Research Chef

Research Chef

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. is seeking a creative and hands-on Research Chef to join our Research & Development team in Northbrook, IL. This role supports culinary innovation through concept development, prototype creation, recipe and formula testing, product demonstrations, and collaboration with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate is passionate about food, skilled in culinary execution, and excited to apply food science principles in a product development environment.

Your

Key Responsibilities:

• Research, source, and prepare high-quality food concepts and prototypes for appropriate business channels.
• Support day-to-day test kitchen operations, including inventory, organization, cleaning materials, and kitchen readiness.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and R&D to deliver innovative product concepts in a timely and fiscally responsible manner.
• Write, test, edit, and improve proprietary commercial formulas and home-cook recipes while maintaining formula and recipe integrity.
• Demonstrate cooking methods, train others on basic culinary skills, and showcase Bell products.
• Coordinate food products and presentation materials for customer meetings, trade shows, internal events, and product demonstrations.
• Maintain accurate scientific notebooks, data records, and documentation to support reliable decision-making.
• Travel up to 20% of the time for customer presentations, trade shows, demonstrations, and related business activities.

Your

Qualifications:

• Associate degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent restaurant industry experience required.
• Bachelor's degree in culinary science, Food Science, Culinology, or a related field required.
• 3–6 years of experience working for a food manufacturer preferred.
• Minimum of one year of food product development experience in a multi-project environment.
• Strong professional cooking skills and experience developing manufactured food products from raw ingredients to finished consumer-packaged goods.
• Basic understanding of food science principles, including preservative systems, gums, starches, emulsifiers, flavors, sweeteners, and basic chemistry.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Strong written, verbal, communication, presentation, interpersonal, and team-building skills.
• Passion for food, cooking, product innovation, and demonstrating culinary applications.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary range of $50,000 - $100,000
• Full-time benefits package
• Ideal role for a chef who enjoys hands-on development, customer-facing demonstrations, and bringing innovative food concepts to life.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Be part of a supportive and collaborative team
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.