Food Fanatic Chef, Richmond

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The Food Fanatics Chef partners with area leadership, sales and support teams to build value and grow customer relationships and affects profitable sales growth. They achieve this by serving as consultants and culinary experts to drive customer business success; lead product and sales training as appropriate, drive engagement and participation in strategic growth initiatives and share the knowledge gained through the Food Fanatics program, events and team of chefs to benefit the area.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Customer Consults and Innovative Partnership

• Direct customer consultation and relationship building is a critical element of the FFC (Food Fanatic Chef) role. This applies to seeking new business with consistent and meaningful connection to the NBM (New Business Manager) role, Sales, and sales leadership functions.
• Involvement in the local restaurant community. Cultivating relationships and seeking opportunity within the local restaurant scene and through local and national organizations or groups is a vital component to growth efforts.
• The FFC develops meaningful relationships with US Foods customers by asking questions, identifying pain points, and offering mutually beneficial solutions. Relationships are built over time. The chef understands this and seeks opportunities to cultivate strong relationships with our customers and engages in sound communication practice to close the loop with sellers and others as appropriate.
• The FFC advances the food culture of the organization. Using existing sales and training materials, through the creation of new materials, as needed, and in conjunction with appropriate program office, excellence team, and Regional Culinary Managers. The chef drives education, inspiration and adoption of our exclusive products and offerings. The chef strives to demonstrate the why of US Foods through these efforts.
• The FFC brings forth excellence in the realm of culinary demonstration, and has an ability to teach, connect and inspire in a way that strives to instill confidence and provide inspiration for, and with, US Foods Customers.
• The FFC also seeks to identify culinary trends and industry conditions that may spur sales growth. Such ideas and opportunities, when identified, are brought to local leadership, and/or Regional Culinary Manager, as appropriate.
• The FFC leads the culinary vision, brings together the team, participates, and oversees the execution of all food components at sales meetings and other division events with a focus on creating a food driven culture. With regards to training efforts, a key function is to create complex and dynamic presentations and/or take the lead on activities that help bring this culture to life.
• In tandem with the area team, the FFC plans, coordinates, and executes events, product cuttings, sales conferences, general sales meetings.
• The FFC develops and conducts kitchen/operations assessments for customers and teams up with other members of the sales support team to build action plans to address short and long-term opportunities. Chefs deliver conclusions and present products that assist the customer in achieving business goals.
• The FFC utilizes Menu Profit Pro to enrich the customer experience by providing customized, costed recipes. Above and beyond MPP, The FFC should be able to comfortably have an introductory conversation around Check Business Tools and collaborates often with their ROC (Restaurant Operations Consultant) partners.
• In line with the US Foods cultural beliefs of “expect excellence” and “team up” effective communication is paramount; and so, the FFC engages and collaborates effectively in a team based selling approach through consistent and comprehensive use of the Sous tool.

Merchandising Connectivity

• The chef supports the priorities of and works with the commercial excellence team members in support of initiatives and/or changes around product mix. The role provides intel and support to category teams and provides training and support to sales. The FFC works with the Regional Culinary Manager to help support, craft, and deliver such training locally as well as regionally and/or nationally as needed.

Exclusive Brands Growth

• The FFC is an important contributor that strives to increase and maintain sales growth for the division in the top IR (Independent Restaurants) and national customers, specifically focused on Exclusive Brands. This shows up through customer interaction in the form of onsite operations assessments and consultation, customized culinary presentations in the division test kitchen, seller education and community connectivity. All such activities are executed in alignment with local sales leadership and the Regional Culinary Manager.
• Chefs lead all culinary training for the area/market in support of selected strategic growth initiatives, such as Scoop. Facilitation is a function of the role, for example in district and general sales meeting breakouts when culinary expertise is vital to maximizing the impact to the sales team success. The chef is a contributor, and works with area leadership, Regional Culinary Manager, and regional/corporate key contacts to effectively coordinate, execute, and ensure success of the meeting, training, or event. The FFC is the food and brands leader among the sales support roles in these efforts.
• The FFC also is a champion for the Scoop program and constantly seeks opportunities for expansion of the reach of Scoop products in the local market.

Contribution to the Food Fanatics Program, Community, and Industry Connection

• The FFC supports the Food Fanatics program by participating in events, which includes local, virtual, and national asks. Food Fanatic Chefs collaborate with their peers across the enterprise by sharing best practices that can be brought to bear in the local Area. Another cultural belief, that is embraced is “stop waste": Food Fanatics leverage technology and virtual abilities, when appropriate, to support customers and events outside the local area.
• The FFC brings contribution, feedback, and ideas to the Food Fanatics magazine and regularly contributes to the presence of the program in social media. This work is done with direction and feedback from Regional Culinary Manager, marketing teams and the Digital and Social Media Manager.
• As the chef seeks to utilize social media, live, and print media to increase the recognition and reach of the Food Fanatics program, the implications of behavior, tone, attitude, and the US Foods cultural beliefs are at top of mind. The chef seeks to understand the nuance and risk associated with media and therefore works closely with the Culinary Field Lead, corporate communications team, marketing teams, and Digital and Social Media managers as required.

