Development Chef

Independent Food Company; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent hospitality group in Dubai seeks a Development Chef specializing in Breakfast, Bakery, and Pastry. This hands-on role demands creativity and expertise in culinary techniques, operational efficiency, and recipe development. Ideal candidates will have 5+ years in R&D, a related degree, and familiarity with food safety standards. Join a dynamic team committed to culinary excellence in a vibrant environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Production Research & Development (R&D) experience focused on Breakfast, Bakery, and Pastry.
• In-depth knowledge of HACCP, ISO 22000, and DM Food Safety Guidelines.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Create new recipes and enhance existing products for quality and efficiency.
• Develop operationally executable recipes meeting high food quality standards.
• Analyze market trends to adapt recipes and offerings.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance for product quality checks.
• Train BOH staff on new recipes and procedures.

Skills

Culinary techniques

Operational acumen

Coaching abilities

Recipe development

Market trend analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in food technology

Certification in Culinary Arts

Job description

Driven to create unique home-grown food concepts that bring people together, the Independent Food Company is a UAE-based hospitality company with multiple concepts under its umbrella – SALT, Parker’s, Grind, Somewhere, Public, Soil, Shalwa and Kumo.

We are presently seeking to hire a highly qualified Development Chef specializing in Breakfast, Bakery, and Pastry to join our dynamic team. This role requires a hands-on professional who will be instrumental in the creation and refinement of our pastry and breakfast offerings. The ideal candidate will possess a superior knowledge of culinary techniques, strong operational acumen, and exceptional coaching abilities, driving both product excellence and operational efficiency. The Development Chef will focus on new product and menu development, product evaluation, recipe refinement, and providing comprehensive training to our operations teams on new or modified recipes.

Responsibilities:

• Recipe & Product Innovation: Create new recipes and continuously enhance existing products, focusing on improving quality and cost-efficiency.
• Operational Recipe Development: Develop and communicate recipes that are operationally executable and consistently meet our company's high food quality standards.
• Market Trend Analysis: Continuously observe market trends in breakfast, bakery, and pastry to adapt and modify recipes, accordingly, ensuring our offerings remain fresh and competitive.
• Quality Assurance Liaison: Collaborate closely with the Quality Assurance team to meticulously check and enhance product quality, including stability, appearance, taste, and flavor.
• Strategic Food Development: Develop and deploy a comprehensive food development strategy encompassing recipes, products, and operational procedures.
• Field Roll-out & Implementation: Implement successful field rollouts of new products and recipes, including the preparation of detailed videos, standard operating procedures, and special instructions.
• Operational Training: Train Back-of-House (BOH) staff on new or existing recipes and procedures, ensuring consistency and adherence to standards.
• Product Presentations: Conduct engaging presentations on new product or food preparation techniques.
• Product Evaluation & Costing: Take responsibility for thorough product evaluations, including hold-time and yield studies, accurate product costing, and portion control.
• Training Material Development: Create comprehensive training materials for Operations teams on the correct handling of new products, recipes, or procedures.
• Training Program Reinforcement: Implement and reinforce company training programs, maintaining high culinary operational standards.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of Production Research & Development (R&D) experience, with a strong focus on Breakfast, Bakery, and Pastry.
• Bachelor's degree in food technology or a recognized Certification in Culinary Arts.
• Proven experience and in-depth knowledge in dealing and working with HACCP, ISO 22000, International GMP, and Dubai Municipality (DM) Food Safety Guidelines.
• Highly creative and innovative thinking with a passion for culinary exploration.
• Exceptional organizational, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and sound judgment.