About Galeta
Galeta is a fast-growing wholesale bakery at the forefront of bakery innovation. We partner
with leading coffee shops, food-to-go brands and hospitality groups across the UK,
delivering high-quality viennoiserie, cakes, muffins and patisserie.
With new product launches every month and a strong focus on quality and creativity, we are
building a product-led culture across the business and this role is central to that ambition.
The Role
5 days per week 8:00am – 5:00pm
Based on-site at our Hays bakery
Salary: Depending on experience
We are looking for a Junior Development Chef to work closely with our Head of Product,
supporting the delivery of both:
● NPD (New Product Development)
● EPD (Existing Product Development & optimisation)
This is a hands-on, fast-paced role suited to someone driven, highly organised, commercially
aware and eager to learn. You will play a key part in turning ideas into scalable, launch-ready
products
Key Responsibilities
Recipe Development & Testing
● Support formulation and scaling of new recipes under guidance of the Head of
Product
● Conduct kitchen trials and structured bake-offs
● Accurately record formulations, process notes and trial outcomes
● Adjust recipes for performance, consistency and cost
● Assist in scaling recipes from kitchen to production
NPD & EPD Project Support
● Assist in delivering multiple product launches per month
Support optimisation of existing products (cost, quality, appearance, shelf life)
● Help improve product specifications and consistency
● Prepare samples for internal reviews and customer tastings
● Support supplier sample testing and benchmarking
Documentation & Technical Support
● Maintain recipe databases and version control
● Assist with product specs and handover documentation
● Ensure accurate allergen and ingredient records
● Support quality assessment standards where required
Trends & Market Awareness
● Stay up to date with bakery trends, flavours and formats
● Conduct competitor benchmarking
● Bring ideas and inspiration to development sessions
● Monitor seasonal opportunities and innovation in the wholesale bakery market
Cross-Functional Collaboration
● Work closely with Production, Technical and Commercial teams
● Support production trials and first runs
● Assist in troubleshooting product issue
About You
We are looking for someone who:
● Previous experience in a professional kitchen or food production environment.
Bakery, pastry or development experience is beneficial but not required for the right
driven candidate.
● Strong baking fundamentals with a clear passion for cakes, pastries and product
innovation.
● Is highly organised and detail-focused
● Thrives in a fast-paced environment
● Has a strong work ethic and “can-do” attitude
● Is commercially curious not just creative
● Is ambitious and keen to grow within product development
Bonus points if you:
● Have food development or food science training
● Have worked in wholesale or high-volume production
● Understand costing and yield calculations
What You’ll Gain
● Direct mentorship from the Head of Product
● Exposure to high-volume wholesale product development
● Experience launching products into national accounts
● Real responsibility and ownership from day one
● The opportunity to grow with a scaling, product-led business
…