Corporate Culinary Assistant - Chef Daniel Boulud Restaurants

About the role

We are seeking a highly organized, creative, and detail-oriented Culinary Coordinator & Test Kitchen Manager to support Chef Daniel and the Corporate Culinary Team. This multifaceted role combines food styling, recipe development, culinary operations, event coordination, and administrative support while ensuring the smooth operation of the test kitchen and assisting with restaurant openings and brand expansion initiatives. The ideal candidate is passionate about food, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is equally comfortable cooking in the kitchen, organizing large-scale culinary projects, and supporting media appearances and special events.

Responsibilities

• Food Styling & Recipe Testing
  • Research, develop, test, and refine recipes for Corporate Chefs and Chef Daniel.
  • Prepare, cook, and style food for editorial photo shoots, cookbooks, magazines, newspapers, digital media, and special events.
  • Scale and convert metric recipes into smaller imperial portions for publication while maintaining consistency and accuracy, including pastry recipes.
  • Test and standardize recipes to ensure quality across all culinary concepts and publications.
• Test Kitchen Management
  • Oversee the daily operation and organization of the test kitchen.
  • Maintain cleanliness, inventory, equipment, culinary tools, and cookbook library.
  • Schedule kitchen usage for corporate chefs and culinary teams.
  • Test and standardize recipes for company brands (e.g., Cuisine Boulud and Épicerie Boulud), supporting brand expansion and consistency.
• Corporate Culinary Support
  • Coordinate logistics and production schedules for television appearances, podcasts, demonstrations, and media events.
  • Assist Corporate Chefs with menu planning, recipe development, and concept creation for both existing and new restaurants.
  • Prepare meeting notes and project updates for the Corporate Culinary Team.
  • Support administrative functions including recipe costing, menu editing, ordering, production schedules, and mise en place (MEP) documentation.
• Culinary Events & Special Projects
  • Coordinate food preparation and production for events.
  • Manage equipment and rental needs.
  • Handle recipe costing and budgeting.
  • Oversee event décor and presentation, tasting stations, and culinary demonstrations.
  • Assist with press and promotional events.
  • Prepare expense reporting for non-catering culinary functions.
  • Travel with Corporate Chefs as needed to execute off-site events and special culinary experiences.
  • Provide operational support for visiting chefs, including ordering, equipment coordination, and kitchen preparation.
• Restaurant Openings
  • Research products, ingredients, and culinary concepts for new restaurant projects.
  • Develop menu descriptions and coordinate food photography.
  • Record, organize, and maintain recipes using SharePoint and standardized documentation systems.
  • Assist with restaurant openings, kitchen organization, staff training, and service support across New York locations.
  • Assist the culinary manager with proofreading menus and internal culinary materials to ensure consistency with company standards.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in a savory or pastry kitchen within the restaurant industry, with an understanding of different styles of cuisine.
• Strong recipe development, testing, and food styling skills.
• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities.
• Experience with menu development, recipe costing, and culinary documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, SharePoint, and similar document management systems.
• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexibility to travel and work evenings or weekends for special events as needed.
• Passion for culinary excellence, innovation, and hospitality.