Job Description

Overview:
As Head Development chef you will lead on concept development across all of our business sectors including Education, Healthcare, Care homes and Wiltshire Farm Foods.
Working closely with product developers, category management and other key stakeholders you will be responsible for creating exceptional and scalable new and improved food products that meet commercial, nutritional and operational goals.
You will help shape our food strategies and translate these into products that create competitive advantage, improve quality, elevate our offering and enhance customer enjoyment.
You will provide support throughout the Development process to ensure we design and deliver great food to be proud of. This will include supporting production trials, delivering presentations and undertaking product reviews.
You will bring credibility and confidence to the table as you deliver exceptional food presentations and effectively champion new and improved product to internal and external customers. Who we are:
apetito is the UK's leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings.
Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness.
Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK's largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK. Responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of compelling customer-focused concept development .
• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives to elevate quality and enrich the customer experience.
• Create new food products that support strategic goals, meet commercial briefs, drive growth, and exceed customer expectations.
• Provide inspirational leadership support for the Development chef.
• Monitor emerging food trends and translate insights into commercially viable products.
• Establish and manage a network of guest chefs and other food experts to further enhance our product development .
• Conduct and support taste panels and presentations.
• Support in shaping our food strategy.
• Champion food values across the organisation, inspiring a shared passion for exceptional food and quality standards.
• Provide support throughout the product development process
• Support our PR and marketing teams with promotional activities (e.g. photography, food articles, filming).
• Maintain kitchen standards, ensuring compliance with all relevant standards and policies.
• Lead ideation sessions and creative workshops to fuel innovation and support development programmes.

About you:
Essential

• Proven expertise in developing commercially successful , high-quality food concepts for large-scale production.
• Experience as a Head Chef successfully leading kitchen brigades within top-tier hospitality venues (e.g. Michelin-starred or 3-rosette establishments).
• Exceptional culinary skills
• Broad knowledge of global foods and cuisines
• Motivated by working in a creative customer-focused environment
• Commercial awareness
• Excellent presentation skills

Company Benefits:

• Competitive salary - accredited Living Wage employer
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values:
As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.
We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.
We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK's most vulnerable people.
We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.
Our ethical standards are recognised by the and we are an accredited Living Wage employer.
Learn more about apetito's commitment to a more .
We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.

Skills Required