New Product Development Chef

Calo Inc; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading meal planning service in Dubai is seeking a New Product Development Chef to create and improve innovative meal options that meet nutritional standards. The ideal candidate has a Culinary Arts degree, multi-cuisine experience, and strong communication skills. You will work collaboratively to ensure that new recipes align with health trends and consumer preferences, fostering a culture of culinary creativity within the team.

Qualifications

• Multi-cuisine Sous Chef with expertise in modern European and Asian cuisine.
• Previous experience in a bulk cooking, food manufacturing facility is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Create innovative meal options that meet nutritional standards.
• Develop and improve recipes to balance flavor, nutrition, cost.
• Track healthy eating trends and consumer preferences.
• Work with nutritionists to ensure meals meet dietary guidelines.
• Maintain records of recipe development and sourcing.
• Guarantee new products meet quality and food safety standards.
• Foster culinary creativity and innovation within the team.
• Train the Training team for consistent recipe execution.

Skills

Culinary expertise

Collaboration

Customer feedback analysis

Recipe scaling

Time management

Education

Culinary Arts degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

RMS

POS

MMS

Job description

About

Calo is an app providing personalized meal plans for busy people through nutritional algorithms, built with love by chefs, nutritionists, and software engineers. 💚

Launched in Bahrain in 2019, we have since expanded to 5 countries in the region, delivered millions of meals to our customers, and launched our very own Grab & Go Cafe concepts.

We're on a noble mission to make healthy easy. We think this is one of the most important problems to tackle in our world today. We have global ambitions - no small thinking here.

Role Overview

To function as a New Product Development (NPD) Chef for Calo UAE and contribute to long‑term food product development that aligns with the organizational goals and objectives. For example, new product development and the expansion of existing product lines. You’ll be working with the GM, head chef & NPD team to formulate and test new recipes and to improve existing recipes.

Main Responsibilities

1. Product Development
   • Create innovative meal options and plans that meet nutritional standards and address diverse dietary needs (e.g., keto, high‑protein, detox, gluten‑free, vegan).
   • Develop, refine, and fix recipes to balance flavor, nutrition, cost, and production efficiency.
   • Continuously adapt and improve dishes in line with evolving health, wellness, and consumer trends.
2. Market Research and Trend Analysis
   • Track healthy eating trends, dietary needs, and consumer preferences.
   • Use customer feedback and market insights to refine and innovate meal offerings.
3. Collaboration and Coordination
   • Work with nutritionists and dietitians to ensure meals meet dietary guidelines.
   • Partner with procurement to source high‑quality, health‑conscious ingredients.
4. Documentation and Reporting
   • Maintain clear records of recipe development, sourcing, and testing.
   • Ensure recipe methods, yields, and standards are accurate.
5. Quality and Compliance
   • Guarantee all new products meet company's quality and food safety standards.
   • Implement and monitor quality control procedures for consistency.
6. Innovation and Creativity
   • Foster a culture of culinary creativity and innovation within the team, experimenting with new ingredients, cooking techniques, and presentation styles.
   • Develop distinctive meals that enhance the subscription experience.
7. Scaling
   • Standardize recipes for large‑scale production with minimal variance.
   • Document scaling processes with visuals for training teams.
   • Train the Training team to ensure consistent execution.

Ideal Candidate

Qualifications

• Culinary Arts degree or equivalent qualification
• Multi‑cuisine Sous Chef with expertise in modern European and Asian cuisine
• Effective communicator with strong collaboration and presentation skills
• Obsessed with customers’ feedback and satisfaction
• Previous experience in a bulk cooking, food manufacturing facility is a plus

Knowledge & Competency

• Strong knowledge of culinary trends, healthy cooking techniques, and nutritional requirements
• Proven experience in developing, testing, and launching new meal products
• Ability to balance creativity with operational and cost efficiency
• Strong time management and multi‑tasking skills
• Skilled in recipe scaling and process optimization
• Comfortable using basic software tools (MS Office, RMS, POS, MMS, etc.)

Personality

• Ambitious, driven, and creative problem solver
• Organized multitasker with attention to detail
• Collaborative and empathetic