Executive Chef

Mindspace Developers; Ulhasnagar, Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Mindspace Developers is seeking an experienced Executive Chef to lead culinary operations for high-volume banquets and weddings in Ulhasnagar area. You will design multi-cuisine menus, manage food costs, and oversee a large kitchen team to ensure quality and consistency.

Responsibilities include menu engineering, banquet planning, inventory control, safety compliance, and staff development for 1,535+ staff. Fluency in Hindi and Marathi supports local vendor management and team leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Hotel Management / Culinary Arts from a recognized institute (IHM or reputed hospitality colleges).
• Valid FSSAI Food Safety Supervisor Certificate or HACCP certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Menu Engineering & Innovation: design, test, and price multi-cuisine menus tailored to market demand.
• Banquet & Catering Operations: oversee culinary planning and execution for large-scale events.
• Recipe Standardisation: establish standard recipes, yield tests, and presentation standards.
• Food Cost Management: monitor food costs, maintain margins, and minimize wastage.
• Inventory & Vendor Procurement: source materials, manage stock, negotiate with suppliers.
• Kitchen Administration: manage budgets, equipment maintenance, and capital expenditure.
• Brigade Leadership: lead chefs and kitchen staff (1535+ staff).
• Duty Roster & Workload Distribution: plan shifts and optimize staffing.
• Training & Upskilling: conduct culinary and safety training.
• Hygiene, Safety & Compliance: enforce FSSAI and HACCP, conduct audits.

Skills

Menu engineering

Banquet operations

Recipe standardisation

Food cost management

Inventory management

Vendor procurement

Kitchen administration

Team leadership

Shift planning

Training & upskilling

Hygiene & safety

Leadership under pressure

Multi-cuisine mastery

Commercial acumen

Hindi

Marathi

Education

Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Hotel Management / Culinary Arts

Tools

Inventory software

Job description

Role & responsibilities

1. Culinary Leadership & Menu Management

• Menu Engineering & Innovation: Design, test, and price multi-cuisine menus (North Indian, Tandoori, Chinese, Continental, and local Maharashtrian/Sindhi favorites) tailored to market demand.
• Banquet & Catering Operations: Oversee culinary planning and execution for large-scale banquet events, weddings, and partiesmanaging high-volume output while maintaining quality.
• Recipe Standardisation: Establish standard recipes, yield tests, and presentation standards to ensure consistent taste, portion size, and presentation.

2. Kitchen Operations & Cost Control

• Food Cost Management: Monitor food costs strictly, aim for target margins (typically maintaining food cost within 28%32%), and minimize wastage across all stations.
• Inventory & Vendor Procurement: Work with the purchase team to source fresh, quality raw materials; manage stock rotation (FIFO); and negotiate pricing with local suppliers.
• Kitchen Administration: Manage kitchen operating budgets, equipment maintenance schedules, and capital expenditure needs for kitchen machinery.

3. Team Management & Development

• Brigade Leadership: Lead, mentor, and manage a team of Sous Chefs, Station Chefs (CDPs), Commis cooks, and kitchen stewards (1535+ staff).
• Duty Roster & Workload Distribution: Plan shift rosters, manage overtime, approve leaves, and optimize kitchen staffing levels according to occupancy and banquet bookings.
• Training & Upskilling: Conduct regular culinary and safety training sessions to upgrade line cooks' skills and maintain high execution speed.

4. Hygiene, Safety & Compliance

• Food Safety Standards: Enforce strict adherence to FSSAI regulations, HACCP guidelines, and sanitation policies across storage, prep, and cooking areas.
• Kitchen Audits: Conduct daily cleanliness and safety inspections of walk-in coolers, dry stores, cooking lines, and garbage disposal areas.

Preferred candidate profile

1. Education & Qualifications

• Degree / Diploma: Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Hotel Management / Culinary Arts from a recognized institute (e.g., IHM or reputed hospitality colleges).
• Certifications: Valid FSSAI Food Safety Supervisor Certificate or HACCP certification is highly preferred.

2. Experience Requirements

• Total Experience: 10 to 15 years in kitchen operations at reputed hotels, high-volume standalone restaurants, or large banquet properties.
• Leadership Tenure: At least 3 to 5 years of proven experience as an Executive Chef or Head / Senior Executive Sous Chef managing a full kitchen team.
• Banquet Expertise: Strong, demonstrable background in managing high-capacity banquet culinary operations (catering to events of 500-1,500+ guests).

3. Core Competencies & Skills

• Multi-Cuisine Mastery: Expert knowledge in North Indian, Mughlai, Chinese, and Indian banquet menus. Familiarity with local region preferences (wedding party menus common in Ulhasnagar/Kalyan) is a strong advantage.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of kitchen P&L, food cost accounting, yield management, and inventory software.
• Leadership Under Pressure: Proven ability to handle peak dinner hours, concurrent banquet functions, and emergency kitchen situations calmly.
• Languages: Working knowledge of Hindi and Marathi (essential for managing kitchen staff and local vendors), along with functional English for operational documentation and guest interaction.

4. Operational & Local Fit

• Location Preference: Candidates residing in or willing to commute to Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, Ambernath, Dombivli, or Thane.
• Flexibility: Readiness to work long hours, split shifts, weekends, and festival seasons, which represent peak business periods in the hospitality industry.

Perks and benefits