Associate, Pantry Development

Company: Home Chef
Location: Chicago
Posted on: February 14, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are. In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved. Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We're eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef's offerings. The Pantry Development Associate will report to the Director, Culinary and support all tactical responsibilities related to Home Chef Culinary pantry development including onboarding, maintenance, and associated Supply Chain processes. Detailed Responsibilities: Pantry Development & Maintenance Facilitate the Culinary onboarding process for all new ingredients in collaboration with Food Supply Chain and FSQA including ingredient creation Work with Food Supply Chain to schedule and prioritize samplings and associated processes Communicate to the culinary team new ingredient developments Monitor impact of meal ratings due to specific ingredients and worth with Food Supply Chain to mitigate any issues by reformulating or sourcing new ingredients Execute tactical weekly ingredient processes related to customer facing menus Maintain pantry database in admin Support Culinary Shorts and Replacements Process Approve shorts and replacements from the culinary perspective in a timely matter, holding high standards (coverage includes working on-call nights and weekends) Work with procurement managers and chefs to find suitable replacement ingredients for various situations Collaborate with Recipe Testing Associate to communicate new instructions due to shorts to Customer Support Monitor impact of shorts on weekly meal ratings and communicate learnings to all stakeholders Assist Quarterly Pantry Processes Monitor and execute proposed ingredient swaps at time of menu publish Collaborate on ingredient alignment Culinary General Work Actively participates in daily stationing & tastings of R&D meals; supports sampling for Culinary R&D, New Product Development, and Food Supply Chain Attends weekly Culinary Team meetings Qualifications The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities. 1-2 years of experience in a rigorous fast-paced work environment Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects and initiatives simultaneously with a results-oriented approach Basic knowledge of Google apps such as Gmail and Google sheets preferred Independent self-starter inclined towards finding solutions without significant oversight Passion for food & willingness to eat all meals created by chefs Must be able to taste and provide thorough feedback on every meal and ingredient sample test in the kitchen, including vegetarian, pork, chicken, steak, and seafood meals. No food restrictions or allergies if working in the office (for Tasting purposes) More About Us Perks and benefits Candidates can experience Home Chef as a customer - enter promo code PEOPLE30 for $30 off your first order! Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance available Paid holidays, sick time and vacation time 401k program Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses How We Work Together We are humble team players. We are warm and gracious with team members and customers. We seek feedback to improve ourselves - and respectfully listen to and accept input. We are pragmatic next-level thinkers. We come up with novel and unique ideas. We explore new strategies to avoid being constrained by conventional thinking. We take ownership. We approach ambiguous problems, prepared to dive in, get curious, and learn more. We are results-driven, always challenging ourselves to exceed goals. Be at Home at Home Chef We all show up authentically at Home Chef. Our team includes individuals with a variety of identities, backgrounds, and perspectives. You can trust that you'll be able to bring your whole self to an inclusive and enjoyable workplace. We welcome people of all races, colors, religions, national origin or ancestry, sex (including sexual identity), age, physical or mental disabilities, pregnancy, veteran or military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, order of protection status, citizenship status, arrest record or expunged/sealed convictions, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law. Home Chef is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Home Chef will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our People team at hr@homechef.com. Home Chef offers the base salary range as posted below, with the exact offer depending on factors such as geographic location, experience, skills, and internal equity. While compensation is within the provided range, it is not typical for offers to be made at the upper end. In addition to base salary, Home Chef provides a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare coverage, 401k match, and paid time off. Illinois Pay Range $55,000—$60,000 USD To view the California Applicant Notice click here

Keywords: Home Chef, Waukesha , Associate, Pantry Development, Hospitality & Tourism , Chicago, Wisconsin