D R Newitt Recruitment
Development Chef - Restaurant Background
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Development Chef – Culinary Innovation
Surrey | £40,000–£45,000 + 12% Bonus
Are you an experienced chef from a high-end restaurant background, with an exceptional understanding of flavour, trends, and what makes great food? Are you ready to take your creativity beyond the restaurant kitchen and help shape the next generation of food products?
I'm recruiting for a unique Development Chef – Culinary Innovation opportunity with a fast-paced and forward-thinking food business based in Surrey.
This isn't a traditional manufacturing Development Chef role. It's a chance to bring your culinary creativity into food manufacturing and see your ideas reach the market at scale.
The Role
You'll be responsible for creating exciting, on-trend food concepts and developing them from initial idea through to launch. You'll work closely with NPD, Commercial, Category, and Technical teams, using your knowledge of:
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- Flavour and ingredient combinations
- Emerging food and restaurant trends
- Contemporary cuisines and techniques
- What consumers are looking for next
You'll have the freedom to experiment, innovate, and challenge what's already in the market, while learning how to translate exceptional restaurant-quality ideas into commercially viable products.
About You
We're looking for a chef who is:
- From a high-end / quality-focused restaurant background
- Exceptional with flavour and creativity
- Passionate about food trends and innovation
- Naturally curious and constantly looking for what's next
- Confident presenting ideas and working with different teams
- Excited by the opportunity to move into food manufacturing
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Food manufacturing experience isn't essential — your culinary ability, creativity, and passion are what matter most.
Why This Role?
This is a genuinely rare opportunity to take your career in a completely new direction.
You'll gain exposure to NPD, commercial food development, and large-scale manufacturing, work across multiple product categories and customers, and have the opportunity to see your ideas become products enjoyed by thousands of people.
£40,000–£45,000 + 12% bonus
If you're a chef who wants to move beyond the restaurant kitchen, create what comes next, and make a real impact on the food market, I'd love to hear from you.
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