Sous Chef Culinary Innovation & Product Demonstrations

Sous Chef – Culinary Innovation & Product Demonstrations
Location: Sterling, VA
Employment Type: Full-Time
Industry: Food Manufacturing / Culinary Innovation

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and creative Sous Chef / Culinary Specialist to join a growing culinary innovation team in Sterling, VA.

This role is ideal for a chef who enjoys more than traditional kitchen operations and is interested in recipe development, menu creation, food presentation, product demonstrations, and client interaction.

You will work closely with culinary leadership to develop and test recipes, prepare food for customer presentations, demonstrate culinary techniques, and showcase innovative food preparation solutions to chefs, restaurant operators, and other culinary professionals.

The ideal candidate has strong professional kitchen experience, excellent communication skills, and hands-on knowledge of sous vide cooking techniques.

Key Responsibilities

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  Research, develop, test, and refine recipes in collaboration with the culinary team.

  
  


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  Assist with menu development based on customer and client requirements.

  
  


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  Prepare, plate, garnish, and present food for customer presentations and culinary demonstrations.

  
  


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  Develop and execute dishes using sous vide products and techniques.

  
  


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  Conduct culinary demonstrations for customers, chefs, restaurant operators, and industry professionals.

  
  


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  Explain ingredients, preparation techniques, cooking methods, and product applications clearly to clients.

  
  


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  Participate in trade shows, culinary events, customer demonstrations, and industry presentations.

  
  


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  Collaborate with sales and culinary teams to support customer engagements and product demonstrations.

  
  


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  Develop strong knowledge of company products, ingredients, composition, and culinary applications.

  
  


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  Maintain food, ingredient, and equipment inventory.

  
  


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  Follow GMP, food safety, sanitation, quality, and company policies.

  
  


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  Maintain a professional culinary environment and high standards of food presentation.

  
  


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  Travel as needed for customer presentations, trade shows, demonstrations, and other business activities.

  
  


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  Perform other culinary and operational duties as assigned.

  
  

Required Qualifications

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  3+ years of professional Chef or Sous Chef experience.

  
  


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  Culinary Arts degree, Food Science degree, or equivalent culinary education/certification.

  
  


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  Strong professional kitchen and food preparation skills.

  
  


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  Experience with recipe development and menu design.

  
  


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  Hands-on knowledge of sous vide cooking techniques.

  
  


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  ServSafe certification.

  
  


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  Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and quality standards.

  
  


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  Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

  
  


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  Ability to communicate effectively with executive chefs, restaurant owners, kitchen managers, and culinary teams.

  
  


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  Strong client-facing and interpersonal skills.

  
  


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  Professional appearance and demeanor.

  
  


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  Strong organization, time management, and attention to detail.

  
  


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  Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.

  
  


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  Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

  
  


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  Willingness and ability to travel as required.

  
  

Preferred Qualifications

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  Experience in a Michelin-starred or high-end culinary environment.

  
  


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  Experience with front-of-house or customer-facing culinary roles.

  
  


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  Experience conducting culinary demonstrations, product presentations, or customer training.

  
  


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  Previous experience working directly with sous vide products and equipment.

  
  


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  Experience supporting sales teams or customer engagements.

  
  


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  Food manufacturing, foodservice, hospitality, or culinary product development experience.

  
  

What We're Looking For

The strongest candidates will combine professional culinary expertise with strong communication and presentation skills.

This is an excellent opportunity for a chef who wants to apply their culinary knowledge beyond a traditional restaurant kitchen and participate in recipe innovation, product development, customer demonstrations, and culinary education.

Benefits

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  Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

  
  


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  401(k)

  
  


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  Life & Disability Insurance

  
  


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  Paid Vacation & Sick Leave

  
  


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  Paid Holidays