Culinary Manager

Ideates, develops, and commercializes products for Kettle Cuisine, delivering concepts and recipes for the sales and innovation pipelines, to support driving innovation and expansion within the category.

Role And Responsibilities

• Generates factory-ready innovation that drives top- & bottom-line growth.
• Develops new product concepts and formulations for the kettle-cooked, sous vide, and meal portfolio following product-brief guidelines, including specific internal/customer requirements, costs, raw materials, production limitations, labor costs, etc.
• Collaborates with procurement, sales, process, and operation teams to develop product of high-culinary quality and maintains operationally feasibility.
• Works with sales team to introduce products or ideation to multiple sales channels, including Food Service, National Accounts Retail, Mass and Club channels.
• Supports marketing, channel, and sales efforts with creative input, ideation, and feasibility
• Develops appropriate customer relationships and touchpoints with customer teams
• Builds strong relationships internally with stakeholders including Sales/Process/Marketing/Production/Procurement/Finance/Quality Assurance/Regulatory
• Maintains accurate documentation throughout the development process, including ideation of concepts, recipes and formulations, and further proof of concepts on the benchtop and plant floor.
• Supports in the development of junior team members through coaching and L&D
• Diligently uphold operational excellence and hold others accountable for facility maintenance and GMP standards

Level Of Responsibility

• Works under general supervision. Makes decisions within clearly prescribed areas referring matters that fall outside that area to senior and/or cross-functional team members.
• Serves a leader and coach to junior developers.
• Builds/seeks concensus across functional areas.
• Advises customers on proper use of company products.
• Position is directly responsible for generating revenue within product line and proudction facility.
• Ineffective actions could result in significant loss of time, resources and/or could have moderate impact on the organization’s public image. Decisions or actions have a significant impact on the organization. Errors are difficult to detect and may be difficult and/or costly to correct. Decisions may have a significant impact on resources and organizational effectiveness; funding, productivity, service, quality, security of assets or external relationships may be adversely affected.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Cross-trains other employees and answers questions from co-workers, but is not responsible for performance management.

Skill Required

• Associate's degree, or equivalent experience required, with focus in Culinary Arts and Food Science required
• Requires 3-5 years in Product Development
• On-the-job training of 3-6 months.
• Must be proficient with MS Office programs, specifically Excel and Outlook

Additional Skills

• High energy and passionate about food, product & brand
• Experience within food manufacturing
• Knowledge of the fresh and natural foods industry
• Excellent oral & written communication skills
• Customer-Centric thinker
• Professional and capable demeanor with customers and colleagues
• Creative culinary skills with commercial mindset
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects – highly organized
• Accuracy mindset – Keen attention to detail