SUPERVISION:

• May supervise a Part Time Market SOUS Chef

RELATIONSHIPS

• Internal: Sales, Merchandising, Marketing, and other Market Leaders
• External: Chefs and other Customers.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Working in a kitchen environment either at the Distribution Center or a customer location.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidates must possess a high degree of written and verbal communication skills and be able to tailor messages and delivery in “the right way” to the “right audience.”
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word is required.
• Candidates will be required to successfully complete a comprehensive training/on-boarding certification program upon hire.
• The successful candidate will possess refined organizational and project management skills and be able to effectively assert their leadership abilities in the planning and execution of high visibility, high impact events (Food Fanatics Live) and communication campaigns -which have a significant impact on the influence of our brands and organization within the marketplace.
• Must possess a minimum of 7 years relevant work experience including a comprehensive culinary background.
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of culinary, foodservice and hospitality fundamentals and will possess a marked passion for the culinary arts and foodservice industry.
• The candidate will be able to assert an expert level of product knowledge/technique as well as product applications – successfully communicating/demonstrating that knowledge across multiple formats, including Direct customer consultation, social media avenues, live television and media appearances and presenting impactful material to large audiences (often numbering in the thousands).
• Prior sales or sales support experience a plus.
• Must possess prior experience in the design and facilitation of training programs to large and varied audiences, with the aim of, driving innovation and sales strategies across their assigned area of influence and effectively driving the US Foods brand throughout the marketplace.
• Education
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Certifications/Training
• Chef Certification and Memberships in Local and National Culinary Organizations a plus.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• List the preferred qualifications for the position
• PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS
• Must be able to perform the following physical activities for described length of time
• Working in a kitchen environment either at the Distribution Center or a customer location.
• OCCASIONALLY: 1% - 33 / FREQUENTLY: 34% - 66% / CONTINUOUSLY: 67% - 100% or NEVER
• JOB REQUIRES WORKER TO: FREQUENCY: STAND FREQUENTLY WALK FREQUENTLY DRIVE OCCASIONALLY SIT OCCASIONALLY LIFT
• 1-10 lbs (Sedentary)  FREQUENTLY  11-20 lbs (Light) FREQUENTLY  21-50 lbs (Medium) OCCASIONALLY  51-100 lbs (Heavy) OCCASIONALLY  Over 100 lbs (Very Heavy) NEVER  CARRY
• 1-10 lbs (Sedentary) FREQUENTLY11-20 lbs (Light) FREQUENTLY21-50 lbs (Medium) OCCASIONALLY51-100 lbs (Heavy) OCCASIONALLYOver 100 lbs (Very Heavy) NEVERPUSH/PULL1
• OCCASIONALLYCLIMB/BALANCE2
• NEVERSTOOP/SQUAT OCCASIONALLYKNEEL OCCASIONALLYBEND OCCASIONALLYREACH ABOVE SHOULDER OCCASIONALLYTWIST OCCASIONALLYGRASP OBJECTS3
• CONTINUOUSLYMANIPULATE OBJECTS4
• CONTINUOUSLYMANUAL DEXTERITY5
• CONTINUOUSLY
• 1 (Push/Pull: Hand truck, gate, straps, metal ramp, truck door, dolly, boxes, truck gear shift)
• 2 (Climb/Balance: In/Out Truck/Trailer to cab. On/Off ramp to ground level and side doorsteps and Platform of trailer. Stairs)
• 3 (Grasp Objects: Hand truck, boxes, cartons, steering wheel)
• 4 (Manipulate Objects: Boxes, dolly, metal truck ramp, hand truck, paperwork, truck gate, straps)
• 5 (Manual Dexterity: Typing, use of office machines such as copiers, printers)
• This role may also receive an annual incentive plan bonus.
• Benefits for this role may include health insurance, pre-tax spending accounts, retirement benefits, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability, employee stock purchase plan, and life insurance. To review available benefits, please click here: https://www.usfoods.com/careers/benefits.html .
• Compensation depends on relevant experience and/or education, specific skills, function, geographic location, and other factors as applicable by law (for example: state or local minimum wage thresholds).  The expected base rate for this role is between
• $75,000 - $120,000
• ***EOE – Race/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/ Age/Genetic Information /Protected Veteran/Disability Status***