Top 238 Culinary lead Jobs in Elmwood Park Il

Lead Culinary Food Development Specialist
Univar Solutions USA I&S LLC —Bedford Park, IL
- $121,340 - $151,670 a year
- 5 years
- Sanitation
- Ability to lift 50 pounds
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
Lead, Culinary – Innovation & Activations
Kraft Heinz Company —Glenview, IL
- $141,500 - $176,900 a year
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Up to 50% travel
- AD&D insurance
- Paid holidays
Sous Chef - Soho House Chicago
Soho House & Co. —Chicago, IL
- $69,000 - $74,000 a year
- 8 hour shift
- ServSafe
- Mid-level
- 3 years
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
Quick Apply
Executive Chef
Ancho & Agave —Lombard, IL
- $70,000 - $85,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- 3 years
- Ability to lift 50 pounds
- 21 years or older
- Disability insurance
- Relocation assistance
Quick Apply
SOUS CHEF
Flik Hospitality Group —Chicago, IL
- $70,000 - $76,000 a year
- Full-time
- Background check
- Hospitality
- Microsoft Excel
- Commuter assistance
- Paid parental leave
Quick Apply
10d
Sous Chef
Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano —Naperville, IL
- $55,000 - $65,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Casual dining restaurant
- Mid-level
- Ability to lift 50 pounds
- Disability insurance
- Relocation assistance
Quick Apply
Dining Room Manager/Front of the House
Cordia Senior Residence —Westmont, IL
- From $50,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Background check
- Bar
- Culinary experience
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
Quick Apply
Kitchen Manager
Buttermilk Restaurant —Naperville, IL
- $23 - $27 an hour
- Full-time
- Spanish
- Customer service
- Cooking
- Health insurance
- Employee discount
Quick Apply
Chef de Cuisine - Inventive Italian Concept
Confidental Company —Chicago, IL
- $85,000 - $105,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- 3 years
- Continuous improvement
- Mentoring
- Commuter assistance
- Disability insurance
Quick Apply
Chef De Cuisine
Dimmi Dimmi —Chicago, IL
- $85,000 - $105,000 a year
- 18 years or older
- Computer literacy
- Mid-level
- Commuter assistance
- Paid parental leave
Quick Apply
Tous les Jours Bakery Kitchen Manager
Tous les Jours Bakery Cafe —Downers Grove, IL
- $46,000 - $50,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Mid-level
- 3 years
- Ability to lift 50 pounds
- Store discount
- Paid time off
Quick Apply
3d
Chef Manager - Corporate Cafe Operations Monday - Friday
EHS Recruiting Company —Chicago, IL
- $75,000 - $80,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Cooking
- Mid-level
- Mentoring
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
Quick Apply
13h
Sous Chef, Full-Time
Covenant Living at Windsor Park —Carol Stream, IL
- $24.84 - $33.84 an hour
- Weekends as needed
- Mid-level
- 3 years
- High school diploma or GED
- 403(b) matching
- AD&D insurance
Quick Apply
Executive Sous Chef
Le Colonial Lake Forest —Lake Forest, IL
- $70,000 - $80,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Background check
- Spanish
- Cooking
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Quick Apply
Sous Chef/Line Cook
TAAN —Chicago, IL
- $21 - $28 an hour
- Full-time
- Mid-level
- Supervising experience
- In-person
- Paid time off
- Food provided
Quick Apply
1d
Executive Chef
Luther Village Owners Corporation —Arlington Heights, IL
- $85,000 - $95,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Background check
- Hospitality
- ServSafe
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance
Quick Apply
Lead Cook
The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago —Chicago, IL
- $29.30 an hour
- Weekends as needed
- 3 years
- Hotel
- High school diploma or GED
- Paid holidays
- Disability insurance
Quick Apply
Executive Sous Chef - Golf & Special Events
PROOF OF THE PUDDING —Medinah, IL
- $80,000 - $90,000 a year
- Full-time
- Hospitality
- Mid-level
- Office
- AD&D insurance
- Disability insurance
Sous Chef
Sunrise Senior Living —River Forest, IL
- $25.85 - $32.35 an hour
- Full-time
- Hospitality
- Mid-level
- Kitchen
- Paid holidays
- Health insurance
Culinary Director - Ballyhoo Hospitality
Ballyhoo Hospitality —Chicago, IL
- $110,000 - $130,000 a year
- Weekends as needed
- Research
- 8 years
- Project management
- Paid parental leave
- Health insurance
Quick Apply

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culinary lead jobs near elmwood park il

Lead Culinary Food Development Specialist

Univar Solutions USA I&S LLC
Bedford Park, IL

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Job Details

$121,340 - $151,670 a year

Benefits

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Paid time off
Vision insurance
401(k) matching

Qualifications

Industrial food slicers
Food mixers
Product development project management
Developing new product formulations
Formulation chemistry
Chemical scale-up projects
Food technology
Bachelor's degree
Industry trends
Technology transfer (scale-up process)
Customer engagement
Overseeing product design launches
Food & beverage production
Sales management systems proficiency
Presentation creation
Managing kitchen staff
Oven and range use
CRM system proficiency
Productivity software

Full Job Description

A Place Where People Matter.

