Regional Corporate Chef

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.

As Regional Corporate Chef, your responsibilities will include:

Lead Regional Culinary Strategy

• Drive culinary direction for the region by developing strategies, supporting sales growth, and translating customer needs into menu and product solutions.

Strengthen Customer Relationships & Drive Growth

• Build chef‑to‑chef partnerships, lead ideations and demos, and provide culinary consultation that supports retention, product adoption, and new business opportunities.

Train & Enable Sales and Culinary Teams

• Deliver culinary training for sales teams and brokers, mentor regional chefs, and support capability development across the broader Culinary organization.

Collaborate Cross‑Functionally to Deliver Solutions

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and R&D to co‑create operator solutions, contribute insights to business reviews, and align regional execution with national priorities.

Manage Culinary Operations & Brand Execution

Oversee travel and project budgets, maintain accurate culinary documentation, support content creation, and represent Custom Culinary at industry events.

You'll bring value to the Regional Corporate Chef position and the team if you:

• Have advanced culinary strategy expertise, have Sales/manufacturing experience; sales/distribution experience
• Experience in R&D, industrial manufacturing, or commercial product development in the food industry

Expertise and Experiences You'll Need to Succeed:

Qualified candidates will have:

• Minimum of AOS degree in Culinary Arts or equivalent.

• 10+ years of progressive culinary experience including 3+ years in a corporate, regional, or commercial development chef capacity.

• Experience in R&D, industrial manufacturing, or commercial product development preferred.

• Current or pending professional certification (ACF or RCA) within 18 months of hire.

• Proven ability to lead culinary ideations and presentations independently with customers and senior leaders.

Proven experience in relationship building and trust examples. Ability to form strong chef‑to‑chef connections, build credibility quickly, and maintain long‑term partnerships with customers, brokers, and internal teams.

Skilled at presenting culinary concepts, explaining technical ideas in simple terms, and adapting communication style to executives, operators, and cross‑functional partners.

• Willingness to commute 70-75% Travel (Domestic) 3 weeks in your market on the road and 1 week at home. Seattle Oregon Arizona Nevada Utah Northern California (Montana and Wyoming - limited) is the territory.

What will set you apart:

• Advanced culinary expertise
• Sales/manufacturing experience; sales/distribution experience
• Experience in R&D, industrial manufacturing, or commercial product development

Custom Culinary®& Griffith Foods embraces Work Flex, allowing employees to work remotely, and select options like compressed work weeks, flex time, etc. that creates an effective workplace where work patterns meet the needs of both employers & employees. Most professionals come into the office once a week or less. Periodic onsite meetings may occur at our Lombard or Alsip (IL) locations.

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 plant environments. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee will occasionally need to operate and drive a forklift or electronic pallet jack to transport materials or goods.

Environmental Concerns

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and risk of electrical shock. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; high, precarious places; outside weather conditions and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud. Dust and odor present in environment.

We are proud of our benefits offerings. 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.

There is also 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.

EOE - Vet/Disability

EEO Notice of Rights

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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.

At Griffith Foods and our affiliated companies, we know it's not about a "job" search - it's about searching for a place to drive impact, to have purpose, and to have a fulfilling career. We know it's not just about finding a job, it's about so much more. Here, you can be a part of something bigger than yourself. It's about thriving professionally while blending care and creativity for the greater good. Here you are valued for thinking differently in a space where we are working hard to create a reimagined future.

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.

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.

Client-provided location(s): Villa Park, IL

Job ID: Griffith_Foods-JR101301

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2026-01-27T19:31:54