Continental Chef – Cloud Kitchen

• Internship / Apprenticeship
• Commi 3 / 2 / 1
• DCDP
• CDP
• Sous Chef

Job Brief:

• We are seeking a skilled and innovative continental chef to oversee the preparation and production of high quality pure vegetarian, jain and vegan dishes for our cloud kitchen.
• The chef will be responsible for menu development, standardising recipes, maintaining hygiene standards, and ensuring timely production for multiple outlets while adhering while adhering strictly to dietary guidelines and culinary authenticity.
• Creativity in continental vegetarian, jain & vegan fusion cuisine.

Job Type:

• Full time (Annual contract)

Type of Company: Hospitality Industry

• Cloud Kitchen (Pure Vegetarian, Jain, Vegan)

Type of Cuisine:

• Continental cuisine, including Salads, sandwiches, Rolls, Wraps, Pizza, etc.
• In house spreadings, dressings, dips, chutnis, ketchups, etc.
• Beverages, smoothies, soups, ditoxer's, etc.
• Cuisine with no white – no sugar, no bread, no maida, gluten free, oil free, fresh and not frozen.
• Without colour, or added chemicals.
• Gluten-free, jain and vegan options.

Work mode:

• On site – as per new outlet locations

Work Location:

• Pawne, MIDC, Navi Mumbai

• Note:

• Candidate applying for the above post should be from nearby location (From Navi Mumbai, Mumbai)

• Candidate applying for the above post should be willing to travel anywhere in India or abroad for site visits, training and development, etc.

Interview Location :

• Pawne, MIDC, Navi Mumbai

Shift Timings:

• 06.00 AM to 06.00 PM
• 06.00 PM to 06.00 AM

Working:

• 5 days working
• 2 days Holiday
• Rotating shifts

Experience:

• Proven experience (3+ years) as continental chef, preferably in a health focused or allergen friendly environment or cloud kitchens (vegetarian, jain and vegan experience preferred).
• In depth knowledge of gluten free, sugar free, and organic cooking techniques.
• Experience in managing production at a cloud kitchen is highly desirable.
• Excellent understanding of food safety, allergens, and dietary regulations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and time management skills.
• Experience in menu planning for cafes, retail, or meal delivery services.
• Ability to innovate with plant based, keto, or paleo friendly recipes is a plus.

• Comfortable working with industrial cooking equipment and production software.

• Note:

• Candidate having relevant experience in kitchen & production – continental department would be considered.

Salary slab:

• Maximum – Up to Rs.600,000/- Per annum (CTC 80:20 ratio)

• Note:

• Competitive salary based on experience.

• Candidates applying for the above post should be willing to relocate at the required destination.
• Candidates can be relocated to other cities, states, countries, etc.
• Food will be provide during duty hours
• Accommodation will be compensated (as per situation, if required).

Benefits:

• Health and wellness benefits.
• Opportunities for professional growth and recipe development.
• A collaborative team passionate about clean and healthy eating.

Education qualification:

• Culinary degree or diploma, or related certificate
• Familiarity with nutritional labelling and food compliance certifications (e.g., USDA organic, GFCO).
• BHM – Bachelor of Hotel Management (not compulsory, but will be an added advantage)

Job Description:

A continental Chef plays a vital role in making special occasions memorable with personalised and uniquely designed cuisines. Their artistic flair and culinary expertise combine to create one-of-a-kind treats that delight customers and contribute to the brands success. As a custom continental chef, your primary responsibility is to design, create, and produce customised cuisines that meet the unique preferences and needs of our customers. You will use your artistic talents and culinary expertise to craft visually stunning and uniquely flavoured cuisines. Collaboration with customers and understanding their requirements is essential to exceed their expectations. You will also be responsible for managing the team and assistants.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Culinary operations:

• Plan, prepare, and oversee production of continental vegetarian, jain friendly, and vegan cuisine in a cloud kitchen setup.
• Innovate and adapt classic continental recipes to meet pure vegetarian and vegan dietary requirements (no eggs, gelatin, or animal derived ingredients).
• Develop jain compliant recipes, ensuring exclusion of root vegetables, onions, garlic, and other restricted items.
• Ensure taste, presentation, and quality consistency across all dishes supplied to multiple outlets.

Menu development & Standardisation:

• Create and update seasonal menus, incorporating plant based alternatives and nutritional balance.
• Standardise recipes with precise portion control, costings, and production process for scale.
• Introduce healthy cooking methods (grilling, baking, steaming) aligned with wellness trends.

