Food Cost Controller

Hello Chef; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A food services company in Dubai is seeking a Food Cost Controller to ensure the accuracy of food and packaging costs. You will work closely with the Operations and Food teams to optimise yields and improve data integrity. Ideal candidates will have experience in cost control within structured food and beverage environments. The role offers competitive compensation and substantial benefits including annual leave and medical coverage.

Benefits

Market-competitive compensation

22 days annual leave

Premium medical coverage

50% Hello Chef discount

Relocation support if moving to Dubai

Qualifications

• Expert at diagnosing and reducing cost gaps across pricing, yield, waste, and mix.
• Understands and monitors how cost and inventory data flow through ERP and WMS.
• Able to build accurate models and variance reports.

Responsibilities

• Ensure theoretical food and packaging costs are accurate and current.
• Reflect actual food and packaging costs accurately each month.
• Provide clear, timely cost reports highlighting key variances.

Skills

Cost control forensics

Systems & data accuracy

Analytical rigour

Operational curiosity

Collaboration & communication

Accountability & precision

Education

Cost-control experience in F&B environments

Job description

Overview

Food Cost Controller

Hello Chef is on a mission to make it easier for people to cook healthy, delicious meals at home. As we scale - launching new brands, expanding our menu, and increasing production - the accuracy of our food and packaging cost data has never been more important.

We’re hiring a Food Cost Controller to bring structure, accuracy, and visibility to the heart of our operations. You’ll build trust in our numbers by staying close to the action - ensuring that what we plan, buy, produce, and consume truly matches in both the system and on the floor. You’ll partner closely with our Food and Operations teams to optimise yields, enhance data integrity, and translate insights into tangible cost savings.

This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives between the kitchen, warehouse, and ERP - passionate about getting the details right and driving continuous improvement. You’ll play a key role in strengthening financial discipline from the ground up - enabling smarter decisions and a healthier contribution margin as we grow.

Mission

Build and maintain full trust in Hello Chef’s food and packaging cost data - ensuring every dirham of material cost is accurately captured, understood, and controlled from supplier to plate.

Accountabilities, Goals & Outcomes

• Theoretical cost accuracy: Theoretical food and packaging costs are accurate, current, and based on verified recipes, yields, and supplier prices - providing a dependable benchmark for measuring cost performance.
• Actual cost control: Actual food and packaging costs accurately reflect operational reality each month, with all stock movements, purchases, and yields correctly captured, reconciled, and free of unexplained variances.
• Cost visibility & improvement: Clear, timely cost reports highlight key variances and trends, enabling Operations and Food teams to take action that reduces cost leakage and improves material cost efficiency over time.

Competencies

• Cost control forensics: Expert at diagnosing and reducing cost gaps across pricing, yield, waste, and mix.
• Systems & data accuracy: Understands and monitors how cost and inventory data flow through ERP and WMS; able to trace and resolve discrepancies quickly.
• Analytical rigour: Builds clear, accurate models and variance reports; interprets data into actionable insights.
• Operational curiosity: Engages directly with kitchen, warehouse, and butchery teams to ground numbers in real processes.
• Collaboration & communication: Works constructively with Ops, Food, and Finance to influence cost discipline.
• Accountability & precision: Maintains immaculate data hygiene, documentation, and follow-through.

Preferred Experience

We’re especially interested in candidates with cost-control experience in structured F&B environments - hotels, catering, or high-volume production kitchens - where yield, waste, and recipe accuracy are critical.

What We Offer

• Market-competitive compensation with biannual performance reviews
• 22 days annual leave, annual flight allowance, relocation support if moving to Dubai
• Premium medical coverage (mental health, dental, optical), plus generous parental leave
• 50% Hello Chef discount and weekly food tastings
• A high-feedback, high-growth culture - clarity through job levels, frequent reflections, and real ownership