Assistant Manager- Product Development (Japanese Cuisine) - KV

PASONA SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 61,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

PASONA SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. in Singapore is seeking an Assistant Manager - Product Development (Japanese Cuisine) to lead new menu and product initiatives across outlets.

You will translate brand standards into innovative foods, test recipes, and work with suppliers and operations to ensure feasible launches. The role requires hands-on cooking, strong knowledge of Japanese cuisine, ability to cost recipes, and collaborative communication with cross-functional teams to drive quality and

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of relevant professional culinary experience in a Japanese restaurant environment.
• Hands-on experience in product development, food R&D, menu development or similar culinary product development role.
• Strong practical knowledge of Japanese cuisine, ingredients, culinary techniques and food preparation.
• Demonstrated experience in recipe creation, product testing, recipe refinement and product improvement.
• Ability to systematically develop and refine recipes with flavour balance and ingredient functionality.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in recipe costing and product improvement.
• Ability to develop food products suitable for restaurant operations and consumer-facing promotion.
• Clear communication of product concepts, recommendations and rationale behind development decisions.
• Collaborative and adaptable, able to incorporate feedback for business and operational needs.
• Willingness to participate in hands-on cooking, testing, tasting and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Develop new menu items and food products in line with brand standards, product strategy and business requirements.
• Create, test and refine recipes based on flavour balance, techniques and ingredient functionality.
• Conduct hands-on product testing and evaluate taste, texture, appearance and quality.
• Calculate food costs and assess feasibility and practicality of new products.
• Research local market trends and consumer preferences to identify opportunities for new products.
• Explore and develop products using locally available ingredients while maintaining quality.
• Adapt Japanese culinary concepts to local consumer preferences and operations.
• Work with stakeholders to validate and refine products before launch.
• Organise and present new products to management and stakeholders.
• Ensure product presentation aligns with brand standards and market trends.
• Collaborate across Operations, Procurement and other departments for development and launches.
• Incorporate stakeholder feedback and refine products accordingly.

Skills

Hands-on product development

Recipe costing

Japanese cuisine

Testing & tasting

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Menu development

Product presentation

Problem solving

Job description

Position: Assistant Manager - Product Development (Japanese Cuisine) (Job ID: 20404)

Tanjong Pagar

Basic + AWS + VB

Job Description

New Product Development

• Develop new menu items and food products in line with the Company's brand standards, product strategy and business requirements.
• Create, test and refine recipes based on flavour balance, culinary techniques, ingredient functionality and food principles.
• Conduct hands‑on product testing and evaluate taste, texture, appearance, consistency and overall product quality.
• Calculate food costs and assess the commercial feasibility and operational practicality of new products.
• Research local market trends, consumer preferences and emerging culinary trends to identify opportunities for new products.
• Explore and develop products using locally available ingredients while maintaining the Company's quality and product standards.
• Adapt Japanese culinary concepts and techniques where appropriate to meet local consumer preferences and operational requirements.
• Work with relevant stakeholders to validate and refine products before launch.

Existing Product & Quality Enhancement

• Review and improve existing menu items, recipes and product specifications.
• Identify opportunities to improve product quality, consistency, presentation, cost efficiency and operational practicality.
• Conduct product trials and comparative testing where required.
• Work closely with Operations and other relevant departments to implement product improvements and ensure consistency across outlets.

Supplier & Vendor Management

• Work with suppliers and vendors to identify and evaluate ingredients and materials suitable for product development.
• Assess ingredients based on quality, suitability, availability and cost.
• Collaborate with Procurement and relevant departments on product sourcing and ingredient trials.
• Provide product-related input and recommendations during supplier discussions and sourcing activities.

Product Presentation & Stakeholder Facilitation

• Organise and facilitate product presentation, tasting and evaluation sessions.
• Prepare and present newly developed products to management and relevant stakeholders.
• Clearly explain the product concept, ingredients, recipe, flavour profile, costing, development rationale and expected operational application.
• Gather feedback from stakeholders and incorporate relevant feedback into subsequent product trials and refinements.

Product Presentation for Marketing & Media

• Prepare and arrange products for food photography, promotional materials, social media content and other media requirements.
• Ensure product presentation is visually appealing and aligned with the Company's brand standards and current market trends.
• Work with relevant teams to ensure newly developed products are suitable for both restaurant operations and consumer‑facing promotion.

Cross‑functional Collaboration

• Attend meetings relating to product development and SSMD initiatives.
• Collaborate with Operations, Procurement and other relevant departments to support product development, implementation and launches.
• Work closely with outlet teams during product testing and trials to assess operational feasibility.
• Incorporate feedback from stakeholders and continuously refine products based on business, operational and consumer requirements.
• Support other initiatives and projects as required.

Job Requirements

• Minimum 2 years of relevant professional culinary experience in a Japanese restaurant environment.
• Hands‑on experience in product development, food R&D, menu development or a similar culinary product development role.
• Strong practical knowledge of Japanese cuisine, ingredients, culinary techniques and food preparation.
• Demonstrated experience in recipe creation, product testing, recipe refinement and product improvement.
• Ability to systematically develop and refine recipes with a sound understanding of flavour balance, ingredient functionality and culinary techniques.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, particularly in recipe costing, product testing and product improvement.
• Ability to develop food products that are suitable for restaurant operations while also meeting consumer‑facing requirements, including visual presentation and promotional use.
• Able to clearly communicate and explain product concepts, recommendations and the rationale behind product development decisions.
• Collaborative and adaptable, with the ability to incorporate feedback and refine products according to business, operational and consumer requirements.
• Willingness to participate in hands‑on cooking, product testing, tasting and product presentation sessions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in high‑standard Japanese restaurants or Japanese food product development.
• Experience working with suppliers, food manufacturers, procurement teams or other external food partners.
• Good understanding of the Singapore food