What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chef - Research and Development / Kitchen Manager position at WPP?
Seeking a highly creative R&D/Innovation Chef & Kitchen Manager to lead culinary product development and manage our innovation facility. This role drives scalable, consumer-centric culinary innovation from concept to commercialization, while ensuring R&D kitchen operational excellence. You will collaborate with the Culinary & R&D Team and cross-functional partners to enhance culinary capabilities.
Key Responsibilities:
- Culinary Innovation & Product Development: Lead the technical and creative development of new culinary products, applying food trends, cultural insights, and advanced techniques to exceed client expectations and meet consumer needs globally.
- Prototype & Feasibility: Generate compelling product prototypes and conduct preliminary technical feasibility assessments in collaboration with R&D, Sensory, and Commercial teams.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner with Product Development, Sales, Marketing, and clients to understand market needs, operational constraints, ingredient sourcing, and supply chain considerations.
- Kitchen Management: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the innovation facility, ensuring a clean, safe, and highly organized kitchen workplace environment.
- Commercialization Support: Contribute to product design for commercialization, including flavor recommendations, competitive assessments, and strategic consultation.
- Capability Enhancement: Develop and share best-in-class culinary methodologies, tools, and practices, building strong relationships with internal and external culinary teams and suppliers.
What You Bring:
- Experience: Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in innovative culinary R&D.
- Seasoned experience across diverse foodservice channels (e.g., hotels, FSR, catering, B&I).
- Corporate Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) experience is preferred.
- Education: A Culinary Degree or Apprenticeship Program is required.
Technical Expertise:
- Profound understanding of food science, ingredient functionality, food safety regulations, cooking techniques, and professional R&D terminology.
- Demonstrated ability to leverage culinary knowledge for compelling food concept generation.
Leadership & Collaboration:
- Proven leadership skills, adept at guiding projects, building teams, fostering partnerships, and working effectively with cross-functional teams and clients.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written, verbal, and virtual), with the ability to present ideas professionally and engage with live customers.
Creative & Problem-Solving Mindset:
- Genuine passion for culinary innovation, bringing fresh ideas and creative solutions to the table.
- Outstanding problem-solving and decision-making skills to address challenges related to taste, quality, cost, and preparation time.
Organizational & Adaptability:
- Meticulous attention to detail in facility management, recipe formulation, ingredient sourcing, and product testing.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize with minimal supervision, and remain flexible in a fast-paced environment.
What We Offer: In addition to a competitive salary, we provide a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families.