Salary:

$75,000 - $80,000/year

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Schedule:

Full-Time, Monday–Friday (with occasional evenings, weekends, or holidays for menu launches or catering events)

Requirements:

Current Oregon Food Handler's card

Location & Transportation:

Elephants Central Kitchen is located at 1611 SE 7th Ave. Reliable transportation is required. Due to our location, dependable transportation to and from our store is essential.

About Elephants

A locally owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now has seven Portland-metro area retail locations and a busy catering company, all serving great local foods prepared from scratch. A certified B Corporation, Elephants Delicatessen prides itself on sustainable practices and voluntarily meets a higher standard of transparency and accountability, using the power of business as a force for good.

Elephants Delicatessen is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion.
What we offer:

• Employer contributed vacation and sick time
• Kaiser Medical coverage, with alternative care as a bonus (acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, etc.)
• Mental Health Services
• Dental, FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts), and 401(k) with 4% company match
• Training that will fast-track your culinary/hospitality career
• Free counseling and financial services
• Opportunities for advancement
• Discounts on our delicious made-from-scratch food
• Pet insurance
• Chance to win employee raffles
• Discounts at Sketchers, Shoes for Crews, Verizon, Sprint, select B Corporations, and many more
• A commitment to inclusion, diversity, community involvement, employee well-being, and environmental protection

Elephants Delicatessen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Elephants Delicatessen participates in the E- Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Please see the following notices for more information:

E-Verify Participation Poster (English/Spanish) Right to Work Poster (English/Spanish)

About the Role

As a Product Development & Culinary Innovation Chef, you will lead recipe development and product innovation across our production kitchens, catering operations, and retail stores. This role bridges culinary creativity with technical know-how, ensuring recipes are not only delicious and on-brand, but also scalable, cost-effective, compliant, and production-ready. You’ll combine a chef’s passion for food with a product developer’s discipline to support menu growth, enhance customer satisfaction, and strengthen Elephants’ reputation for culinary excellence.

This position is a great fit for someone who thrives on creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement—balancing artistry with science to deliver high-quality food at scale.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator who can balance hospitality with accountability in a fast-paced environment.

What You’ll Do

• Developing and testing new recipes that align with brand standards and customer preferences.
• Translating culinary ideas into scalable, production-ready recipes using batch-sizing tools and food science principles.
• Collaborating with business leaders on seasonal menu planning and new product launches.
• Leading and supporting plated catering event food preparation when needed.
• Ensuring compliance with FDA, USDA, and local health regulations; maintaining allergen and labeling protocols.
• Training production staff on recipes, processes, and food safety standards.
• Optimizing production processes for efficiency, yield, and waste reduction.
• Conducting product reviews, taste panels, and audits to ensure quality standards are met.
• Partnering with procurement, operations, finance, and marketing to align recipe development with company goals.

What We’re Looking For

• Culinary degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven experience as a Corporate Chef, R&D Chef, or Product Development Chef in restaurants, catering, or consumer packaged goods.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, preservation, allergen management, and regulatory compliance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); recipe management or ERP systems preferred.
• Ability to calculate recipe scaling, yields, percentages, and cost modeling.
• Advanced problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• ServSafe or Oregon Food Handler’s Certification required; HACCP certification preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in English, both verbal and written.
• Preferred: Bilingual ability (Spanish or other language) to support diverse staff.

If you love building strong teams, holding high standards, and creating memorable guest experiences, we’d love to meet you!