R&D Chef - Indian Cuisine

The R&D Chef is responsible for creating, testing, and commercializing new food products that align with the brand’s culinary vision, operational capabilities, and market needs. This role ensures menu innovation, product consistency, and continuous quality improvement across all outlets. The R&D Chef collaborates closely with Operations, QA, Supply Chain, and Marketing to develop scalable, cost-efficient, and high-quality recipes.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Product Development & Innovation

o Conceptualize and develop new menu items, beverages, sauces, marinades, and seasonal specials.

o Transform culinary ideas into standardized, scalable recipes for multi-outlet operations.

o Conduct taste panels, sensory evaluations, and consumer testing.

2. Recipe Standardization & Documentation

o Build detailed recipes, ingredient lists, yield sheets, and preparation methods.

o Create SOPs, plating guides, and training materials for new products.

3. Operational Feasibility & Costing

o Work with Operations to ensure new products can be executed efficiently in-store.

o Test equipment, batch sizes, and workflow compatibility for operational rollout.

4. Quality Assurance & Food Safety

o Partner with QA to set product quality standards, shelf-life parameters, and critical control points.

o Ensure all recipes meet food safety requirements and regulatory guidelines.

o Conduct regular audits to ensure outlets execute recipes consistently.

5. Continuous Improvement

o Improve existing menu items based on customer feedback, performance data, and operational challenges.

o Optimize formulations for better shelf life, yield, or nutritional profile.

o Drive projects involving healthier alternatives

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

o Lead internal tasting sessions and training programs for operations and new store openings.

o Support Supply Chain in qualifying new suppliers or ingredients.

Key Requirements

Education & Experience

o 3–7 years of culinary or R&D experience in F&B, quick-service, or food manufacturing.

o Highly knowledgeable and specialised in local SG/MY cuisine.

Skills & Competencies

o Strong culinary creativity with understanding of commercial feasibility.

o Excellent knowledge of cooking techniques, ingredient behavior, and food science fundamentals.

o Proficiency in recipe costing, batch scaling, and yield management.

o Good documentation, analytical, and sensory evaluation skills.

o Strong cross-functional communication and problem-solving abilities.