Production & Inventory Management:

• Coordinate with procurement for sourcing organic, fresh and sustainable ingredients.
• Monitor inventory levels and minimise wastage through efficient planning.
• Oversee day to day production in high volume cloud kitchen environment.
• Supervise bulk production, portioning, packaging, and dispatch of dishes to outlets.
• Ensure consistency and quality control during production.
• Monitor production schedules and inventory to meet delivery and distribution deadlines.
• Oversee the production, ensuring that they are made to the highest quality standards and meet customer expectations. Coordinate with kitchen staff as needed.

Hygiene & Compliance:

• Maintain strict adherence to FSSAI standards, HACCP protocols, and cloud kitchen hygiene guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with vegetarian and vegan food safety handling procedures.

Ingredient Selection:

• Select and source high-quality ingredients, including specialty flavourings, fillings, and decorations, while considering customer preferences and dietary restrictions.

Team Management:

• Train and supervise kitchen staff on recipe execution, food safety, and portioning standards.
• Schedule and oversee kitchen staff shifts, ensuring productivity and efficiency.

Quality & Innovation:

• Conduct regular quality checks on products to ensure consistency, taste, and presentation meet the bakery's standards.
• Stay updated on global vegetarian, jain and vegan culinary trends to introduce innovative dishes.
• Adhere to all food safety, hygiene, and allergen control standards (e.g., HACCP, Gluten free certification).
• Maintain accurate records for batch tracking, ingredient sourcing, and shelf life management.

Food Safety and Hygiene:

• Adhere to strict food safety and sanitation regulations, maintaining a clean and organised workspace.

Team supervision:

• Train and supervise staff on healthy cooking techniques and proper use of specialty ingredients.
• Maintain a safe and positive working environment, enforcing proper food safety and sanitation protocols.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Exceptional creativity and a passion for designing and customising.
• Meticulous attention to detail to ensure the quality and consistency.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations and certification is a plus.
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to understand and interpret customer preferences.
• Strong knowledge of jain, vegan, and plant based cooking techniques.
• Expertise in recipe standardisation and large scale food production.
• Leadership skills with experience managing a kitchen team.
• Familiarity with kitchen equipment and modern cooking technologies.
• Strong time management for high volume production.
• Excellent communication and team leadership skills.
• Deep understanding of dietary restrictions (jain/vegan)and food safety regulations.
• Centralised production kitchen catering to multiple outlets or brands.
• Focus on pure vegetarian, jain and vegan menu production in a high volume setting.

Management Skills:

Leadership:

• A chef should be able to lead by example and inspire junior staff members to work to the best of their abilities.

Training and development:

• The chef may be responsible for training and developing junior staff members, including interns, apprentices, and new employees.

Performance management:

• The chef may need to assess the performance of junior staff members, provide feedback, and develop performance improvement plans.

Time management:

• The chef must be able to manage their time effectively and efficiently, including scheduling workloads and delegating tasks as needed.

Budgeting and cost control:

• The chef should have a good understanding of the financial aspects of running a kitchen, including budgeting, cost control, and inventory management.

Procurement and supplier management:

• The chef may be responsible for procuring ingredients and supplies, managing supplier relationships, and negotiating contracts.

Menu development:

• The chef may have input into the development of new menu items and should be able to create innovative dishes.

Problem-solving:

• The chef should be able to identify and resolve problems that may arise in the kitchen, such as ingredient shortages or equipment malfunctions.

Overall, a chef must have strong managerial skills, including leadership, training and development, performance management, time management, budgeting and cost control, procurement and supplier management, menu development, communication, and problem-solving. These skills are essential to ensuring that the pantry runs smoothly and that ingredients are prepared and available for use by other kitchen staff.

IT Skills:

While IT skills are not typically considered a core requirement for a chef, but some basic IT skills may be useful in today's technologically advanced kitchens.

Inventory management software:

• A chef should have some familiarity with inventory management software to keep track of ingredients and supplies. This can include software for ordering, receiving, and storing inventory, as well as for tracking inventory levels and expiration dates.

Point of Sale (POS) systems:

• A chef should have some familiarity with POS systems, which are used to take orders and track sales. This can include software for entering and modifying orders, tracking customer information, and generating reports.

Recipe management software:

• A chef may use recipe management software to organise and store recipes, manage ingredient lists and quantities, and scale recipes up or down as needed.

Email and communication software:

• A chef should be proficient in using email and other communication tools to coordinate with other kitchen staff, suppliers, and management.

Microsoft Office Suite:

• A chef may find basic skills in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel for spreadsheets, useful for keeping track of inventory and costs.