Culinary Manager

Join our innovative team at TLCH, Inc. where we are committed to help more food brands redefine the dining experience for their customers by blending creativity, practicality, and smart solutions. Our team of culinary experts includes award-winning chefs, presidents of iconic food brands, and over 70 years of combined business, operations, and technology experience—not to mention, an unwavering passion for food.
We are currently seeking dedicated and experienced individuals to fill the Culinary Manager at our food manufacturing facility  90 Stemmers Lane, Westampton, NJ 08060. The primary responsibilities of this role is to drive innovation, commercialization and R&D initiatives supporting our D2C and B2B business. This position reports to the Chief Culinary Officer and will work cross functionally with the commercialization and operations teams to assist in all phases of product development from concept through launch.

What will you be doing: 

• Lead ideation and development of new food products, recipes, and menu concepts for D2C and B2B customers.
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Marketing, Operations, Sales) to translate culinary concepts into scalable, manufacturable products.
• Conduct bench-top development, ingredient sourcing, and flavor profiling.
• Stay ahead of culinary and consumer trends to identify white space and innovation opportunities.
• Lead the commercialization process from R&D kitchen design to production, ensuring successful scale-up and product consistency.
• Collaborate with R&D, QA, and Ops Manufacturing teams to optimize formulations and processes for production efficiency, shelf life, and cost targets.
• Conduct plant trials and provide on-site culinary support during production launches.
• Act as the culinary voice of the brand, ensuring product quality and integrity are upheld across all touchpoints.
• Provide culinary training and guidance to internal teams and external partners as needed.
• Maintain and manage a fully equipped test kitchen/lab environment.

Who you are and why you're right for us:

• Degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, or related field. Culinary school certification preferred.
• 5+ years of culinary experience in a commercial or manufacturing environment.
• Experience with product development and commercialization in a food manufacturing setting.
• Strong understanding of food science, ingredient functionality, and processing methods.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations, HACCP, and GMP practices.
• Excellent sensory evaluation skills and a refined palate.
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Experience in both D2C and B2B food businesses.
• Familiarity with co-manufacturing environments and working with external vendors.
• Experience with shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen food products.

Why Join Us:

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
• HSA and FSA account options
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• 401(K) with a match
• Paid Holiday
• Unlimited Flex Time Off Policy
• Earned Sick Leave
• Access to our weekly internal Farmer's Market, where you can take home free quality produce and pantry items.