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Culinary Specialist

Saint Charles, Missouri

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Overview

At Sysco, we're building long-lasting customer relationships through our top-quality products and services, innovative technology solutions and extraordinary sales colleagues. Here, you’ll leverage our comprehensive, industry-leading training with your outgoing nature, creativity, strategic thinking and commitment to excellence to set your customers up for success. This allows your customers to grow their business—and you to grow your career.

  • Full time
  • Travel: Up to 25%

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Culinary Specialist

Sysco St. Louis - Home Office

Job ID R217370 Date posted 09/09/2025

Employment Type Full time

Company name US0064 Sysco St. Louis, LLC

Compensation Range The pay range provided is not indicative of Sysco’s actual pay range but is merely algorithmic and provided for generalized comparison. Factors that may be used to determine rate of pay include specific skills, work location, work experience and other individualized factors

Job Profile Summary This is a professional sales position responsible for growing new business with the expectation of achieving assigned business goals while enhancing the customer experience. This will be accomplished through maintaining industry and category specific certification status and direct selling of categories to customers through internal and external business reviews. The culinary specialist is a key role in the team based selling model and as such will be an ambassador for Sysco brand, innovation and Category Management (CatMan) products and will leverage all opportunities to close the sale with customers. This individual will represent Sysco at culinary events and in appropriate organizations in the industry. This position may also be responsible for supervising kitchen assistant(s) or culinary interns. Specialists will prioritize time, targets, and team selling efforts based on market insights and data analytics. As noted in Sysco’s Leadership Framework; On-target performance includes exhibiting the following framework components; Core Qualities, Shaping the Future, and Delivering Business Results.

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

This is a professional sales position responsible for growing new business with the expectation of achieving assigned business goals while enhancing the customer experience. This will be accomplished through maintaining industry and category specific certification status and direct selling of categories to customers through internal and external business reviews. The culinary specialist is a key role in the team based selling model and as such will be an ambassador for Sysco brand, innovation and Category Management (CatMan) products and will leverage all opportunities to close the sale with customers. This individual will represent Sysco at culinary events and in appropriate organizations in the industry. This position may also be responsible for supervising kitchen assistant(s) or culinary interns. Specialists will prioritize time, targets, and team selling efforts based on market insights and data analytics.

As noted in Sysco’s Leadership Framework; On-target performance includes exhibiting the following framework components; Core Qualities, Shaping the Future, and Delivering Business Results.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Develop and execute targeted culinary strategies to achieve individual and region annual business goals, delivering profitable sales growth and penetration across categories, specialty segments, and Sysco brand
  • Coordinate with Director of Business Resources, leveraging data to identify top opportunities for business reviews
  • Collaborate with sales team partners to clearly identify customer challenges, needs, or opportunities and deliver creative and productive solutions to help grow customer business and drive case growth
  • Track activities and results, collaborate on opportunities, and champion the team selling process through use of Salesforce (Sysco’s CRM tool)
  • Leverage sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales
  • Be informed of market conditions and trends, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales; share information with customers as part of value-added services provided
  • Facilitate internal/external food shows, catering and event planning activities
  • Coordinate kitchen logistics in support of internal/external culinary events
  • Develop and maintain relationships with customers, chefs and sales teams through cooperative participation in local events, culinary competitions, culinary schools and other relevant opportunities
  • Advise sales team on product specifications. Serve as an expert on Cutting Edge Solutions/innovation items, Sysco Brand and CatMan products
  • Assist with employee training by working with sales to facilitate training sessions and complete demonstrations
  • Manage all operations of the test kitchen/culinary center including sanitation, product rotation, laundry service and the organization and upkeep of equipment, displays and the general appearance of the culinary facility.
  • Manage test kitchen food and supply costs within budgetary parameters
  • Comply with all local and state food safety and health code regulations
  • Accompany and respond to regulatory agency kitchen/culinary center inspections
  • Provide work direction to additional culinary staff, third party vendors, sanitation staff as necessary

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience:

  • Minimum: High School Diploma or GED and 3+ years executive chef experience in the foodservice industry
  • Preferred: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent culinary degree, 3+ years of foodservice sales experience

Knowledge & Skills:

  • Proficiency in culinary, restaurant operations, and food trends required
  • (Internal Certification & External Certification may be required)
  • Ability to express information in terms of profit and loss, food cost and expense ratio
  • Strong financial acumen and ability to properly plan and execute business plans
  • Track record of success in the area of consultative selling and networking
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work with and influence a variety of key stakeholders
  • Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business
  • Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to structure a weekly schedule to be successful
  • Demonstrated ability to deliver against deadlines and produce high-quality results (accuracy, thoroughness in the deliverables they are producing)
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to execute multiple initiatives at the same time
  • Strong business and restaurant operations acumen to manage sophisticated customers
  • Flexible; readily accepts change; open to new ideas
  • Proficiency in basic level math 
  • Ability to learn the use of proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth
  • Proficient in Microsoft Applications Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
  • Understanding of marketing principles, product lines, ordering procedures and Sysco’s credit terms

#LI-IV1

Overview Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution. With over 71,000 colleagues and a fleet of over 13,000 vehicles, Sysco operates approximately 333 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 700,000 customer locations. We offer our colleagues the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, to contribute to the success of a dynamic organization, and to serve others in a manner that exceeds their expectations. We’re looking for talented, hard-working individuals to join our team. Come grow with us and let us show you why Sysco is at the heart of food and service.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STATEMENT Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer, and consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected factor under federal, state or local law. This opportunity is available through Sysco Corporation, its subsidiaries and affiliates.

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Success Profile

We’re looking for a Sales team member who possesses the following traits.

  • Ambitious
  • Proactive
  • Results Driven
  • Achiever
  • Self Starter
  • Trustworthy

What Fuels Sysco

Every day around the planet, the people of Sysco work together to connect the world, innovate with purpose and care for one another. As the leading global foodservice distributor, we’re paving the way for a healthier today and a more sustainable future.

Career Path

There are many ways to grow your career with Sysco. Here is an example.

  • Sales Consultant
  • District Sales Manager
  • Local Sales Director
  • Region VP Sales

Benefits

  • Competitive base salary, bonus, plus promotional incentive opportunities

  • Car allowance (mileage reimbursement for candidates in CA) and cell phone provided

  • Career pathing opportunities for both entry level, and experienced individuals

  • Specialized sales training

  • Monthly and annual sales rewards and recognition

  • 401(k) with automatic matching

  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan

  • Comprehensive healthcare benefits

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