Head of Food

itsu; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Asian-inspired food brand in the UK seeks a Head of Food to ensure food quality and development. The role involves overseeing product launches, collaborating with various teams, and maintaining high standards in food quality and innovation. Candidates should have a relevant degree and experience in the food industry, with strong leadership and organizational skills. This role contributes significantly to making healthy food accessible while driving the brand's mission forward.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a similar role within the food industry, preferably in a retail or restaurant setting.
• In-depth knowledge of food quality control processes, regulations, and industry standards.
• Experience in managing and collaborating with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and support all aspects of food quality and development.
• Manage a controlled product launch process with cross-functional engagement.
• Maintain the food development calendar and conduct competitor analysis.
• Ensure products meet healthy food goals and compliance with standards.
• Collaborate with supply chain and technical departments.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Communication

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in food science or related field

Job description

We are the leading Asian-inspired quick-service retail and grocery brand with over 80 restaurants across the UK and Belgium, and a growing wholesale business across Europe and beyond. Our renowned delicious food made fresh in every restaurant, every day, has made itsu a top choice for healthy eating.

In addition to our restaurants, itsu grocery offers a range of high-quality Asian-inspired foods available online and in supermarkets. We are excited to be one of the leading brands in this specific group and have ambitious plans for continued growth both domestically and globally.

With its best-in-class food, latest technology, innovation, and talented workforce, itsu is the future of fast food.

As the Head of Food at itsu, you will report to the Food Director and will be responsible for overseeing and supporting all aspects of food quality and development with itsu retail including cold & hot menu, drinks, snacks. You will play a pivotal role in maintaining itsu's high standards of food excellence, ensuring that our products meet our customers’ expectations, commercial aspirations, and our mission to make healthy, affordable food accessible to everyone. You will be responsible to deliver and implement our new food ideas, developing control processes, benchmarking itsu against its competitors and current trends. You will collaborate closely with the Procurement, Safety/Technical, Marketing, Finance and Operational teams.

Skill and Responsibility Overview

• Guardian of our product gate process: Fully accountable for the New or Existing Product Gate process, ensuring quality, standards and resilience before any launch
• Cross functional launch management: Manage a controlled and accurate product launch process, ensuring a shop-led approach and a cross functional engagement
• Quality control & consistency: Oversee food quality control processes, supplier standards, and validation procedures while working with operations to maintain consistency across all locations.
• Menu management & commercial performance: Structure and maintain the food development calendar, conduct competitor analysis, and ensure menu offerings align with commercial requirements and brand standards.
• Food Development: Assist with the food development, aware of trends and competitors and influence senior stakeholders in new products

Focus Of Role

• Innovation through NPD & EPD across all food and drink ranges
• Quality consistency through
• Quality management
• Process & simplicity improvement
• Skills & knowledge enhancement
• Delivering our healthier strategy
• Clean ingredients declarations and UPI removal
• Nutritional reporting
• Delivering against agreed nutritional targets

Core Responsibilities

Food development:

• Organise & structure the itsu food development meetings.
• Ensure all food development is aligned to deliver customer, marketing and commercial requirements.
• Maintain an annual food development calendar to feed into commercial and planning calendar.
• Implement structured reviews of current menus & offer, considering competitors to identify areas for improvement and ensure adherence to quality standards [taste, texture, presentation].
• Ensure all products are validated to allow consistent delivery across all shop formats.
• Building routes to operational simplicity that will drive simplicity and quality standards. Continually working to simplicity KPI’s
• Work within the planning cycles to ensure all projects are delivered on time and on brand.
• Maintain all recipe information is accurate with Starchef.
• Validate all food service equipment to be fit for purpose to maintain itsu’s high quality food standards

Delivering against our Healthier philosophy

• Work with marketing and supply chain to define and deliver standards, working to ensure all ingredients meet itsu sustainable sourcing and clean labelling requirements as agreed.
• Define & deliver nutritional improvements across all food products to meet nutritional goals.
• Contribute actively to itsu’s sustainability commitments by promoting and including ethical use of ingredients and driving initiatives to reduce the environmental impact within the food development process.
• Manage the nutritional data for the business allowing up to date reporting.

Food Quality & Safety

• Collaborate with the supply chain/technical department to ensure the sourcing of high-quality ingredients and their consistency.
• Oversee the development and implementation of validation, including product testing, sensory evaluation, and shelf-life.
• Work with Ops to develop and implement food quality control processes across all itsu locations. Building knowledge and empowerment through monthly quality focuses.
• Work with L&D to embed key quality training within the development pathways for each role.
• Engage with the safety team to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to food safety and quality.
• Work with technical & supply/procurement teams to ensure an up-to-date risk assessed ingredient review plan is in place.
• Ensure products are reviewed against the risk assessment alongside technical to ensure supplier quality standards are met.
• Track all complaints and utilise this to drive quality improvement at suppliers and via restaurants.

This is you

Qualifications & Experience

• A bachelor's degree or higher in food science, nutrition, culinary arts, or a related field preferred.
• Proven experience in a similar role within the food industry, preferably in a retail or restaurant setting.
• In-depth knowledge of food quality control processes, regulations, and industry standards.
• Familiarity with cold and hot menu development, drinks, snacks, and desserts.
• Experience in managing and collaborating with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders

Skills

• Strong leadership and management abilities to lead a food & quality team
• Excellent organisational and planning skills to implement control processes and improvements.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with various departments.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high-quality standards.
• Ability to stay updated with industry trends and emerging technologies.

Behaviours

• Passion for Asian & healthy food
• Commitment for delivering exceptional quality to customers
• Proactive, innovative, and commercial approach to generating new ideas and implementing improvements.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills to address any issues related to food quality.
• Adaptable and flexible mindset to adjust to changing business needs.

You put people at the heart of everything you do by displaying the 4 itsu qualities:

• I take pride [in what I do]
• I genuinely care [for people]
• I want to grow [myself & others]
• I build trust [around me]