Start your career journey with Univar Solutions! Here you can make an impact on the world around you and accelerate your career in areas that energize and excite you.

As the Lead Culinary Food Development Specialist, you will drive innovation across Univar Solutions’ food ingredient portfolio, leading both people and projects to translate emerging food trends into scalable, manufacturable solutions.

Blending culinary creativity with food science expertise, you will partner directly with customers, suppliers, and internal commercial teams to develop differentiated concepts, solve formulation challenges, and accelerate commercialization.

Based in our Innovation & Development Kitchen at The Hatchery in Downtown Chicago, this role serves as a visible technical leader, championing innovation, mentoring team members, and elevating Foodology by Univar Solutions as a strategic partner in the food industry.

What You’ll Do

Leadership & Collaboration

Lead and mentor culinary and technical team members, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous development
Serve as a key technical interface with customers and supplier partners, building strong, trust-based relationships
Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Product Management to align innovation efforts with business strategy

Innovation & Product Development

Lead end-to-end product development—from concept through prototype, validation, and customer presentation
Translate consumer trends and market insights into relevant, scalable product concepts
Solve complex formulation challenges using supplier ingredient portfolios
Develop prototypes that demonstrate ingredient functionality and support commercialization efforts

Customer & Market Engagement

Deliver compelling customer presentations, culinary trainings, and product demonstrations (in-person and virtual)
Represent Univar Solutions at industry trade shows and events, showcasing innovation and capabilities
Partner with marketing to create digital content, webinars, and promotional materials

Operational Excellence

Manage and prioritize a pipeline of innovation projects to accelerate customer adoption and revenue growth
Ensure accurate documentation, technical rigor, and timely, high-quality deliverables
Maintain a safe, clean, and compliant culinary lab environment
Operate commercial kitchen equipment and support scale-up considerations

What you´ll need:

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, or a related scientific field
Culinary certification preferred
5+ years of experience in food product development or culinary innovation
Demonstrated experience leading projects and/or mentoring team members
Strong knowledge of ingredient functionality, formulation, and commercialization processes
Experience with product scale-up, plant trials, and market launch readiness
Proven ability to translate trends into viable food products
Strong customer-facing presence with the ability to influence and inspire
Excellent presentation and storytelling skills
Business acumen across manufacturers, distributors, and end-use markets
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce)
Ability to stand for extended periods of time (up to 6–8 hours) while working in a commercial kitchen or lab environment
Ability to lift, carry, and move materials and equipment up to 50 lbs
Frequent bending, reaching, kneeling, and manual dexterity required for food preparation and equipment operation
Ability to work safely with commercial kitchen equipment (e.g., ovens, mixers, slicers)
Tolerance for working in environments with varying temperatures (e.g., hot cooking areas, refrigerated storage)
Ability to travel (up to 25%) and transport materials or demo kits as needed for customer visits, trainings, and tradeshows

Where you´ll work:

Downtown Chicago, IL. On-site.

Pay & Benefits:

The salary range for this role is USD 121,340 - 151,670. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be motivated by a variety of factors including the candidate’s proven experience, education, training, certifications, qualifications, and work location. In addition, this position is eligible for incentive pay. Available employee benefits include health, vision, and dental. We also provide 401k matching for retirement and paid time off.

Univar Solutions is a leading, global distributor of chemicals and ingredients essential to the safety, health, and wellbeing of our daily lives from life-saving medicines and vitamins to hand sanitizers and industrial materials used for cleaning, construction, and more. Our global team of more than 9,500 employees support our vision to redefine distribution and be the most valued chemical and ingredient distributor on the planet!

We offer a Total Rewards package that includes market aligned pay and incentives as well as a diverse benefits offering to support our employees’ physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.

Univar Solutions supports sustainable solutions for the world around us so that we can do our part to help keep our communities healthy, fed, clean, and safe!

We are committed to a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusion. Together, we are building a culture that acknowledges the unique experiences, perspectives and expertise of individuals and provides the development and growth opportunities to empower us to redefine our industry.

Univar Solutions is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected classification. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the hiring process, please contact us at [email protected].

Univar Solutions does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms (collectively Recruiting Firms). Recruiting Firms must enter into a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Univar Solutions prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. All searches must be initiated by Univar Solutions' Talent Acquisition team and candidates must be submitted via Applicant Tracking System (ATS) by approved vendors who have been expressly requested to make a submission for a specific job opening. No placement fees will be paid to any firm unless the aforementioned conditions have been met. Contacting our hiring managers directly is prohibited.

Apply Now

Refine Your Search

culinary lead jobs in elmwood park il

Lead Culinary Food Development Specialist

Lead, Culinary – Innovation & Activations

Sous Chef - Soho House Chicago

Executive Chef

SOUS CHEF

Sous Chef

Dining Room Manager/Front of the House

Kitchen Manager

Chef de Cuisine - Inventive Italian Concept

Chef De Cuisine

Tous les Jours Bakery Kitchen Manager

Chef Manager - Corporate Cafe Operations Monday - Friday

Sous Chef, Full-Time

Executive Sous Chef

Sous Chef/Line Cook

Executive Chef

Lead Cook

Executive Sous Chef - Golf & Special Events

Sous Chef

Culinary Director - Ballyhoo Hospitality

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