About the Role

Garlo’s Pies is seeking an experienced, innovative and commercially minded Research & Development (R&D;) Chef to lead new product development, enhance existing product quality and drive continuous improvement across our food manufacturing operations. This is a key leadership role for a passionate food professional who combines culinary creativity with strong technical expertise in pastry manufacturing, recipe development and large-scale food production.

Working closely with our Senior Leadership Team, you will take ownership of the product development process, from initial concept and recipe formulation through to successful commercial production. You will also play a critical role in improving product consistency, reducing waste and ensuring our products meet the highest standards of food safety and quality.

We are looking for a hands-on, proactive problem-solver who can turn innovative food concepts into commercially viable products while maintaining the quality and consistency Garlo’s Pies is known for.

Key Responsibilities

New Product Development & Innovation

- Lead the development of innovative sweet and savoury products, including pastry and filling formulations.
- Manage the complete product development lifecycle, from concept and benchtop trials through to large-scale manufacturing.
- Identify emerging food trends, flavour profiles and opportunities for product innovation.
- Develop, refine and standardise recipes to ensure quality, consistency and commercial viability.
- Collaborate with operational teams to successfully introduce new products into production.

Product Quality & Continuous Improvement

- Drive improvements in existing product quality,



consistency and manufacturing performance.
- Identify and resolve recurring product quality issues, including pastry defects, filling consistency and production variances.
- Conduct product evaluations, sensory testing and quality assessments.
- Investigate product complaints and non-conformances in collaboration with the Quality team.
- Implement initiatives to improve production yields, reduce waste and optimise manufacturing processes.

Commercial & Operational Excellence

- Work closely with Production, Quality, Supply Chain and Senior Management to deliver business objectives.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities through recipe optimisation, ingredient sourcing and process improvements.
- Collaborate with suppliers to source high-quality ingredients and explore alternative raw materials.
- Provide technical input into current equipment, production processes and manufacturing improvements.
- Maintain accurate product specifications, recipe documentation, trial records and R&D; project reporting.

Food Safety & Leadership

- Ensure all product development activities comply with HACCP, SQF and relevant food safety standards.
- Partner with the Quality team to maintain strong food safety and quality management systems.
- Provide technical guidance,



coaching and support to operational teams.
- Promote a culture of innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.

About You

To succeed in this role, you will bring:
- Extensive experience in food product development, pastry manufacturing or commercial food production.
- Strong culinary expertise in developing sweet and savoury fillings, pastry formulations and innovative flavour profiles.
- Proven ability to transition recipes from small-scale trials into high-volume manufacturing.
- Sound understanding of HACCP, SQF, food safety and quality assurance requirements.
- Strong technical knowledge of ingredients, recipe formulation, production processes and product troubleshooting.
- Commercial awareness, including recipe costing, yield optimisation and waste reduction.
- Excellent problem-solving, analytical and organisational skills.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate across multiple departments.
- A proactive, hands-on leadership style with a genuine passion for food innovation and continuous improvement.

Why Join Garlo’s Pies?

- Make a genuine impact by shaping the future of our product range and driving innovation.
- Own the development process, taking products from creative concept through to commercial production.
- Work closely with senior leadership and influence key product and operational decisions.
- Combine culinary creativity with technical expertise in a dynamic, high-volume manufacturing environment.
- Join an established Australian business that values quality, teamwork and continuous improvement.

📌 Research & Development Chef (Kingsgrove)
🏢 Garlos Pies
📍 Kingsgrove