Commercialization Chef

Commercialization Chef - Ready-To-Eat (1 Year Contract)

Join Fresh Prep — a dynamic leader revolutionizing how Canadians experience food through sustainable meal kit delivery. As one of Canada's fastest-growing companies and a certified B Corporation, we're committed to making it easier for people to eat well and live better.

We're proud to be recognized as a workplace where innovation meets impact. Our numerous accolades - including BC's Top Employers 2025, placement on The Globe and Mail's prestigious Canada's Top Growing Companies list and recognition as one of Deloitte's Best Managed Companies - reflect our commitment to excellence in both customer experience and employee satisfaction. Our collaborative culture brings together passionate food lovers, sustainability champions, and tech innovators who are reshaping the future of food delivery.

• Self Starter. You are comfortable owning a task from start to finish and you take the initiative to make continuous process improvements. You observe strict deadlines and hold yourself accountable for your deliverables.
• Collaborative Team Player. You are motivated by collaborative team task achievement and driving a results-oriented culture.
• Adaptable. You thrive in a changing environment and are able to pivot direction easily.
• Open. You are open to constructive feedback, but aren't afraid to let your opinions be known. You approach the problem at hand from a strategic and empathetic point of view.

The Commercialization Chef plays a key role in bridging recipe development and production execution for Fresh Prep's Ready-to-Eat (RTE) line. Based in our Alberta or Quebec hot kitchen, this role ensures that recipes developed by the BC culinary team are successfully scaled, tested, and transitioned into flawless, repeatable production. You'll be the on-site culinary expert responsible for translating kitchen creativity into operational excellence working to increase recipe scores and overall customer satisfaction.

Recipe Commercialization & Trials

• Lead and execute all batch trials for new and existing RTE recipes, ensuring consistency, quality, and scalability.
• Collaborate closely with BC-based recipe developers to validate and improve recipes for production feasibility, ingredient performance, and flavour integrity.
• Identify and troubleshoot issues in texture, taste, yield, or process during trials and propose adjustments.
• Document all trial outcomes and provide feedback to the culinary and operations teams for continuous improvement.

SOP Development & Implementation

• Create, refine, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each RTE recipe and process step.
• Ensure all SOPs are clear, practical, and aligned with production capabilities and food safety standards.
• Partner with operations and QA teams to train production staff on new recipes and SOPs.

Quality & Execution Oversight

• Monitor daily execution of RTE recipes during scale-up and early production phases.
• Conduct taste panels and quality evaluations to ensure consistent delivery on Fresh Prep's culinary standards.
• Work with procurement and production to address ingredient substitutions, preparation challenges, or process deviations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as the key liaison between the BC culinary innovation team and Alberta and Quebec operations.
• Communicate progress, insights, and recommendations to both the culinary and production leadership teams.
• Support the continuous improvement of RTE processes by identifying efficiency and quality opportunities.

• Red Seal Certification or equivalent professional culinary training.
• 5+ years of experience in a commercial kitchen or food manufacturing environment, with at least 2 years in R&D, recipe commercialization, or large-batch cooking.
• Deep understanding of hot food preparation, scaling, and packaging processes for ready-to-eat meals.
• Strong technical cooking skills combined with process thinking and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to document processes, develop SOPs, and train teams effectively.
• Fluency in English as you will be working with our Culinary and Ready-To-Eat team members across Canada. French language fluency considered a major asset.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally across locations.

What You Can Expect

A salary of $58,000 to $65,000, commensurate with your skills and experience.

• The opportunity to work alongside our Ready-to Eat team at either our Calgary or Saint-Laurent production facility.
• An energetic, inclusive workplace where your voice matters and your contributions drive real impact
• Comprehensive health benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance after 90 days
• The opportunity to be part of a certified B-Corporation making a tangible difference in sustainable food systems

Fresh Prep is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and prohibits discrimination of any kind. We value diversity at our company and at all job levels our goal is to be diverse, inclusive and representative of the communities we operate in. We endeavour to recruit, develop and retain the best talent from a diverse candidate pool and truly believe that diversity, equity and inclusion among our team members is vital to our success as a company. We trust that in applying for a role with us you value this as well

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalized folks tend to only apply when they check every box. So if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch. We'd love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit.

At Fresh Prep, we work with a variety of ingredients, including common allergens like peanuts, tree nuts, and dairy. Whether you're in one of our corporate functions or within the production facility, you may be exposed to these ingredients. If you have concerns—especially around allergens or meat—please let us know during the hiring process.