Culinary Catering Specialist

Catering Culinary Specialist (Menu Development & R&D)

Location: New York, NY
Company: Heritage Grand Bakery
Position Type: Part/Full-Time

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly creative and operationally minded Catering Culinary Specialist to lead the development and evolution of our catering and grab-and-go offerings. This role is responsible for creating innovative, high-quality savory and pastry items, with a strong focus on menu design, product consistency, cost control, and scalability .

The ideal candidate is both a chef and a strategist — someone who understands how to create food that not only tastes exceptional but also sells well, travels well, and performs operationally in a fast-paced environment .

Key Responsibilities

Menu Development & Innovation

• Develop new catering platters, sandwiches, savory items, and pastries
• Refresh seasonal menus and introduce new high-margin products
• Elevate presentation and packaging for premium catering experiences
• Simplify and optimize existing offerings for better sales performance

Product Standardization & Costing

• Write and maintain detailed recipes, SOPs, and plating guidelines
• Ensure consistency across all items and production teams
• Manage food cost targets and optimize ingredient usage
• Conduct yield testing and portion control analysis

Operational Efficiency

• Design items that are efficient to produce at scale
• Collaborate with kitchen teams to ensure smooth execution
• Reduce waste and streamline prep processes
• Evaluate packaging solutions for transport and shelf life

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with ownership, operations, and sales teams
• Support catering sales with menu strategy and custom offerings
• Train kitchen staff on new products and procedures

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience in a culinary role (bakery, catering, or restaurant)
• Strong background in both savory and pastry preferred
• Experience with menu development, costing, and scaling production
• Strong understanding of NYC catering and/or premium grab-and-go markets
• Highly organized with attention to detail and consistency
• Ability to balance creativity with business and operational constraints

What We’re Looking For

• A product-driven chef who understands what sells
• Someone who can turn ideas into profitable, repeatable items
• A strong eye for presentation, quality, and branding
• Hands-on, proactive, and solutions-oriented mindset

Compensation

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Performance-based growth opportunities

Why Join Us

• Be part of a growing, high-quality culinary brand
• Direct impact on product development and business growth
• Creative freedom with real operational support