Where Growth has no Leash

More Than Just A Job

As a proud B-Corp we focus on using business as a force for good. We do this by balancing out people and planet with profit. For every Mindful Chef recipe box bought we donate the equivalent of a school meal to a child in a less developed country (over 20 million meals donated and counting...) and we have also pledged to go Net Zero by 2030 but there are so many other initiatives that we would love to tell you about!

About the role

The Junior Development Chef is responsible for testing, and refining high-quality, healthy recipes that align with Mindful Chef’s standards for quality, taste, nutrition, accuracy, and ease of preparation. This role will support the Kitchen team in delivering nutrition-related tasks, working with guidance from our Recipe Development Chef Manager and our in-house Nutritionist to ensure nutritional standards and processes are understood and systems are up to date and functional.

The role works cross-functionally with Buying, Marketing, and wider Food teams to deliver seasonal, commercially viable recipes using responsibly sourced ingredients, while ensuring consistency, accuracy, and operational feasibility.

What we are looking for

You are

• A relevant culinary, food, or nutrition qualification, or 1–2 years’ experience in a professional kitchen or food-development environment.
• Strong written communication skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient skills in Excel and Google data platforms to interpret data, build insights, and support informed decision making.
• Professional chef qualification or equivalent industry experience desirable but not essential.
• Nutrition-related qualification or relevant experience.
• Food safety certification (Level 2 minimum; Level 3 desirable).
• Hold a genuine enthusiasm for food and love for cooking, with a particular interest in recipe development.

You will

• Testing established recipes or new recipe methods, carrying out structured recipe tests, recording feedback, and identifying opportunities for improvement in line with briefs, food trends, and customer insights.
• Style and shoot meals for the recipe magazine or other brand material.
• Work with the wider Food team to ensure recipes meet nutritional, brand, and quality standards, seeking guidance from the Nutritionist where required.
• Carry out protein validation checks in line with established processes and regulatory requirements, escalating any issues where required.
• Work closely with the Head of Health and support the kitchen team with nutrition requests and recipe analysis.
• Test, and accurately record nutritional information for existing and new ingredients, following established processes and guidance from the Nutritionist.
• Work closely with the Recipe Editor to apply and contribute to the development of the recipe writing style guide.
• Participate in recipe tastings, reviews, feedback, and innovation sessions, providing and receiving constructive input.
• Manage ingredients, ordering, and stock for recipe development within the test kitchen.
• Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness, organisation, and food safety.
• Support NPD and EPD activity, including ingredient testing, onboarding, and contributing ideas for the ingredient catalogue.
• Meet weekly recipes and team deadlines with a high level of accuracy.
• Proof weekly recipe booklets before print deadline.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of food team processes and ways of working.
• Support social media marketing by actively participating in regular filming, confidently presenting recipes and development work on camera to help create engaging, on-brand content.
• Stay informed on food trends, customer insights, and competitor analysis.