Senior Development Chef

Company Overview:Fresh Fitness Food is a leading name in the UK's meal prep industry, known for delivering premium healthy meals to customers nationwide. Our mission is to make healthy eating convenient and enjoyable, combining culinary excellence with nutritional expertise to fuel performance and promote well-being. As we continue to grow, we are seeking a creative and passionate Development Chef to join our dynamic team and help develop innovative, nutritious meal offerings that align with our brand values.About the Role:As the Development Chef, you will play a critical role in our new product development process (NPD), working closely with the nutrition and operations teams to design, test, and launch new meal concepts. You’ll be responsible for ensuring that all new recipes align with our nutritional standards while delivering on flavour and quality. You will contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, optimise existing products, and stay ahead of food trends to bring fresh, innovative ideas to our menus.Key Responsibilities:Product Development:Work closely with our nutrition team to design, develop and refine new meal concepts and recipes in line with Fresh Fitness Food’s nutritional goals and customer preferences.Formulate recipes that balance flavour, texture, and nutritional value while adhering to cost and production constraints.Continuously review existing products, making improvements to taste, texture, and nutritional content based on customer feedback and industry trends.Conduct trials, tastings, and presentations of new products, collaborating with internal teams for feedback.Market Research and Trend Analysis:Stay up-to-date with food trends and innovations, using insights to shape the NPD of future products.Collaboration and Coordination: Collaborate with the procurement team to source new ingredients, ensuring consistency in quality, cost, and availability. Work closely with the production team to translate new recipes into scalable processes for mass production.Auditing and Operations: Work closely with our Head Chef and operations team, ensuring that all meals meet quality, cost, and operational efficiency standards.Conduct regular audits of the product development and meal production processes to ensure adherence to quality standards and operational efficiency.Identify areas for improvement within the development and production workflows and implement corrective actions as necessary.Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of new product launches and operational procedures, making recommendations for enhancements.Train the Team on all new recipes, meals and components so they can effectively execute.Documentation and Reporting: Ensure all recipes are fully documented, including cooking methods, nutritional information, and allergen compliance.Quality and Compliance:Ensure that all new meal products meet company quality standards and comply with relevant health and safety regulations.Implement and monitor quality control procedures to maintain high standards of food safety and product consistency.Qualifications and Skills:Minimum of 5-10 years experience, with a minimum of 3 years Working Within an NPD kitchen environment.Strong knowledge of nutrition and ability to develop meals that are both healthy and delicious.Previous experience in a food manufacturing facility is a plus. Experience in developing recipes for mass production, with an understanding of food safety and quality control standards.High attention to detail and ability to maintain consistency in recipes across large volumes.Proficiency in recipe documentation, nutritional analysis, and food costing.Strong creative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to innovate and adapt to evolving customer needs and industry trends.Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally between production, procurement, nutrition, and marketing teams. Must be proficient in English.Strong time-management skillsCapable of delegating & managing multiple tasks.Company Benefits:Competitive salary.Company pension scheme.60% staff discount on Fresh Fitness Food subscription.Free lunch when working in the office.Cycle to work scheme.How to Apply:If you are a creative and experienced chef with a passion for healthy, innovative cooking, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are the perfect candidate for this role.Join Fresh Fitness Food and help shape the future of healthy eating for our growing customer base.