R&D Chef

Role Summary:

We are looking for an R&D Chef who can develop new recipes from concept to a standardized, repeatable formula, and also cook at batch scale. You will connect the test kitchen to production, so that every recipe works the same way at 500 g as at 50 kg.

Key Responsibilities:
Develop new recipes and menu items based on briefs, market trends and customer feedback.
Run test batches, adjust taste, texture, shelf life and cost, and document each iteration.
Scale small-batch recipes into standardized, bulk-production formulas with exact quantities, yields and process steps.
Cook and manage batch production using commercial kitchen equipment.
Create and maintain SOPs, recipe cards, costing sheets and specification documents.
Work out ingredient substitutions, sourcing options and cost optimization without compromising quality.
Conduct sensory evaluation and tasting panels, and record the feedback.
Ensure food safety, hygiene and allergen controls (FSSAI / HACCP) in all R&D and batch work.
Train kitchen staff on new recipes and production methods.
Keep the R&D kitchen clean, organized and audit-ready, and track inventory of test ingredients.

Required Qualifications:
Education: BHM (Bachelor of Hotel Management) or an equivalent degree/diploma in Hotel Management or Culinary Arts.
Experience: 2 to 4 years in a professional kitchen, R&D kitchen, central kitchen or food production setup. Candidates with less experience but strong recipe-development skills may be considered.

Technical Skills:
Experience as a Commis 1 or higher, or equivalent seniority, in a quality kitchen.
Experience in batch cooking and bulk production with consistent output.
Recipe standardization, yield calculation and food costing.
Working knowledge of food safety standards, shelf-life basics and packaging/holding requirements.
Comfort with spreadsheets or recipe management software for documentation.

Preferred (Good to Have):
Experience with ready-to-eat, cloud kitchen, QSR or automated/vending-style food formats.
Knowledge of cook-chill, blast chilling, sous vide or reheating-stable recipe design.
Experience across multiple cuisines (Indian regional and continental).

Key Competencies:

Creativity with discipline: new ideas that are also costed, repeatable and scalable.
Attention to detail in measurement, documentation and hygiene.
Ability to work independently and to turn feedback into improved recipes quickly.
Good communication with management, the operations team and kitchen staff.