Assistant to R&D Chef (Commis 2 / Commis 3)

Role Summary
We are looking for an Assistant to our R&D Chef who can support recipe development in the test kitchen and also cook at batch scale. You will work closely with the R&D Chef to prepare trials, record every change accurately and help turn each recipe into a standardized, repeatable formula, so that it works the same way at 500 g as at 50 kg.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the R&D Chef in preparing and cooking test batches of new recipes and menu items.
• Weigh, measure and prepare ingredients accurately, and record quantities, timings, yields and observations for every trial.
• Help scale small-batch recipes into bulk-production formulas and note changes in taste, texture, yield and cooking time.
• Cook and manage batch production using commercial kitchen equipment, following standardized recipes and SOPs.
• Maintain recipe cards, batch sheets, trial logs and SOP documents, and update them after every iteration.
• Support the R&D Chef with food costing, yield calculation and ingredient substitution trials.
• Prepare samples and record feedback for sensory evaluation sessions and tasting panels.
• Support shelf-life testing by labelling, storing and tracking test samples.
• Follow food safety, hygiene and allergen controls (FSSAI / HACCP) in all R&D and production work.
• Manage inventory of test ingredients, report shortages and store raw materials correctly (FIFO and labelling).
• Guide and support kitchen helpers on new recipes and production methods when required.
• Keep the R&D kitchen clean, organized and audit-ready.

Required Qualifications

• Education: BHM (Bachelor of Hotel Management) or an equivalent degree/diploma in Hotel Management or Culinary Arts.
• Experience: 1 to 3 years in a professional kitchen, R&D kitchen, central kitchen or food production setup, at a minimum rank of Commis 3 or Commis 2.

Key Competencies

• Discipline and consistency in following recipes exactly and recording what was done.
• Attention to detail in measurement, documentation and hygiene.
• Ability to take direction from the R&D Chef and turn feedback into improved results quickly.
• Eagerness to learn recipe development, costing and standardization.
• Good communication and teamwork with the R&D Chef, operations team and kitchen staff.