Recipe & Development Specialist

Responsibilities

• Test, develop, and refine recipes for large-scale production across multiple dining locations
• Evaluate yield, cost, and execution to ensure recipes perform consistently in high-volume environments
• Use digital tools and basic computer programs to track changes, organize recipe details, and maintain accurate documentation for team use
• Standardize and document recipes, including clear instructions, prep needs, and equipment requirements
• Partner with culinary teams across locations to gather feedback and improve processes
• Support onboarding and training efforts, including contributing to culinary checklists and skill development
• Help identify and improve outdated or inefficient recipes and kitchen processes
• Coordinate test runs and adjust recipes based on operational needs, staffing, and service style
• Occasionally flex your schedule to observe and support different shifts (including some PM work)
• What You Can Expect
• Insurance benefits (medical, dental, and vision) starting on your first day
• Retirement plans with generous university contributions
• A free meal with every shift
• Paid time off, sick leave, and holiday pay (enjoy holidays off)
• Opportunity to influence how food is prepared and served across campus
• Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities
• Supervises, instructs, trains, plans, and schedules the work of others in the preparation of large-scale meals and diets
• Assists supervisor in planning menus as related to production of unit as required
• Maintains maximum standards of sanitation and safety
• Requisitions, receives, stores, freezes, labels, and maintains food supplies and related kitchen products
• Reports deficiencies in quality or quantity of food supplies or kitchen products
• Recommends equipment repairs or improvements
• Tests new or revised recipes and recommends changes
• Tests all prepared foods to maintain standards
• Participates in preparing and serving menu items as required
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Ability to judge final food product for quantity (yield) and quality (color, taste, texture, etc.)
• Knowledge of safe food preparation, storage, and handling procedures for raw and cooked foods
• Knowledge of principles of food sanitation, health hazards, and proper safety measures
• Ability to stand for long periods of time
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Ability to provide on-the-job training in food preparation to lower-level employees
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with others
• Knowledge of weights, measures, and food measurement techniques
• Ability to perform basic math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and conversions) related to food preparation and recipe scaling
• Knowledge of food preparation, food presentation, and cooking methods
• Ability to read, analyze, and evaluate recipes and instructions
• Knowledge of sources of food contaminants and interactions
• Knowledge of sanitation safety practices and safe use of equipment
• Ability to maintain food production records
• Schedule: Mon-Friday 8a-5p when recipe testing. Flexible hours may be necessary when unit is in need of assistance AM hours 5:00am-2:00pm and PM hours 9:00am-6pm.

Requirements

• Experience creating or modifying recipes for

Benefits

Additional Information

Position Title: Recipe & Development Specialist Job Group: Professional & Scientific Required Minimum Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent and 3 years of related experience Job Description: Ready to take your culinary skills beyond the line and into something bigger? Iowa State University Dining is hiring a Recipe & Development Specialist to join our team. This is not your typical culinary role. In this position, you will step outside of day-to-day production and help shape how food is prepared across our residential dining locations. You will take ideas-from students, staff, and existing menus-and turn them into clear, scalable recipes that work in real kitchens during real service. Because this role supports multiple locations and meal periods, flexibility is important, including occasional schedule adjustments based on operational needs. We are looking for someone who thrives in a busy kitchen and enjoys taking their culinary knowledge to the details that make a recipe truly work. This role requires strong organization, ownership of work, and the ability to manage multiple moving parts while collaborating with teams across multiple locations. Strong communication is essential, along with the ability to clearly organize and share work so it can be consistently followed. Comfort working with digital tools to document and refine recipes is important, along with a willingness to test, adjust, and improve until the final product works as intended. This role offers a unique balance of independent work and hands-on collaboration. Some days will be spent testing and documenting, while others will involve being in the kitchen observing service and making adjustments in real time.

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