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If you’ve dreamed of sharing culinary creations of millions of people, you may want to consider a career as a culinary researcher. As such, you may have the opportunity to introduce your recipes into high-end or chain restaurants, cafes, hotels, or other business establishments. Think of it as a professional chef’s position with a dash of food science and a splash of innovation.
A culinary researcher is also called a research chef. Their goal is to create recipes that are new and appropriate for food manufacturers on a national or local level. (An example of a national level would be creating recipes for a chain like McDonald’s, whereas on a local level you might create recipes for a neighborhood bakery/café.) Obviously, if you’re working on a grand scale, you must know the kinds of food that can be mass produced. In other words, which ingredients last longest and which ones retain flavor etc.
The best research chefs are patient and determined. They know that not every recipe will make the cut. In fact, a research chef can expect most of their concoctions to fail. In turn, it’s important to remain steadfast, seek inspiration from different sources, and keep an eye on the current market trends. This entails reading cooking magazines, watching the Food Network, and sampling different cuisines.
In addition, a culinary researcher must be a decent food shopper and know where to locate the best ingredients for each recipe, whether it’s a grocery store, a farmer’s market, or a gourmet shop. And, of course, it’s essential to have excellent cooking techniques (such as knife skills) to expedite the food preparation and maintain a safe, clean kitchen.
A major difference between a culinary research kitchen and a professional chef’s kitchen is that in the research kitchen there’s an emphasis on exactness and detail. Precision matters because if a recipe is a success, it will need to be reproduced by others in the same way in order to produce the same results.
Many research chefs receive a degree from a culinary school plus they take courses in chemistry and food science. It is recommended that aspiring researchers intern with professionals in the field. There is the potential to earn a solid living as a culinary researcher. The most experienced professionals have earned up to $90,000 a year salary.
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