Senior Associate-Chef

Icrisat; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 600,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

ICRISAT is seeking aSenior Associate – Chef – Indian Cuisine to lead preparation of authentic Indian meals for staff and events. You will plan menus, oversee bulk production, maintain quality, and ensure hygienic kitchen operations in a demanding institutional setting.

The role requires a Diploma in Catering or related field with 4+ years of experience, knife skills, and proficiency with Windows and MS Office for records. Office is in Patancheru, Hyderabad.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Catering, Culinary Arts or Hotel Management with 4+ years' experience.
• Sound knowledge of Indian cuisines, ingredients, methods and presentation.
• Experience in bulk catering / institutional food production.
• Ability to independently prepare food for at least 100 persons.
• Basic knife skills and knowledge of thawing, marination and storage.
• Food safety and hygiene basics; follow recipes and schedules.
• Teamwork, discipline and time-management expected.

Responsibilities

• Prepare Indian cuisine including breakfast, lunch, dinner and special menus.
• Handle bulk food preparation and catering operations for 100 pax+.
• Demonstrate culinary skills in Indian cooking, including mise en place.
• Maintain kitchen hygiene, quality and portion control.
• Support catering, events and special functions as required.

Skills

Knife skills

Food safety

Time management

Teamwork

Stamina

Adaptability

Record keeping

Education

Diploma in Catering, Culinary Arts or Hotel Management

Tools

Windows

Microsoft Office

Job description

Senior Associate - ChefICRISAT seeks applications from dynamic professionals for the position of Senior Associate – Chef – Indian Cuisine within Food Services under Corporate Services. The incumbent will prepare high-quality, authentic Indian cuisine for staff, guests, meetings, conferences and institutional events. Key responsibilities include menu planning, food preparation, kitchen hygiene, quality and portion control, and efficient service delivery in accordance with institutional standards. This position is based at Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

ICRISAT is a non‑profit, non‑political organisation that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and Africa, working with partners around the world. Drylands cover about 45% of the world's land, are home to 2.3 billion people (one in three) and support 45–50% of the world's livestock. ICRISAT's vision is a prosperous, food‑secure and resilient dryland tropics.

ICRISAT is headquartered in Patancheru, Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in Africa. Visit www.icrisat.org for more information.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepare Indian cuisine including breakfast, lunch, dinner and special menus as required.
• Handle bulk food preparation and catering operations, including preparation for a minimum of 100 pax independently.
• Demonstrate good culinary skills in Indian cooking, including cooking, seasoning, portioning and presentation.
• Perform daily food preparation activities such as:
  • Cutting and chopping
  • Vegetable and meat preparation
  • Thawing
  • Marination
  • Mise en place
  • Cooking and finishing
• Maintain consistency in food quality, taste, quantity and portion control.
• Follow approved recipes, menus and production requirements.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene of the kitchen, equipment and work areas.
• Follow basic food safety, personal hygiene and safe food handling practices.
• Support catering, events and special functions as required.
• Work effectively as part of the kitchen team and support other culinary sections when required.
• Willingness to work split shifts, extended hours, weekends and holidays, and to support special events or additional meal services, as required by operational needs.
• Commitment to work extended working hours or days when required due to business needs, events or operational requirements.
• Flexible to support extended operations and additional meal services.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage high-volume food production.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physically demanding kitchen duties.
• Ability to safely lift and move kitchen ingredients, utensils and equipment within reasonable workplace requirements.
• Willingness to work on weekends, holidays or special events as required by business operations.

Requirements

• Diploma in Catering, Culinary Arts or Hotel Management, with at least four years of professional experience in preparing Indian cuisine.
• Sound knowledge of regional Indian cuisines, ingredients, cooking methods, seasoning, portioning and presentation standards.
• Experience in bulk catering / institutional food production.
• Ability to independently prepare food for at least 100 persons.
• Good knife skills and knowledge of basic food preparation.
• Knowledge of thawing, marination, preparation and storage practices.
• Basic knowledge of food safety and hygiene.
• Ability to follow recipes, production schedules and instructions.
• Good teamwork, discipline and time‑management skills.
• Ability to maintain quality and consistency during high-volume operations.
• Basic computer proficiency, including the ability to use Windows and Microsoft Office applications for routine kitchen records, schedules and related documentation.

General

This is a contractual role for a period of 36 months (03 years), renewable based on the performance of the incumbent and the institute’s continuing need for the position.

Applicants must be nationals of the country of assignment or possess a valid work permit and legal authorization to work in the country to be eligible to apply for the position.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining a progressive and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether they have a disability.