Corporate Innovation Chef

Job Description

As a Corporate Innovation Chef, you will support Away From Home (AFH) innovation and renovation by building culinary prototypes, partnering with R&D on technical feasibility and functional performance, and enabling the business through strong lab operations, inventory management, and sample execution. In addition, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the culinary strategy for both the market and key customers for Kraft Heinz's AFH and Kraft Heinz Ingredients (KHI) business.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Create bench prototypes and collaborate with R&D scientists to ensure technical feasibility.

• Provide technical expertise and culinary insights to meet regional and channel-specific taste and quality standards for innovation and renovation projects.

• Collaborate with product developers to address functional product aspects during development (e.g., stability, viscosity/texture, hold time, reheat performance, sensory targets).

• Test product performance in applications and document findings clearly for R&D and commercial teams.

• Conduct competitive reviews of product portfolios and summarize key learnings.

• Create product formulas leveraging Kraft Heinz AFH and KHI products, aligning with customer manufacturing and back-of-house capabilities.

• Translate global and local market food trends into relevant food concepts and recipes to optimize the Kraft Heinz product portfolio.

• Partner with cross-functional teams, including Sales, Marketing, and R&D, to prioritize new product offerings and improvements aligned with business objectives.

• Lead professional culinary sessions with regional and global customers to showcase new products, demonstrate product versatility, and address customer needs.

• Manage and grow culinary business relationships with key accounts in specific channels.

• Support industry trade shows and activations

• Provide on-site consultations, engaging in menu concept development, tastings, and culinary training to meet customer objectives.

• Contribute innovative concepts supported by market data to R&D and Innovation chefs to align with the company's NPD/Innovation strategy.

• Engage in ingredient sourcing and supplier qualification processes; communicate with vendors to obtain materials urgently when needed.

• Manage lab material inventory proactively (ingredients, disposables, smallware's); maintain tracking, reorder points, and inventory accuracy.

• Organize and clean the lab/kitchen in partnership with other R&D team members to ensure readiness and standards.

• Ensure compliance with safety and hygiene policies.

• Operate the lab and kitchen efficiently, maintaining a focus on safety, operations, and finances.

• Prepare and ship samples/products as needed, including time-sensitive customer sample orders.

• Maintain lab and sample inventories with R&D and technical services teams.

• Conduct professional and engaging presentations with confidence, ensuring seamless execution though advance planning, organization, detailed communications, and appropriate time management.

• Works on a variety of projects, including menu concept development, product development, customer work sessions, tasting, product cuttings & testing, culinary product training and other company and customer related projects as needed.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

• Possess a degree in Culinary Science, Culinology, or a combined field of Culinary Arts and Food Science. Candidates with a degree in a related field or a relevant professional background will also be considered.

• 3+ years of product development experience, including sauce, dip, condiment, and soup formulations.

• 5+ years of commercial or corporate culinary experience, or extensive food service experience with a proven background in various food service channels such as hotels, FSR, QSR management, bar and grills, catering, B&I, or institutional dining.

• A passion for learning, solving challenges, and leveraging insights for product innovation.

• Strong interest in food trends, flavor profiles, and culinary innovation to inspire new product development and stay ahead of market demands.

• Excellent verbal and written…