Manager - Concept & Development Chef

Nestlé; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Nestlé R&D South Asia is seeking a Concept & Development Chef to shape noodle seasonings and next‑gen food experiences. You’ll bridge culinary arts with science, consumer insights and flavour innovation across markets.

The role suits a chef with strong culinary foundations, curiosity, and a passion for innovation, ready to lead culinary concepts from idea to product.

Qualifications

• 5-10+ years in hotel, restaurant, premium foodservice or Michelin-starred kitchens.
• FMCG/product development experience is a plus.
• Deep understanding of world cuisines, especially Asian traditions.
• Excellent English and strong stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Translate culinary concepts into scalable products and experiences.
• Develop prototypes, recipes, and seasoning concepts for R&D projects.
• Collaborate with product developers, flavorists, sensory scientists, factories and markets.
• Explore emerging culinary trends and potentially patentable processes.
• Represent culinary excellence during workshops and tastings.

Skills

Culinary storytelling

English communication

Flavor systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Culinary degree

Professional culinary certification

Job description

At Nestlé R&D South Asia, we are looking for a Concept & Development Chef to join our Culinary Development & Seasoning Innovation team and help shape the future of noodle seasonings, and next‑generation food experiences. You'll have the opportunity to work at the intersection of culinary arts, consumer understanding, flavour innovation and food technology, helping create products that reach consumers across markets and cultures.

This role is ideal for a chef who combines strong culinary foundations with curiosity, creativity, some science acumen and a passion for innovation.

Key Roles & Responsibility (What will you do?):

• Translate culinary concepts into scalable food products and experiences.
• Develop prototypes, recipes, and seasoning concepts for R&D innovation and renovation projects.
• Bring authentic global cuisine insights into product development, particularly Asian cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian food cultures.
• Work closely with product developers, flavorists, sensory scientists, factories, and markets to transform consumer and culinary insights into commercial products.
• Explore emerging culinary trends, novel ingredients, techniques and potentially patentable culinary processes.
• Represent culinary excellence during innovation workshops, tastings, and senior leadership events.

Qualifications (What we're looking for):

• Culinary Degree or professional culinary certification.
• 5-10+ years of experience in reputable hotel, restaurant, premium foodservice, Michelin-starred or equivalent culinary environments.
• Optional: Experience in FMCG, food manufacturing, product development or culinary innovation environments is highly desirable.
• Deep understanding of world cuisines, particularly Asian cuisine traditions, and flavor systems, and is able to articulate well on flavor nuances
• Strong communication and command over English language, storytelling and stakeholder management skills – Must have!
• A creator's mindset, curiosity for food science, and willingness to challenge conventional thinking.