Who we are

Leatherhead Food Research provides expertise and support to the global food and beverage sector.  We provide practical solutions that cover all stages of a product’s life cycle from consumer insight and ingredient innovation to food safety consultancy and global regulatory advice. It is an exciting time for the business as we seek to grow within the UK and internationally.  We have made substantial investment in new laboratories, fully equipped kitchens, and a research centre.  Leatherhead’s cooking instructions service is led by an expert, dedicated team to help bring products to the market by ensuring cooking instructions are accurate & safe, meet relevant guidelines and regulations and are comprehensible to consumers.

The opportunity

 We are seeking an enthusiastic and energetic individual to join our industry leading Cooking Instructions team. The successful applicant will work under the direction of the Cooking Instructions Manager or Supervisor. Our clients are among the leading retailers throughout the UK, the products we test vary from day to day, but the team is committed to delivering quality outcomes by working to the very highest standards.

This is a full-time role and will be based at our Great Burgh, Epsom office, although some travel may be required as appropriate. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking for a new challenge within the food industry, whether you are starting your career journey after education, wanting a career change, or returning to work following a career break.

A day in the life

 Our day starts with “before use checks” on the equipment being used throughout the day, this can include Thermal Ovens, Hobs, Grills and many more. These detailed checks make up a huge part of our UKAS accreditation.

The day follows with project work, completing a series of tests on each project for our vast range of clients and product ranges from new to redeveloped. Project work consists of validating or generating instructions for a product to achieve the best suited cooking instruction. You will need to be able to follow cooking guidelines accurately and provide product quality and sensory assessments post cooking. Each project is finished with a formal report which is completed by a technician, followed by quality checks from the administrative team. The cooking instructions team assist each other on every product to achieve the highest quality of work. The end of the day is finished with a thorough clean down completed by all staff. Regular meetings are attended by technicians including team catch ups, UKAS based quality meetings and company-wide updates.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct routine testing for cooking instructions, both verifying and generating new instructions, recording the results on the appropriate worksheets
• Deliver high quality and reliable results within the agreed timeframes/deadlines
• Assist the Cooking Instructions Manager and the team in ensuring the cooking instructions work is organised efficiently, maximising the use of available resources.
• Develop a good understanding of the business and up-to-date knowledge of all relevant trends and developments relating to cooking instructions.
• Assist in providing excellent customer service to both internal and external clients and contacts
• Showcase cooking instructions professional standards to visiting onsite clients and external contacts
• Have a flexible approach to your duties effectively moving between tasks and quickly adjusting to each role

Experience and qualifications required

• ‘A’ level or equivalent in a science related subject
• Experience in a practical role within the Food or Catering industry to include food preparation skills
• A team player, showing a motivating and positive attitude with a passion for cooking
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills at all times.
• Ability to analyse and evaluate final results/quality with high attention to detail
• Excellent organisational skills
• PC literate

Career development

We are committed to supporting employees and make a focused effort to offer bespoke training to allow each individual to thrive within their environment and realise personal potential.