Corporate Chef - Entry to Mid Level (Springdale, AR)

Summary

The Corporate Embedded Chef is responsible for creating flavorful and innovative culinary solutions that generate traffic and profitability for Newly Weds Foods by supporting the product development efforts within the customer setting across a variety of product platforms. This individual will work directly and collaboratively with NWF Springdale R&D, NWF culinary as well as one of our key customers, their R&D and other strategic embedded vendors.

Essential Functions

• Dedicated to developing consumer insight driven solutions for our customer by combining customer/segment knowledge, culinary and foodservice-to-retail knowledge.
• Work closely with the Newly Weds Foods customer development, sales, marketing & culinary support teams to develop selling strategies, channel targets, create and test recipes/finished products and techniques for food preparations and culinary presentations against all this customer products positioned for both foodservice and retail distribution.
• Work directly and collaboratively with the Newly Weds Foods R&D team of food technologists and product development specialists.
• Provide support as a culinary consultant, providing insight through the development process, demonstrating an understanding of culinary trends, menu & product application, and recipe/finished product execution. In addition, the position requires a strong foundation in relationship (customers, industry associations), project management & presentation skills.
• Articulate ideas to various audiences in a clear and concise manner and must possess skills to understand how to build targeted profitability into new product creations.
• Maintain a professional level of food quality and sanitation standards at all times. 

• Maintain an interactive process working in the customer kitchen, with their chefs and often with competitor chefs.
• Represent Newly Weds Foods industry leadership position by demonstrating interpersonal and culinary skill sets consistent with the company’s standing in the food ingredient field. 

• Conceptualize, design, create, evaluate, and present new food concepts/products for targeted markets and customers that are built upon; excellent flavor, operations, manufacturing, distribution, food safety, corporate strategy, and profitability.
• Obtain an adequate/appropriate understanding of customers, business goals, operations, corporate climate and culture while representing Newly Weds Foods.
• Pursue and establish appropriate relationships with key individuals within a customer base in order to elevate Newly Weds Foods from a product service provider to a partner within key accounts.
• Participate in the creation of on trend, standardized recipes for Newly Weds Foods R&D support.
• Coordinate and communicate with Marketing and Sales to maximize NWF advantage over its competitors.
• Interface with Newly Weds Foods R&D teams to create business opportunities.
• Support, participate and initiate to select research and development projects to improve Newly Weds Foods ability to innovate new concepts/products for this customer.
• Interface closely and contribute significantly to R&D on select custom design initiatives to ensure product integrity and improve speed to market.
• Understand restaurant operations and able to navigate menus.
• Perform other duties or special projects as needed.

Qualifications

• An Associate or Bachelors Degree in applied Culinary Arts is preferred and/or at least 6 years or experience in restaurant and/or foodservice industry
• Effective project management skills
• Proven Interpersonal Skills
• Excellent written and oral communication

Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office and web based platforms.

Work Environment

• General office setting, industrial kitchen and manufacturing environment
• Requires some travel (est. 25-30%) to customer locations to demonstrate culinary trends, menu & product application, and recipe/build execution.