Associated Seafoods Ltd
Group Development Chef
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Role: Group Development Chef
Reporting to: NPD Manager
Location: On-site, requiring regular travel to Arbroath and Buckie and customer locations
Contract: Permanent
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week with flexibility required
Salary: Competitive salary and benefits package, depending on skills and experience.
About Us
Associated Seafoods is the parent company of Lossie Seafoods, Moray Seafoods, and LFO. We strive to source, process, and supply the finest range of seafood products to customers around the world.
We offer comprehensive benefits including competitive salary, medical and mental health support, life insurance, cycle to work scheme as well as company pension.
About The Role
We are looking for a creative and passionate Group Development Chef with a flair for innovation and a proactive approach to product development.
In this role, you will lead the culinary development of new and existing products across the business, transforming ideas into commercially successful products that delight customers and strengthen our market position. Working closely with Commercial, Technical, Operations, Procurement, and our customers, you will play a key role in taking products from concept through to successful factory manufacture.
Key Responsibilities:
Culinary Innovation & Product Development
- Lead the creation and development of innovative food concepts that meet customer and business objectives.
- Translate food trends and consumer insights into commercially viable product concepts.
- Develop detailed, accurate recipes and process documentation to ensure products are feasible for efficient factory manufacture.
- Continuously review and improve existing products to enhance quality, value, and consumer appeal.
Customer Engagement
- Prepare and present products confidently to customers, showcasing new concepts and innovations.
- Attend customer meetings alongside Commercial and NPD teams.
- Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and culinary partners to support successful product development.
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Kitchen Management & Trials
- Manage the day-to-day operation of the development kitchen, ensuring it remains organised, fully equipped, and audit ready.
- Coordinate the preparation and dispatch of customer samples, ensuring quality and timely delivery.
- Lead kitchen trials and support factory trials to ensure products transfer successfully into production.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Commercial, Technical, Procurement, Planning, and Operations throughout the development process.
- Support the successful launch of new products by ensuring effective communication across departments.
- Collaborate with suppliers to identify new ingredients, technologies, and opportunities for innovation.
Continuous Improvement
- Drive improvements within the product development process to enhance efficiency and consistency.
- Identify opportunities to improve kitchen operations, sample management, and development workflows.
- Support cost-effective decision-making through ingredient selection and process optimisation.
About You
We are looking for someone who is:
- Passionate about food, innovation, and culinary excellence.
- Creative with the ability to turn ideas into commercially successful products.
- A confident communicator who enjoys presenting products and engaging with customers.
- Highly organised with excellent planning and time management skills.
- Collaborative and able to build strong relationships across departments and with external partners.
- Adaptable and comfortable managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Flexible and willing to travel regularly between company sites and customer locations.
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You will ideally bring:
- A strong culinary background with experience in recipe development within a food manufacturing or multi-site environment.
- Experience translating food trends into commercially viable product concepts.
- Good understanding of food safety, HACCP, allergen management, and compliance requirements.
- Experience working with suppliers and knowledge of ingredient sourcing and cost optimisation.
- Exposure to customer-facing product development roles.
- Experience within seafood or chilled food manufacturing (desirable).
- Knowledge of factory processes and large-scale manufacturing (desirable).
What We Offer
- The opportunity to shape the future of our product portfolio through innovation and creativity.
- A varied and rewarding role working across multiple sites and directly with customers.
- A collaborative and supportive environment where your ideas can make a real impact.
- Opportunities for professional development within a growing and ambitious food manufacturing business.
- The chance to work alongside passionate colleagues committed to quality, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Additional Requirements
- Regular travel between company sites, including Arbroath and Buckie.
- Regular travel to customer meetings and product presentations.
- Full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle.
How To Apply
Please submit your CV with a brief cover letter, outlining your suitability for the role and what interests you about joining ASL as our Group Development Chef.
Please note, this role does not qualify for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the unrestricted right to work in the UK at the time of application, as we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
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