Corporate Chef, Western US Region

Griffith Foods is the caring, creative product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers while sustaining the planet. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, Griffith Foods is known for true, collaborative innovation guided by their Purpose of "We Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World". The company's product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet. For more information, visit www.griffithfoods.com.

TITLE: Corporate Chef, Western US Region

LOCATION: Hybrid in Las Vegas, NV or Seattle, WA

COMP RANGE: $87,000 - $116,000 /year

Custom Culinary, a subsidiary of Griffith Foods, is hiring a Regional Corporate Chef to support our Western Region - which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Northern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona plus some limited coverage of Montana and Wyoming - and provide strategic culinary leadership and expertise that supports sales growth and strengthens customer relationships across segments and across the Northwest region.

This role serves as the commercial culinary lead for regional, national, and industrial accounts located within the Northwest region and translating Custom Culinary's differentiation into solutions that drive measurable business results. The Regional Corporate Chef integrates culinary innovation, business acumen, and cross-functional collaboration in support of the company's Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, Performance).

As a Corporate Chef, Western US Region your responsibilities will include:

• Drive culinary direction for the region by developing strategies, supporting sales growth, and translating customer needs into menu and product solutions.
• Build cheftochef partnerships, lead ideations and demos, and provide culinary consultation that supports retention, product adoption, and new business opportunities
• Deliver culinary training for sales teams and brokers, mentor regional chefs, and support capability development across the broader Culinary organization.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and R&D to cocreate operator solutions, contribute insights to business reviews, and align regional execution with national priorities.
• Manage your travel and project budgets , maintain accurate culinary documentation, support content creation, and represent Custom Culinary at industry events.

The Corporate Chef, Western US Region position may be right for you if you:

• Enjoy customer, brand and business development through strategic product culinary applications.
• Can understand ingredient manufacturing and supply chain capabilities to translate capabilities to culinary applications for new and existing customers.
• Are able to lead culinary ideations and presentations independently with customers and senior leaders.
• Enjoy engaging with customers and prospects to explain culinary concepts in simple and understandable ways and adapting your communication style based on your audience.
• Engage with other regional chefs across the US to share ideas and continue to learn new culinary applications.
• Can listen to customer operator challenges to creatively solve issues through culinary expertise.

Qualified candidates will have:

• Associates degree in Culinary Arts.
• 10+ years of progressive culinary experience, including at least 3 years in a corporate, regional, or commercial development chef
• At least 3 years of working with national accounts for a food, ingredient or CPG manufacturer.
• Certified professional certification such as ACF or RCA, or willingness and ability to achieve it within 18 months of hire.
• Willingness and ability to travel 70-75% within your region.
  This will be 3 weeks in your market and 1 week at home.
• The Western Region territory includes WA, OR, ID, Northern CA, NV, UT, AZ plus some limited coverage of MT and WY
• Additional travel to Chicago area for training or leadership meetings is also required.
• Candidates must currently possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. Work visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

What will set you apart:

• Bachelor's degree in food science, bakery science, or related area
• Certified Research Chef (CRC)
• Sales & manufacturing experience and/or sales & distribution experience
• Experience in R&D, industrial manufacturing, or commercial product development

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand and walk to communicate and listen effectively. This will require both office and kitchen environments.

There is potential for a discretionary bonus, with a target of 6%. This bonus is based on personal & company performance and is not a guaranteed bonus plan.

The Company offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

Medical, Rx, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts, EAP, Health Advocacy, Financial Planning, Parental Leave, Care.com, Adoption & Surrogacy Assistance, Education Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement, Safety Reimbursement, Lifestyle Spending Account, Group Life & AD&D, Voluntary Life Insurance, Short Term & Long Term Disability, 401(k) Plan with Company Match, ESOP, PTO, Holiday's & Leaves, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Home & Auto Insurance, Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Long Term Care + Life Insurance & Legal Assistance.

Custom Culinary is a subsidiary of Griffith Foods and is a provider of branded and customer brand / "private label" soup bases, flavor concentrates, sauces, gravies, and other flavor enhancing products. We sell primarily into foodservice - restaurants, hospitals, schools, and cafeterias - as well as industrial - food manufacturers, assemblers, and commissaries - and specialty retail - grocery store foodservice, convenience stores, and meal kits.

At Custom Culinary, we aim to Be True to the Food , and we are focused on authentically bringing flavor and excellent food, ingredients, and menu solutions to our customers.

Griffith Foods is a family-owned business, founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA. Learn more about us at https://griffithfoods.com/careers/

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Griffith Foods believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity. Griffith Foods does not discriminate against qualified employees or applicants because of the following actual or perceived characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic characteristic or information, AIDS or HIV status, order of protection status, marital status, military or veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. Equal employment opportunity will be extended to all persons in all aspect of the employer-employee relationship, including recruitment, hiring, participation in benefit programs, training, promotion, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall, and termination.

#LI-EC2

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Griffith Foods believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity. Griffith Foods does not discriminate against qualified employees or applicants because of the following actual or perceived characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding or related medical condition, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic characteristic or information, AIDS or HIV status, order of protection status, marital status, military or veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. Equal employment opportunity will be extended to all persons in all aspect of the employer-employee relationship, including recruitment, hiring, participation in benefit programs, training, promotion, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall, and termination.

Benefits:

Benefits for this role include Medical, Rx, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts, EAP, Health Advocacy, Financial Planning, Parental Leave, Care.com, Adoption & Surrogacy Assistance, Education Assistance/Tuition Reimbursement, Safety Reimbursement, Lifestyle Spending Account, Group Life & AD&D, Voluntary Life Insurance, Short Term & Long Term Disability, 401(k) Plan with Company Match, ESOP, PTO, Holiday's & Leaves, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Home & Auto Insurance, Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Long Term Care + Life Insurance & Legal Assistance. There is also potential for a discretionary bonus, this bonus is based on personal & company performance and is not a guaranteed bonus plan.