Senior Corporate Chef

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Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact. Apply Now!

THE VALUE YOU’LL BRING:

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section.

The Senior Corporate Chef is a crucial member of our customer marketing team and is responsible for culinary development and presentations for corporate, retail, and foodservice customers. They are also an important part of communicating and representing our brands at events and in the development of marketing materials. Our Senior Corporate Chef works closely with our Marketing, Consumer Insights, Sales, R&D and Agency personnel. This role will also partner with other internal culinary team members to deploy a vision for Smithfield Foods product marketing strategy.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

• Menu and Product Development
  • Leverages culinary trends, industry marketing data, and creativity to develop on-trend products and menu options for corporate, customer, and retail partners.
  • Plans, prepares, and produces menu ideation, presentations/white papers for customers
  • Develop tailored product positioning and culinary application solutions that meet specific customer requirements.
  • FS Operations Expertise shown through equipment and BOH consulting, troubleshooting bottlenecks and offerings product and logistic solutions.
  • Translate consumer insights into customer limited time offerings, seasonal promotions and menu innovation recommendations.
  • Maintain detailed documentation of culinary development processes and product specifications.
• Customer and Sales Support
  • Serves as a Senior Brand Ambassador at corporate events and food shows
  • Leads team for on-site preparation of food at corporate, customer, and retail events
  • Develops and cultivates relationships with a variety of positions (Chef, R&D, Procurement) within top National Accounts.
  • Collaborate with sales, marketing, and R&D teams to drive brand development through culinary insights and flavor innovation.
  • Lead culinary engagement and expertise to sales teams during product launches and serve as a dedicated customer resource.
• Culinary and Innovation Inspiration:
  • Leading role (including support from Sales and Marketing) in customer presentations
  • Organizes, leads, and ideates retail innovation and food service menu innovation brainstorming sessions for customer presentations
  • Stays ahead of culinary, consumer and restaurant trends, processes and products to assist in recommending new applications, methods and ingredients
  • Leverage consumer insights, syndicated research and marketplace intelligence to inform innovation strategies
  • Share culinary insights and competitive intelligence with internal stakeholders
  • Design and implement best-in-class ways of working, promoting new methods and processes to both the enterprise and in the industry.
  • Analyze and develop market data and consumer trends to identify growth opportunities for key Smithfield customers/Brands such as new ingredients, flavors and cooking techniques.
• Brand Ambassador & Content Creation:
  • Comfortable and confident on camera, serving as a culinary spokesperson for the brand across digital and social platforms, natural ability to communicate, educate and inspire.
  • Model brand ambassador expectations for the culinary team, supporting internal and external media activations
  • Ensure compliance with food safety regulations and Smithfield Foods' quality standards.
  • Provides leadership and guidance to support chefs while carrying out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Culinary Arts and 5+ years culinary experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Progressive culinary experience in foodservice, manufacturing or CPG.
• Experience supporting national accounts, foodservice operators or retail customers at a Corporate level.
• Personal brand or demonstrated experience creating engaging culinary content is preferred.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and achieve effective time management.
• Ability to communicate concepts and rationale to internal and external customers – well developed presentation skills.
• Good writing skills, focusing on menu descriptions and data-centric rationale.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet established goals, objectives and timelines.
• Sense of urgency and ability to meet deadlines on a self-directed basis.
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.
• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Problem solving and critical thinking skill set.
• Up to 50% travel may be required.

Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package. Learn more about our benefits package here.

Relocation Package Available

Yes

EEO Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

Why Work at Smithfield Foods?

At Smithfield, good food starts with good people.

"Good food. Responsibly.®" is more than just our tagline; it's what we do. We provide good jobs. We take good care of our animals. We are good stewards of the environment. We do good in our local communities.

Team Member Benefits

Smithfield is proud to offer robust, flexible and affordable benefit plans and programs to support our team members and their loved ones, and with out-of-pocket costs, on average, 20 percent less than plans offered by other employers.

Beyond our medical plans, our Be Well programs offer tools and resources to enhance your quality of life, at no additional cost. These programs are uniquely tailored to our Smithfield team and provide support for elective surgeries, weight loss, mental health, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, smoking cessation, asthma, maternity management and more.

Our company invests in your future. We offer comprehensive training and professional development programs designed to help you reach your full potential. Through LinkedIn Learning, employees can access on‑demand courses, professional certificates, and skill‑based training to build capabilities aligned with career and business needs. Our partnership with Guild supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning, high school completion, and degree programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high‑potential talent. We also offer unique benefits like our Smithfield Scholarship Program for employees’ children.

About Smithfield Foods

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world.​ For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.


We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan's Famous®, among many others.

For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.