Research & Development Chef in Charlotte, North Carolina at Plat Du Jour Inc

About Plat Du Jour (PDJ)

Plat Du Jour (PDJ) is a precision meal platform producing high-quality, ready-to-eat meals and components at scale. PDJ operates at the intersection of culinary excellence and operational discipline, combining chef-driven food with the consistency, structure, and efficiency of a food manufacturing environment. This is not a traditional restaurant kitchen — our operation is built around batch production, process control, food safety, and consistency at scale.

Position Overview

PDJ is seeking a creative, detail-oriented, and collaborative Research & Development (R&D) Chef to join our culinary team on a part-time, hourly basis. The R&D Chef is responsible for generating new recipe ideas, developing and testing samples, and refining each dish until it is ready to be scaled into full production — taking every recipe from first concept to a documented, production-ready formula.

The R&D Chef reports to the Director of Culinary Operations and works in close partnership with the Production Manager / Sous Chef, the Nutritionist, and the Quality Assurance Manager to ensure every new recipe meets PDJ's standards for flavor, presentation, nutrition, cost, food safety, and scalability.

The ideal candidate is a skilled cook with a curious, experimental mindset who understands both the plate and the batch — someone who can create a beautifully presented dish in the test kitchen and then translate it into a recipe our production team can execute consistently at volume.

*This position will be an Hourly Part Time position to start.

Key Responsibilities

Recipe Research & Ideation

• Generate new recipe and menu concepts aligned with PDJ's precision meal programs, customer needs, the rotating menu cycle, and seasonal ingredient availability
• Research culinary trends, flavor profiles, ingredients, and techniques to inform new product ideas
• Present new concepts with proposed ingredient lists, estimated yields, and preliminary cost considerations for review

Sample Creation & Testing

• Prepare test batches and samples for internal tastings, client presentations, and approval reviews
• Conduct iterative kitchen testing, adjusting seasoning, texture, portioning, and cooking methods until dishes meet PDJ quality targets
• Accurately document every trial, including ingredients, weights, methods, times, temperatures, and outcomes

Collaboration & Recipe Execution

• Work collaboratively with the Director of Culinary Operations, Production Manager / Sous Chef, Nutritionist, and QA Manager to develop and launch new recipes
• Participate in tastings and review sessions, offering and receiving constructive input
• Train production staff on new recipes and support initial production runs of newly launched items

Large-Batch Scale-Up

• Convert approved recipes from test-kitchen quantities into large-batch production formulas while maintaining flavor, texture, and yield consistency
• Write clear, standardized recipe cards and production instructions that the kitchen team can follow consistently
• Identify equipment, process, or ingredient changes needed for successful scale-up and flag them to the Director of Culinary Operations

Plating & Presentation

• Develop plating and portioning standards for each dish, with attention to color, composition, and how meals present in final packaging
• Prepare plated dishes for photography, tastings, and client presentations as needed

Dietary & Nutritional Standards

• Develop recipes that meet defined dietary and nutritional requirements, including calorie, macronutrient, sodium, and portion targets, as well as allergen-free and specialty diets
• Partner with the Nutritionist to confirm recipes meet specifications and that ingredient and allergen information is accurate

Feedback & Revision

• Accept feedback from tastings, leadership, the Nutritionist, and clients professionally, and revise recipes promptly
• Maintain a clear revision history so the current approved version of every recipe is always identifiable

Food Safety & Kitchen Standards

• Follow all PDJ food safety, sanitation, GMP, HACCP, and USDA/FSIS requirements, including allergen control and proper labeling of test products
• Keep the R&D workspace clean, organized, and inspection-ready at all times
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional cooking experience in a commercial food service environment (restaurant, catering, institutional, or food manufacturing) required
• Demonstrated experience in recipe development, menu creation, or culinary R&D
• Working knowledge of large-batch cooking processes and scaling recipes from test quantities to production volume
• Strong plating, presentation, and portioning skills
• Understanding of dietary and nutritional standards, common food allergens, and specialty diets
• Ability to take direction and feedback constructively and revise work quickly
• Accurate measuring, weighing, and recipe documentation skills
• ServSafe Food Handler Certification required or must be obtained within 30 days of hire; ServSafe Manager Certification and HACCP familiarity preferred
• Culinary arts degree or certificate preferred; experience in a food manufacturing, meal prep, or USDA-inspected facility preferred
• Experience with nutrition analysis or recipe costing software a plus
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace