Culinary Manager

CTI Foods Overview

Welcome to CTI Foods, where quality, service, and people are at the heart of everything we do. We are a leading food manufacturing company, dedicated to providing our customers with the best possible products and our employees with a rewarding career.

At CTI, we passionately believe that people are our #1 ingredient. We provide a positive and supportive work environment, opportunities for growth and advancement, and a competitive compensation package. We value our employees' contributions and strive to create a culture of respect, teamwork, and excellence.

Whether you're interested in a career in production, quality control, or management, we have a variety of opportunities available. We believe that our success is a result of our focus on quality, service, and people, and we look forward to continuing to serve our customers and employees with excellence.

If you're looking for a rewarding career in the food manufacturing industry, look no further than CTI Foods! Join our team and become a part of a company that values quality, service, and people.

Job Overview

The CTI Culinary team is looking for an experienced R&D Chef to help drive business growth by creating trend-forward menu solutions and delivering high-impact culinary presentations. This role combines data-driven menu analysis, culinary storytelling, and strategic relationship management to differentiate our product portfolio and elevate the customer experience.

Responsibilities

While your day-to-day tasks will vary based on our current project priorities, you can expect your work schedule to include:

• Culinary Innovation: Develop on-trend menu and operational solutions using the CTI portfolio in collaboration with R&D and Sales.
• Menu Analysis: Evaluate customer menus to identify strategic product placement and operational improvements.
• Market Insights: Utilize industry research and consumer data to validate and ground culinary concepts.
• Culinary Storytelling: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to craft compelling, narrative-driven client presentations.
• Presentation Leadership: Oversee end-to-end presentation execution, including research, recipe development, and logistics.
• Account Growth: Protect and expand existing product lines through strategic demonstrations and product cross-utilization.
• Client Relations: Build and nurture strong customer relationships to differentiate CTI from competitors.
• Knowledge Sharing: Exchange best practices and industry insights regularly across the peer network.
• Operational Support: Perform other duties and professional responsibilities as assigned.
• Any other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

What we need from you:

• Education: Degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, or a related field preferred.
• Industry Experience: Minimum 4 years of foodservice or restaurant experience required; culinary sales experience preferred.
• Culinary Expertise: Minimum 4 years in a culinary role within food manufacturing or a comparable corporate environment required.
• Operational Knowledge: Deep understanding of back-of-house operations, advanced culinary techniques, and food manufacturing processes.
• Regulatory Compliance: Strong knowledge of food safety regulations and corporate sanitation standards.
• Market Acumen: Thorough understanding of marketplace channels, industry trends, and competitive landscapes.
• Project Management: Highly organized with a proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Skilled at partnering with internal teams (Sales, Project Managers, R&D, QA) and building key customer relationships.
• Business Development: Driven by an entrepreneurial mindset with a strong desire to identify and develop new business opportunities.

What you'll receive from us:

• Competitive Salary
• Unlimited PTO*
• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Telehealth Services
• 401K Matching
• FSA & HSA available
• EAP and wellbeing support
• Tuition reimbursement program available