** - Experience in plate creation and recipe development **Benefits ...

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How much do test kitchen recipe development chef jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for test kitchen recipe development 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 the difference between Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef vs Food Stylist?

AspectTest Kitchen Recipe Development ChefFood Stylist
Primary RoleDevelops and tests new recipes for publication or broadcastPrepares and styles food for photography or video
Work EnvironmentTest kitchens, culinary labs, media production settingsPhoto shoots, video sets, studio environments
CredentialsCooking experience, culinary training, recipe development skillsFood styling experience, photography knowledge, culinary background
Employer & IndustryMedia companies, publishers, food brandsAdvertising agencies, magazines, food brands

While both roles involve working with food, the Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef focuses on creating and testing recipes, whereas the Food Stylist specializes in making food visually appealing for media. They often collaborate but serve different functions in the food media industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef, you need expert culinary knowledge, recipe formulation skills, and experience in food science, often supported by a culinary arts degree or equivalent professional experience. Familiarity with kitchen equipment, recipe management software, and food safety certifications are typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills set exceptional candidates apart in this role. These competencies are crucial for creating innovative, reliable recipes that meet quality standards and can be consistently reproduced in various food settings.

What does a Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef do?

A Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef is responsible for creating, testing, and refining recipes for food companies, magazines, or culinary brands. They experiment with ingredients and cooking techniques to develop recipes that are delicious, reliable, and easy to follow. Their work often includes collaborating with nutritionists, food stylists, and product developers to ensure recipes meet specific standards or dietary needs. The chef also documents the process, evaluates the final dish, and sometimes creates content for publication or marketing. This role requires culinary expertise, creativity, and attention to detail.

What are some common challenges faced by a Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef when creating new recipes?

A Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef often faces the challenge of balancing creativity with consistency, ensuring that each recipe can be reliably reproduced by home cooks or professional kitchens. They must also consider dietary preferences, ingredient availability, and food cost while innovating. Collaboration with food scientists, editors, and other chefs is essential to refine recipes and maintain high standards. Additionally, receiving and incorporating feedback from taste testers and adapting to evolving food trends are integral parts of the role.
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What cities are hiring for Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef jobs? Cities with the most Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef jobs? The most popular types of Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef jobs are:
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Infographic showing various Test Kitchen Recipe Development Chef job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 100% Physical job distribution, with an average salary of $51,225 per year, or $24.6 per hour.
Development Chef

$63K - $93K/yr

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Posted 19 days ago


Conagra Brands rating

7.1

Company rating: 7.1 out of 10

Based on 126 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

178th of 380 rated food and drinks producers


Job description

Reporting to the Culinary Director, you will cook, create, and innovate in our research & development kitchen where food is the star. You will lead culinary product development from concept through execution, crafting and refining recipes while partnering closely with food scientists to develop goldstandard formulations that will be commercialized at our plants. This role is deeply handson and highly visible, blending chef creativity with storytelling as you bring culinary inspiration to life for our leadership, customers and at events. You will coordinate research and development cuttings, drive flavor and technique, and serve as a culinary ambassador who translates trends and inspiration into compelling, customerready products.

A Taste of Your Responsibilities

  • Coordinate and execute innovation tastings, customer meetings, and culinaryfocused events.

  • Collaborate with members of the culinary team and crossfunctional partners to arrange culinarycentric business functions such as taste treks and culinary inspiration days.

  • Assist with customer meetings featuring foodfocused discussions led by the culinary team.

  • Maintain inventory of ingredients used in the development process and proactively stage ingredients for development sessions, focusing on culinary innovation.

  • Input and maintain recipes on interdepartment shared drives and actively update records for future reference.

  • Maintain kitchen operations, including sanitation, maintenance, and organization.

Ingredients Required for Your Success

  • Bachelors degree in culinary arts or a related discipline or 10+ years culinary industry experience.

  • Previous experience with handson cooking responsibility and accountability for purchasing, sanitation, inventory management, and ordering processes.

  • Strong culinary skills with an emphasis on savory cooking and current food trends.

  • Sanitation training and certification.

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.

  • Analytical and logical problemsolving skills.

  • Collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

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Compensation

Pay Range:$63,000-$93,000

The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee's actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees' equity.Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees.

Our Benefits

We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:

  • Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement

  • Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan

  • Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement

  • Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities

Our Company

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions - within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye, Slim Jim and Reddi-Wip.

Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.


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About Conagra Brands

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG) is an approximately $11 billion company that combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus and entrepreneurial spirit. We're transforming the way we operate to fulfill what consumers and customers want, in a smart, simple way. We're modernizing our iconic food brands, leveraging fresh opportunities and adapting to a changing landscape - all with a culture that's ready to capture growth and drive shareholder value.

Industry

Food services and drinking places

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Chicago, IL, US

Year founded

1919

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