Nestlé Professional is committed to providing the finest ingredients, operational knowledge, and uncompromised support to foodservice operations across the US. Our team of culinary experts and skilled product developers partner closely with foodservice professionals to generate creative, branded food and beverage solutions that address a wide variety of needs. As a business serving other businesses, we’re focused on performing with speed, service, and precision to cook up delicious ideas for our clients both small and large. Satisfy your appetite for an exciting career at Nestlé Professional.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

This position’s role is to inspire culinary innovation, renovation, and application for all brands across Nestle Professional. Help grow brand equity and share by actively inspiring and influencing cross functional teams within Nestle Professional including Marketing, Product Development and Sales through culinary expertise and industry partnerships. The Corporate Culinary Innovation Manager supports the brand teams’ pursuit of insights that enable the team to understand the influence of the applications on the customer and their consumer and create engaging brand experiences and supports the Culinary Innovation Senior Manager in inspiring Nestle Professional vision and innovation strategies. The Culinary Innovation Manager is responsible for leadership and execution of projects related to the brands project development strategy and innovation plans as defined by the various Marketing Managers. Prioritize and directly manage the Innovation Chefs activities to elevate capabilities and accountability in the team. This is a hands on working culinary position 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The job responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: 

INNOVATION

• Involvement in future of food / incubator / accelerator projects
• Create a culinary driven culture of product development.
• Participate in ideation sessions and offer insightful culinary inspiration.
• Identify innovation and renovation opportunities and lead menu development initiatives in support of the brands sustainability and nutrition health and wellness proposition
• Assist with the development and execution of a menu strategy for Nestle Professional brands

RENOVATION

• Partner with external experts to drive innovation and capabilities
• Industry thought leadership
• Work with the NP brands to provide strategic foodservice insights and guidance
• Leverage trend, ingredient, and flavor data to produce ideas and applications that support the brands short-term and long-term innovation strategy. Work in collaboration with cross-functional and external experts, participate in innovation menu sessions that include creative and practical hour presentations in support of the brands innovation strategy. 

APPLICATION

• Face to the customer for visits / trade events
• Partner with internal sales and chefs’ team to provide culinary and product expertise
• Lead food product presentation for training sales and key operators.
• Organize, schedule, and conduct on-site and potentially off-site training with the culinary team.
• Use consumer and marketplace data and trends to support developing menu concepts for a particular operational or customer segment. 
• Support the brands need to identify and understand what the brand stands for with our customers and their consumers including brand identity, essence, vision, mission, and core values to drive relevant communications and innovation. 
• Prepare, present, and showcase menu items for internal and external customers and events, cross-functional partners, and external stakeholders.

MANAGEMENT

• Working management position to lead day-to-day operations including project-based work, internal and external activities. 
• Act as a mentor and leader 
• Partner with Marketing, Sales, and Product development to provide culinary direction for Nestle Professional
• Organize, schedule, and conduct on-site and potentially off-site training with the culinary team.
• Use consumer and customer insights to determine project focus of team
• Collaborate with industry partners to stay relevant for the future of food.

REQUIREMENTS / EDUCATION:

• Minimum 10 -15 years’ experience in the foodservice industry required. 
• Culinary degree (Culinary Arts),
• Serve Safe Certification preferred
• ACF certified or able to be certified within first year
• Experience across multiple channels of food service preferred.
• Experience in management (i.e. sous chef, chef).
• Ability to travel (may be up to 30%)
• Knowledge of menu development, recipe creation and interpretation skills
• Strong knowledge of international cuisine 
• Experience working with multiple projects within a team environment
• Organized, self-managing, with strong time management skills
• Experienced in food purchasing, organization, and logistics of running a successful foodservice operation
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and networking skills
• Excellent presentation/ speaking skills and ability to represent the brand throughout the industry and consumer facing mediums

SKILLS

• Strong culinary techniques, flavor delivery and menu creation processes with an understanding of global cuisine influence on modern cooking
• Possess thorough working knowledge of modern business communication technologies i.e. E-mail, faxes, cell phones, voice mail etc.
• Possess good presentation skills both verbal articulation and demonstrative.
• Possess thorough management and organizational skills, to include time/project management skills and the ability to correctly prioritize projects.
• Be a self-starter: i.e. be able recognize, analyze, develop solutions and initiate problem solving action with very little information and/or direction.
• Have ability to coordinate onsite training sessions: communicate with on site management; procure, produce, and prepare foods as needed; produce and ship training materials to site in a timely fashion.
• Demonstrate above average problem-solving abilities: many problems are abstract in nature.
• Be able to travel utilizing commercial flights, automobile, and other forms of transportation.
• Very Good computer skills: demonstrate reasonable proficiency in Excel and Power Point.

Requisition ID: 261425 

It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace.

To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestlé. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role.  In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities.  Nestlé seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you’ll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestlé home.

The Nestlé Companies are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer seeking diversity in qualified applicants for employment.  All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, perceived disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, as defined by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at accommodations@nestle.com or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.