Culinary R&D Chef/Quality Assurance Lead

Join Wow Bao in this newly created role as the Culinary R&D and Quality Assurance Lead in Chicago, IL. You’ll work closely with the VP of Culinary to test and perfect new menu items while refining existing products to meet our high standards for taste, quality, safety, and scalability. This role combines culinary expertise with food science, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration to support product commercialization and continuous improvement initiatives.

The Culinary R&D and Quality Assurance Lead will report to the Vice President of Culinary. The position is on-site five days a week, with overnight travel to our facility and co-packers. Our Chicago office is in the River North neighborhood.

 If you strive in a fast-paced environment, love bringing ideas to life, and want to make an impact on a growing brand, this is a unique opportunity to lead and create!

Innovative. Fast Pace. Growth.  

At Wow Bao, we believe food should be bold, exciting, and anything but ordinary. We're on a mission to reinvent the Asian Street Food experience—bringing inventive flavors and high-quality ingredients to every bite. 

As the fastest-growing Frozen Asian Snack brand in the U.S. , Wow Bao achieved over 370% retail sales growth in 2024 , and our products are now available in 16,000+ grocery stores nationwide thanks to strong partnerships with leading retailers. 

Our journey began in 2003 with the opening of our first restaurant, and today Wow Bao is a thriving omni-channel brand with a presence in Chicago restaurants, airports, virtual kitchens, and universities. We continue to expand across all verticals—including foodservice, retail, and corporate operations. 

Wow Bao is proud to be the only brand recognized three times by Fast Casual magazine as a Top 100 Movers & Shakers—earning the #1 spot in both 2019 and 2022, and #4 in 2023. This recognition reflects our commitment to innovation, growth, and excellence in what we do. 

Join us and be part of a team that’s transforming the way the world experiences Asian cuisine—one bao at a time.

We foster a culture of caring.  

Whether it’s our guests or our employees, we put people first. We strive to inspire, to motivate, and to appreciate one another every day. We live by the golden rule and treat everyone with kindness, empathy, respect, and a healthy dose of humor. We take our work, not ourselves, seriously. 

Requirements

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: (Other duties will be assigned as needed)

CULINARY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

• Participate in R&D projects in collaboration with the Vice President of Culinary to design, develop and test new recipes and food products that align with Wow Bao’s brand identity.
• Lead new menu product development, cost optimization, and creation of formulas, recipes, and applications.
• Translate culinary concepts into scalable manufacturing processes while maintaining flavor integrity.
• Monitor food industry trends and consumer preferences to inform product pipeline.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g. procurement, operations, supply chain, quality assurance, and marketing) to ensure successful product launches.
• Standardize recipes, including documentation of ingredients, preparation methods, and portioning.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, nutrition guidelines, and company standards.
• Analyze cost structures and optimize recipes to meet budget and margin targets.
• Manage kitchen trials, pilot runs, and product scale-up activities.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Collaborate with the team on daily operations focused on process improvements, while approving the taste, texture, size, and shape of all products to ensure quality and consistency.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to ensure all products meet food safety, regulatory, and company quality standards.
• Work with team to address product defects, implement corrective actions, and ensuring continuous improvement in product quality.
• Partner with Operations to optimize production workflow, and capacity planning to optimize efficiency and meet demand.
• Maintain accurate records of recipes, formulations, and testing results for compliance and reproducibility.
• Provide culinary guidance and training to the production team on existing and new product launches.
• Promote a positive work culture, providing guidance and motivation to employees while ensuring that they understand and follow goals and standards.
• Ensure all products are manufactured in accordance with company specifications, quality standards, and food safety regulations (UDSA, FDA, HACCP, and GMP).
• Champion plant safety efforts, ensuring that all safety policies and procedures are followed to maintain a safe working environment.
• Collaborate with the team for continuous improvements in lean manufacturing practices to increase plant efficiency and reduce waste.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in culinary R&D, quality assurance, food manufacturing, test kitchen, corporate chef or large-scale food service operations.
• Bachelor’s degree in food science, culinary arts or equivalent professional training preferred.
• Strong knowledge of food science, flavor development, and manufacturing processes.
• Passion for culinary innovation and ability to balance creativity with operational feasibility.
• Strong understanding of food safety regulations (USDA, FDA), quality standards (HACCP, GMP) and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to generate and implement creative culinary solutions.
• Ensures accuracy in recipes, processes, and documentation.
• Overnight travel is required to our facility in Forest City, North Carolina as well as to our co-packer facilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Must be able to navigate all areas of the production facility
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, and lifting to 50 pounds at a time.
• Ability to work in various environments including cold environments for extended periods.
• Tolerance for exposure to kitchen conditions, including heat, cold environments, noise, and sharp equipment.

Compensation for this position is between $90,000.00 to $100,000.00 per year.

Wow Bao is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Health Insurance (medical, dental, vision)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Voluntary Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability
• Domestic Partner Benefits
• Paid Time Off  & Paid Holidays
• Restaurant Discounts
• Employee Discount Programs
• We foster a culture of CARE