The Chef is responsible for leading product innovation, product concept development, and culinary standards development for Fresh Food and Beverage categories. This role transforms market trends, consumer insights, and culinary expertise into differentiated products that meet customer needs and support business growth. The position works closely with R&D, MD, Marketing, Operations, and Procurement teams throughout the product innovation and development process.
MAIN ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Product Innovation & Development
- Develop annual and seasonal product innovation plans aligned with company strategy and business objectives.
- Lead the development of new product concepts and category innovation initiatives for Fresh Food and Beverage categories.
- Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and consumer preferences to identify product innovation opportunities.
- Continuously improve existing products based on customer feedback, consumer insights, and market trends.
Culinary Standards & Recipe Development
- Develop product recipes, preparation methods, sensory standards, and finished product specifications.
- Conduct kitchen trials, product tastings, and sensory evaluations to refine product concepts and recipes.
- Define target sensory profiles, product characteristics, and culinary quality standards.
- Ensure consistency in taste, texture, appearance, and overall customer experience across all products.
Consumer Insights & Product Evaluation
- Collaborate with Marketing and MD teams to evaluate product concepts and market opportunities.
- Participate in consumer testing, product evaluation sessions, and competitive benchmarking activities.
- Analyze customer feedback and recommend product improvements from a consumer experience perspective.
- Recommend product portfolio strategies and product development directions based on market needs.
Ingredient Evaluation & Culinary Support
- Identify and recommend suitable ingredients, emerging food trends, and product innovation opportunities.
- Evaluate ingredients based on sensory characteristics, culinary applications, product quality, and customer expectations.
- Collaborate with R&D, MD, and Procurement teams in ingredient selection and product development projects.
- Participate in ingredient trials and provide culinary assessments and recommendations for product improvement.
Cross-functional Collaboration
- Collaborate with R&D to transfer approved product concepts and recipes for commercialization and production implementation.
- Work closely with Operations teams to ensure products can be executed effectively in stores or central kitchens.
- Support Marketing in new product launch activities and product communication initiatives.
- Partner with MD teams to support product innovation initiatives, portfolio development, and ingredient evaluation activities.
Training & Product Excellence
- Develop culinary standards, recipe manuals, preparation guidelines, and product execution standards.
- Provide product knowledge and culinary training to store teams and relevant departments.
- Support stores in maintaining product quality and execution standards.
- Promote a culture of product innovation and continuous improvement.
REQUIREMENTS
Education and Knowledge
- Bachelor's Degree or above in Culinary Arts, Food Technology, Food Science, Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related fields.
- Strong knowledge of food preparation techniques, food trends, consumer behavior, and product development.
- Good understanding of food safety standards and operational requirements within the food industry.
Experience
- Minimum 7 - 8 years of experience in product development, culinary innovation, or related fields.
- At least 5 years of managerial experience leading teams.
- Experience in convenience store chains, food retail businesses, central kitchens, FMCG companies, or industrial catering operations is highly preferred.
- Proven experience in developing products from concept to market implementation.
Skills and Abilities
- Product innovation and development capability.
- Sensory evaluation and consumer insight analysis skills.
- Creative thinking and trend identification capability.
- Project management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Leadership and people management capability.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
Other characteristics
- Creative and customer-oriented mindset.
- Strong ownership and accountability.
- High attention to detail and product quality.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Positive attitude and collaborative mindset.