Kitchen Developer

this is itsu

We are the leading Asian-inspired quick-service retail and grocery brand with over 80 restaurants across the UK and Belgium, and a growing wholesale business across Europe and beyond. Our renowned delicious food made fresh in every restaurant, every day, has made itsu a top choice for healthy eating.

In addition to our restaurants, itsu [grocery] offers a range of high-quality Asian-inspired foods available online and in supermarkets. We are excited to be one of the leading brands in this specific group and have ambitious plans for continued growth both domestically and globally.

With its best-in-class-food, latest technology, innovation, and talented workforce, itsu is the future of fast food.

this is the job

The Kitchen Developer supports the creation and development of both new and existing products, bringing creativity and innovation into the kitchen. Working closely with the Product Manager, you will assist in driving NPD and EPD projects through the stage-gate process, helping to turn ideas and market insights into tested recipes and product concepts. Based across our Test Kitchen, academy office, and test restaurants, you will play a hands-on role in recipe creation, trials, and product testing, contributing to the full lifecycle of development from concept to launch.

skill and responsibility overview

Sample Creation & Recipe Development:

create food samples from scratch or from set briefs and support/coordinate testing as part of development process when needed

Cross-functional & Launch Support:

work with the restaurant and academy teams on testing new/existing products and support with the launch initiatives across the restaurants

Food and drink trend competency:

awareness of trends and taste drivers within our industry and beyond. Use the knowledge to inspire and conceptualise recipes to influence innovation pipelines and strategy.

Recipe management & documentation:

manage accurate recipe files and support the stage-gate process by creating and updating supporting documents, including specifications, costings and allergen details.

Benchmarking & insight:

lead benchmarking initiatives for the team; gathering and analysing competitor and market products and adjusting communication and briefing style to the audience.

core responsibilities

• Market & trend research
• Sample creation & recipe development
• Documentation & specification
• Benchmarking & insights
• Kitchen and ingredient stock management
• Cross-functional & launch support

this is you

• A real foodie with a passion for Asian inspired food.
• A curious and creative mindset.
• Hands-on experience (internship, placement year or kitchen experience) in a food/kitchen or development environment.
• Good organisation and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple tasks and maintain accurate records.
• Basic understanding of recipe creation, kitchen operations and ingredient functionality.
• Good communication skills and ability to work collaboratively across different teams.
• Willingness to be hands-on, learn and adapt; comfortable working at pace.

you put people at the heart of everything you do by displaying the 4 itsu qualities:

• I take pride [in what I do]
• I genuinely care [for people]
• I want to grow [myself & others]
• I build trust [around me]