Food Development Manager

Do you want a career working for The Sunday Times 5th Best Big Companies in the UK?

Haven, a key brand within Bourne Leisure are currently looking for an experienced Food Development Manager with an in-depth knowledge of menu planning to join the food development team. You will work with the Head of Food Development to design, create and plan a range of dishes to meet the brief given.

This newly created role will suit someone who enjoys taking responsibility and ownership and is looking for an opportunity to work in a fun engaging environment where you will have the chance to make a big impact on our diverse food and beverage operations. We need someone to bring fresh ideas and huge levels of enthusiasm.

The two key elements of this role will be to:-

Develop our food proposition; potentially from grab and go offers to sit down dining concepts. You'll work closely with the Head of Food Development and the wider F&B Support Team to understand their requirements and to ensure that you give them what they need in relation to new dishes and products, accurate costings and recipe generation.

Share the new menu and concepts with the wider business from the team member level to the Leadership team, ensuring they are engaged and understand the thought process behind the development.

Reporting to the Head of Food Development, key responsibilities will include:

Proposing and presenting dishes that match the development brief and re-working when necessary

Ensuring that any dishes proposed deliver desired margin levels

Bringing innovation into the menus, whilst ensuring that all dishes are operationally efficient and are within the standard kitchen teams capability level

Capturing ingredients, photographs and methods within the company's recipe costing and menu planning software

Listening to feedback from teams and identifying opportunities for simplification and continuous improvement of the operation

Finding ways to engage the estate wide kitchen teams in the creation of these concepts to ensure the teams' enthusiasm and engagement

Confidently giving presentations when new menu and concepts are due to launch

Provide product/ingredient demand forecast models for effective supply chain management

The Successful Candidate:

Have a minimum 3 years' experience in a similar role with a previously strong Head Chef background with proven culinary skills and understanding of different techniques and cuisines

Must be able to demonstrate a strong knowledge of high volume catering and production

Should have great levels of accuracy in costing recipes

Should be commercially aware and able to interpret commercial data

Must be confident working independently and as part of a multi-functional team, 'owning' your projects to see all projects through to completion

Should demonstrate a real can do attitude and willing to provide excellent service to all key stakeholders

Must have strong attention to detail and ability to deliver to tight deadlines

Must have flexibility towards working hours and ability to travel when needed

Must have strong HACCP and compliance knowledge

To be a successful Food Development Manager for Haven, you'll need to be a passionate foodie who enjoys cooking on the creative edge

The Benefits of working with us:

Free use of many of the Park facilities and discounts off our food and retail outlets.

Discounted Bourne Leisure holidays for you, your family and friends.

Reward and recognition schemes including long service and team member of the month.

Externally recognised qualifications to give you the opportunity to develop and progress.