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Research Chef |
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You're
a what? Research chef When
Anne Albertine gets creative in the kitchen, millions taste the results.
As a research chef, she mixes good taste with good science, creating
recipes for Taco Bell restaurants at its corporate headquarters in
Research
chefs, also called product development or food innovation chefs, create
new foods for restaurant chains, coffee shops, and food manufacturing
companies. They blend culinary training with a knowledge of food science.
"As chefs, we can make food that tastes good and has visual
appeal," says Anne. "We can weave flavors together." But
research chefs also understand food preservation, mass production, and the
technical terms used by scientists. And they use this knowledge in their
recipes. Research
chefs get ideas for new menu items from many different sources. They often
use the results of customer surveys to determine what customers crave.
Suggestions are general. They might include requests for a large portion
size, a low price, or a certain flavor, such as smoky or sweet. Research
chefs give the ideas substance by creating several different recipes to
match these characteristics. "My job is to create options," says
Anne. For every product that makes it to the public, researchers cook up
30 to 100 alternative recipes that never make it out of the laboratory. Research
chefs also find inspiration by following trends in consumer tastes. They
sample the menus of fine restaurants, often traveling abroad to stir up
their creativity. And chefs read culinary magazines and study cookbooks,
searching for recipes to modify. With
a set of food qualities in mind, research chefs start experimenting with
ingredients. Anne often begins her day with a trip to the grocery store.
"I pick up fresh ingredients," she says, "then go play in
my test kitchen." She might try different styles of chopping, compare
grilling an ingredient with frying it, or contrast vacuum-packed
ingredients with frozen ones. In one recipe, Anne was striving for the
just right level of spiciness and the best type of cheese to give a toasty
flavor. She uses her technical expertise to pick ingredients that will
taste good when cooked in bulk, under the real world conditions of a
restaurant. Anne’s
recipes also need to be convenient. To make a burrito that was portable,
for example, she decided to grill it. The grilling process seared the
burrito so it would stay closed, even when it held more food than the
other burritos did. A
research chef’s test kitchen is similar to the kitchen of any
professional chef, with heavy-duty mixers, salamanders—tools for
browning the tops of food—and other gadgets. But a research chef’s
kitchen is designed for precision. Graduated cylinders stand in for
measuring cups, and scientific balances that are accurate to the milligram
replace the standard countertop scales. Large-batch recipes have to be
detailed and accurate so that they can be reproduced in every restaurant.
"We strive for quality and consistency,"
says Anne. At
each stage of development, recipes are tested with customers. In the first
testing session, a focus group of customers might choose among 50 or more
pictures and written descriptions of possible menu items. "I let the
customers tell me what they like," says Anne. "I’m cooking for
them, not myself."
Eventually,
focus groups taste samples of the most appealing of the proposed foods.
Responses are taken during experiments conducted in sensory labs by food
scientists and marketers. Anne observes and learns from these experiments.
"People might say a product is too messy, too spicy, or too
expensive, so I tweak it," she says. "With food, small changes
in ingredients can make a dramatic impact." When
Anne isn’t fine-tuning recipes, she meets with other members of the
staff. "Development is a collaborative process," she says.
Financial experts check a recipe’s profitability. Market researchers
confirm its popularity. Food scientists concentrate on food safety and
other considerations. And training and operations managers ensure that the
restaurant crews will be able to make the food quickly and well. Meetings
like these highlight non-food-related skills that research chefs need in
their jobs: good communication skills and the ability to persuade.
"You have to prove your hunches," says Anne. She gives evidence
that her ideas will be successful, especially when they require a large
monetary investment, such as new restaurant equipment. Research
chefs who work for food manufacturers instead of restaurant chains perform
slightly different tasks. They help food scientists develop flavor
additives and prepared and frozen foods. They consult with restaurant
chefs to learn what they need and explain flavor possibilities. If the
restaurant wants a lemon flavor, for example, should it be acidic, sweet,
or peely? Should it be liquid or dry? Research chefs translate the
specifications of the restaurant into the technical language of
scientists. Research chefs also test food scientists’ products, using
them in recipes to make sure they taste good. To
gain their unique mixture of skills, most research chefs earn a degree in
culinary arts from a school accredited by the American Culinary
Federation. And they take additional classes in food science and
chemistry. Anne received a bachelor’s degree in general science and
worked in consumer product development before following her love of
cooking and getting her culinary arts degree. After graduating, she
completed several internships with chefs experienced in fine dining, an
experience she recommends highly. "Intern with as many different
people as you can," she says. "It’s important to learn
different techniques and to build contacts in the industry."
The
Research Chefs Association offers certification to research chefs who have
culinary education, 3 to 5 years of experience in both research and
culinary arts, and a passing score on the certification exam. The
Association also offers a culinary scientist certification to those who
have a bachelor’s degree in food science, at least 8 weeks of accredited
culinary education, research experience, and a passing score on a written
cooking exam. The
Research Chefs Association had almost 1,400 members this year, but the
number of research chefs may be higher or lower than that number because
not every member is a research chef and not every research chef is a
member. According to a survey taken at the association conference in 1999,
earnings varied widely for research chefs, but many experienced chefs
earned between $70,000 and $90,000 per year. This suggests that research
chefs often earn more than other chefs do. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
does not collect data on research chefs. The
benefits of working as a research chef extend beyond earnings. Unlike
restaurant and cafeteria chefs, who usually work weekends and evenings to
prepare meals and supervise kitchen staff, most research chefs work
standard business hours. And although they have deadlines to meet,
research chefs usually work at a more relaxed pace than their restaurant
counterparts. The
chance to be innovative adds spice to the job. "I’m always looking
for a new way to achieve something in a recipe," says Anne. And
when a recipe succeeds, research chefs share it with a wide audience.
"I love seeing a product go national," Anne says. She also
enjoys seeing people eating and liking her creations—and if people
discover what her job is, they often tell her which of her menu items are
their favorites. Knowing
that her creations are popular adds zest to Anne’s work, but the work
itself is what she likes best. By mixing a passion for food, a knack for
science, and a flair for creativity, she wrote a recipe for a career she
loves. Photo of Anne Albertine
courtesy of Taco Bell |
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