Job Overview

The Recipe Developer/Editor – Pastry & Baking works within our highly talented creative team producing content for client and in-house projects including magazines and websites. This position will focus on but not limited to baking and pastry content and requires a desire to create recipes with a variety of editorial goals such as, healthy, quick-cook, or pin-worthy for today’s busy and diverse cook. The ideal candidate has a passion for food and thrives in a high-energy, creative environment with experienced professionals with desire to produce award-winning work.

Please include samples of your work along with your resume

Job Responsibilities

Recipe Development: Research, test, and write recipes for consumer magazines and/or product extensions, as assigned. This includes:  

• Research, pitch, develop, and test consumer recipes in accordance with client’s brand guidelines and culinary philosophy

• Write and edit recipes throughout their development for clarity, consistency, and style

• Review final recipe nutritional analyses

• Deliver recipes in accordance with schedule to food publications editor and project Leads for review and approval

• Maintain a clean, organized, and professional test kitchen, testing recipes and products on site at Grey Dog Media headquarters

Food Editorial/Recipe Copy: Writes text for food stories in editorial outlines or culinary copy (culinary stories, headlines, recipe blurbs, etc.) for published publications. This includes:

• Partner with the Food Publications Editor in researching and developing culinary stories, information, and concepts; responding to copyedit queries; taking testing notes; and reviewing final proofs

• Research and outline culinary stories, sidebars, recipe concepts, etc.

• Research food and lifestyle trends of interests to the assigned project’s audience; maintain supporting files, resources, etc.

• Write and edit content in the areas of cooking and general culinary topics; edit and adapt existing culinary information and recipes to the assigned project/publication

• Verify facts, dates, and statistics using approved reference sources

• Proof culinary copy and recipes to detect and correct errors in information, spelling, punctuation, and syntax

• Collaborate with the digital team to align on major brand initiatives and to support cross-platform opportunities.

Food Photography: Assists with photography as assigned. This includes: 

• Assist in planning, propping, and managing kitchen activities for food photo/video shoots

• Shop for photography ingredients and necessary food-prep equipment, including researching hard-to-find ingredients

• Assist food stylist in preparing food and maintaining a clean and organized kitchen

• Prepare food/recipes prior to and on photography days with guidance from food stylist

• Oversee and document recipe changes made during photography; advises proper way to photograph recipe food and/or culinary technique

Job Requirements: 

A degree from a culinary school or food science program with baking & pastry emphasis; or extensive experience, preferably in a test kitchen or restaurant, and/or developing, writing, and editing recipes for brands or publications

Experience working within the publishing industry highly preferred

• Understand how to use Adobe InDesign for entering text within layouts

• A solid understanding of grammar and the Chicago style manual

• Strong attention to detail in recipe testing, reading, writing, and editing

• Ability to work in a collaborative manner to meet client deadlines

• Ability to maintain a positive can-do attitude

• Strong organizational and time-management skills

• Ability to purchase and carry groceries

Working conditions:

Modern, well-equipped test kitchen, photo studio and office

Physical requirements:

Typical requirements for office, kitchen, and grocery shopping working conditions

Direct reports:

None

Job Location: West Des Moines, Iowa

Position/Type: Full-Time/professional

Benefits: Medical/HSA/401K/LTD/AD&D/Life Ins./Dental/PTO/Vision

Compensation: Highly Competitive