The career of a research chef is a pretty cool one. Research chefs use their knowledge of culinary art and food science to contribute to the research and development of creative dishes. Their food prowess is our palate's pleasure. Learn about the career and what it takes to become a research chef.
Research Chef Job Description
Research chefs are also known as food innovation chefs and product developers. Those titles make sense, seeing as you are tasked with testing new products and supplies for the entire food industry, from restaurant chains to food manufacturing companies and the whole gamut of food creators.
The list of job duties is vast and dependent on where you are employed. You may conduct consumer tests and observe market trends to modify recipes. Or, you possibly could let customers rate products through surveys and record results, using the information to fix foods to make them more universally palatable.
It’s not uncommon for research chefs to work with food scientists to find more efficient processing of mass-produced market foods. You also will study the shelf life of foods to find ways to keep them lasting longer while still maintaining their flavors and freshness.
Education For Research Chefs
The career of a research chef is perfect for those with a propensity toward the creative side yet want to work in the corporate area of foods. To work as a research chef requires a formal culinary arts school education. Because most employers will typically choose to hire someone with a degree, you’ll need either an associate degree in culinary arts or a bachelor’s degree. Both degree paths may still require general education courses in their programs.
To become a Certified Research Chef and take the exam for certification, you must hold a degree along with food service experience, which is an additional 1-5 years, depending on whether you have an associate or bachelor’s degree.
