Sr. Manager of Culinary Development

Glendale, AZ, USA|Travel, Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement Plan

Professional Development

Travel reimbursement

Employee Discounts

Job Description

Delicatessen Services Co., LLC is a respected leader in the foodservice industry, well-known for its commitment to quality and innovation. The company serves as the guardian of the Boar's Head Brand, a premium brand recognized nationwide for its superior deli meats, cheeses, and prepared foods. With a strong focus on excellence and customer satisfaction, Delicatessen Services Co. supports retail outlets and foodservice providers by delivering trendsetting and high-quality culinary products and services. This organization operates within a dynamic, fast-paced environment and prides itself on fostering growth opportunities for its employees while maintaining a high standard of professionalism and innovation in the food industry.

The role of Prepared Foods, Culinary Development Senior Manager is a pivotal position within Delicatessen Services Co., LLC, integral to advancing the company's culinary and product development vision. This full-time role, located in Phoenix, AZ, requires a seasoned professional who possesses a deep passion for food and a thorough understanding of the retail foodservice industry. The Senior Manager will lead efforts in developing and implementing new prepared foods products, programs, and foodservice concepts tailored to both manufacturing and retail environments. The primary goal is to enable the Boar's Head Brand to remain at the forefront of the industry by delivering fresh, innovative, and trendsetting products that resonate with customers and drive sales growth.

In this capacity, the Senior Manager will work closely with multiple teams, including the Assistant Director of Culinary Development, Prepared Foods team, Local Purveyors, sales teams, and retail/foodservice customers. The role involves a blend of strategic oversight and hands-on product development responsibilities, including food production management, quality assurance, sanitation, and staff relations. The ideal candidate will be a polished, dynamic professional skilled at building and nurturing customer relationships, capable of representing and protecting the Boar's Head premium brand across all business channels. They will also develop effective training materials and provide support for culinary demonstrations and menu development activities across various platforms.

Moreover, the role requires the ability to communicate complex culinary concepts and operational details clearly and effectively to diverse stakeholders, including chefs, distributors, and sales personnel. This position is essential in promoting brand value and commercializing new products while also offering support for innovative Grab & Go programs and retail foodservice solutions. Extensive travel (up to 35%) is part of the job, providing opportunities for in-depth customer engagement and hands-on product rollout to ensure signature quality standards are met. The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, self-directed, and able to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a rigorous focus on quality and innovation. This is an exceptional career opportunity for a culinary professional with solid leadership skills, a commitment to excellent customer service, and the ability to drive product innovation in a leading foodservice company.

Job Requirements

Associate degree in Culinary Arts or related field
Certified Research Chef credential preferred
Bachelor of Science in Food Science or related discipline preferred
ACF Certification required
7-10 years experience as Executive, Corporate Chef or Chef de Cuisine
Minimum 5 years of product innovation and commercialization experience
Familiarity with premium brand dynamics vs value drivers
Experience in culinary, Research and Development, and Quality Assurance roles
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office software
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Self-motivated and proactive problem solving skills
Effective communication skills across organizational levels
Ability to manage multiple projects and budgets
Willingness and ability to travel up to 35%
Fluency in English oral and written
Intermediate to advanced math skills for recipe quantification
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgement

Job Qualifications

Associate degree in Culinary Arts or Certified Research Chef preferred
Additional BS in Food Science preferred or related discipline
ACF Certification
7-10 years of field experience as an Executive or Corporate Chef or Chef de Cuisine
At least 5 years of progressive product innovation, value generation, and commercialization experience
Knowledge of differences between premium brands and value drivers
Career experience across culinary, R&D, and QA desirable
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office including Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint
Excellent organizational and project management skills
Self-starter with problem-solving abilities
Strong communication skills for interacting with all levels including Local Purveyors and cross functional teams
Ability to manage multiple projects and budgets
Demonstrated ability to present at all organizational levels
Highly motivated with results-orientation
Can work independently and collaboratively
Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects

Job Duties

Represent protect and grow our brand across all business channels by elaborating on trend recipes across multiple dayparts
Collaborate under the direction of the Assistant Director of Culinary Development and in conjunction with the Prepared Foods team
Maintain strategic accountability for all product development and research including management and scheduling of test kitchen facilities and collaboration with Commercialization Manager
Build and nurture customer relationships that separate Boar's Head Experience from competition
Develop effective build sheets and training materials to ensure execution at both store level and central manufacturing facilities
Sell a premium brand as a food solution by generating concrete value added propositions to chefs and retailers
Create effective and simple demonstration recipes and techniques that help distributors sell the "better because" aspect into foodservice accounts
Assist in menu development for retail and foodservice concepts including on-site training and evaluation of operations
Determine how to get the most utility across product lines while understanding benefits of additional sales opportunities and reducing shrink risk
Design and implement new products in high volume facilities ensuring first runs meet documented organoleptic measures
Actively support training and development teams with best practices and leadership
Analyze customer menus to create and communicate Boar's Head products into versatile operational concepts
Organize, schedule and conduct off-site demonstrations with clients
Research create and write recipes scalable in retail and commissary environments
Engage with professional affiliations to showcase Boar's Head commitment to Culinary Arts while networking for business development
Maintain up-to-date knowledge on evolving food and culinary trends
Assist clients and Local Purveyors in development of new culinary and Grab & Go programs
Possess well-developed ability to taste and evaluate food and communicate findings using sensory-based language
Communicate important details from client and internal meetings accurately and timely
Perform other duties as assigned