Culinary Director

1 week ago


Pune, Maharashtra, India FML Hospitality Pvt Ltd Full time ₹ 12,00,000 - ₹ 36,00,000 per year

Position Summary

The
Culinary Director
will be the
single point of accountability
for all kitchen operations, product development, and culinary innovation across the group's entire portfolio — from fine dining to fast-casual and cloud kitchen brands.

They will define and uphold the
culinary philosophy
, ensure
consistency, cost control, quality, and innovation
, and build
robust SOPs and training systems
that make every kitchen efficient, scalable, and brand-aligned.

This individual must be both a
creative chef
and a
strategic operator
, able to balance artistry with business. They will be responsible for leading and mentoring chefs, ensuring high profitability, and maintaining standards that reflect the group's ethos of soulful, high-quality dining experiences.

Key Responsibilities
1. Culinary Vision & Brand Alignment

  • Interpret each brand's positioning (e.g., fine dine, fusion, dessert, QSR) into distinctive culinary directions.
  • Design and continuously evolve menus aligned with each brand's philosophy, seasonality, and customer trends.
  • Drive R&D for new dishes, recipes, and seasonal updates while ensuring operational feasibility and scalability.
  • Collaborate with marketing to integrate storytelling into dishes and menu presentations.

2. Kitchen Operations & SOPs

  • Create standardized recipes, yield charts, plating guides, and portion controls for all dishes.
  • Implement uniform
    kitchen SOPs
    for production, storage, hygiene, waste management, and service coordination.
  • Audit outlets regularly for food quality, consistency, hygiene, and adherence to brand standards.
  • Ensure every kitchen meets statutory compliances (FSSAI, safety, etc.).

3. Team Leadership & Development

  • Recruit, train, and mentor Head Chefs, Sous Chefs, and line cooks across all brands.
  • Develop structured training programs and handbooks for onboarding new culinary staff.
  • Build a culture of creativity, discipline, and pride in execution across all kitchens.
  • Evaluate team performance, reward excellence, and manage conflict or attrition proactively.

4. Costing, Procurement & Profitability

  • Approve and manage all
    food costing
    , recipes, and portion sizes to ensure ideal food cost percentages.
  • Work closely with the purchase team to standardize ingredients, vendors, and specifications.
  • Introduce
    central kitchen optimization
    and batch production where relevant.
  • Track and analyze kitchen P&Ls, wastage reports, and variances to drive profitability.

5. Innovation & Quality Control

  • Stay ahead of culinary trends, modern cooking techniques, and presentation styles.
  • Conduct regular tasting sessions to maintain standards and refine offerings.
  • Introduce innovation labs or test kitchens for R&D on new menus, equipment, and processes.
  • Lead the transition to healthier, sustainable, or trend-forward culinary practices (e.g., plant-forward dishes, fusion cuisine, minimal waste).

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Partner with operations to ensure kitchen design, workflow, and equipment meet brand needs.
  • Work with marketing on content shoots, product storytelling, and campaigns tied to food.
  • Support HR with performance frameworks, incentives, and career pathways for kitchen teams.
  • Coordinate with finance for budgeting, capex decisions, and vendor negotiations.

7. Expansion & Scalability

  • Prepare culinary blueprints for new outlets, including kitchen layouts, menu setups, and pre-opening training.
  • Create scalable systems to replicate brand quality across multiple cities.
  • Oversee franchisee or partner onboarding to ensure culinary compliance.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • Average food cost across brands maintained within target (e.g., 30–35%).
  • Consistency scores from mystery audits and customer feedback (≥90%).
  • Reduction in wastage and pilferage month-on-month.
  • Staff retention and performance metrics.
  • Successful launch of new dishes/menus per quarter.
  • Margin improvement and contribution per kitchen brand.

Desired Profile
Education & Experience

  • Degree/Diploma in Hotel Management or Culinary Arts.
  • 10–15 years of progressive experience in multi-brand hospitality (including fine dine, casual dine, and QSR).
  • Proven experience as a
    Corporate Chef, Culinary Head, or Culinary Director
    in a reputed restaurant group or hotel chain.
  • Strong financial acumen with a demonstrated record of improving food costs and profitability.
  • Exposure to Indian, global, and fusion cuisines with a keen sense of presentation and storytelling.

Skills & Attributes

  • Exceptional leadership and team-building ability.
  • Deep understanding of modern kitchen management, costing, and hygiene systems.
  • Strong palate, creativity, and curiosity to innovate.
  • Business-oriented mindset — balancing creativity with commercial reality.
  • Excellent communication, documentation, and delegation skills.
  • Calm under pressure, solution-driven, and aligned with the founder's vision.

Compensation & Structure

  • Salary no bar, would depend on proven track record
  • Competitive salary + performance-linked annual bonus based on KPIs.
  • Profit-sharing or brand-based incentive structure (optional).
  • Travel, food, and accommodation expenses covered during audits and new openings.


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