Development Chef

UK National Travel Required – 50% of the role.

We are supporting our hospitality client seeking a strategic, mobile, and highly commercial culinary expert who can bridge the gap between product sourcing and operational excellence.

You won’t just be developing recipes; you will be auditing site efficiencies, advising global franchise partners on wastage, and helping our procurement teams buy smarter. You will have the autonomy to build this function from scratch, influencing over 380 sites nationwide.

• Market Innovation: Stay ahead of the curve by identifying and testing new food trends with suppliers and translating them into profitable solutions for our customers.
• Operational Consultancy: Visit client sites to audit kitchen environments. You will provide "hints and tips" to local teams on driving down costs, managing low‑footfall menus, and implementing best practices.
• Strategic Procurement: Act as the technical culinary advisor to the procurement department, ensuring the goods we source are fit‑for‑purpose and operationally efficient.
• Relationship Management: Build high‑level rapport with global ownership and management groups, providing the guidance and training they need to optimize their food spend.
• Project Management: Lead the end‑to‑end development of new concepts, utilizing a dedicated kitchen space near your home base for trials and testing.

• You have Senior Management experience within high‑volume hospitality or corporate food environments. You understand the business of food as much as the craft.
• You are a fully experienced Development Chef who understands the lifecycle of a project – from initial concept to nationwide rollout.
• You are comfortable using Excel and recipe management/procurement platforms (e.g.,
  Kitchen Cut
  , Procure Wizard
  ) to track margins and efficiency.
• You are a self‑starter who can manage your own schedule and thrives in a role that requires 50% nationwide travel.
• You have the gravitas to influence stakeholders and the coaching skills to upskill onsite teams.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level |
Employment type: Contract |
Job function: Project Management |
Industry: Hospitality