Head Chef

About the Role:

We are launching a premium passenger lounge at Bhubaneswar Airport and are looking for an exceptional Head Chef to lead our culinary operations. The ideal candidate will bring creativity, strong leadership, and a passion for delivering authentic, high-quality cuisine to our guests.

You will be responsible for planning menus, leading kitchen operations, ensuring food quality & hygiene standards, and creating memorable dining experiences for passengers.

Culinary Leadership & Menu Innovation:

• Develop and implement creative menus across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and live counters
• Design rotating menus featuring Odisha regional cuisine, classic Indian flavours, global favorites, wellness-focused options, and premium lounge specialties
• Conduct food trials, tasting sessions, and menu launch presentations
• Monitor food presentation quality, taste profiles, and consistency

Operations & Execution

• Lead the entire kitchen brigade; ensure smooth and timely food production
• Set SOPs for food preparation, hygiene, portion standards & plating
• Coordinate with Operations Team & Bar/Caf section for seamless guest service
• Ensure continued delivery during peak passenger hours & flight waves

Guest Experience Management

• Maintain a high standard of food quality aligned with premium lounge standards
• Address food-related guest feedback quickly and professionally
• Initiate guest engagement experiences live counters, festival menus, chefs table etc.

Procurement, Vendor & Cost Management

• Plan food cost budgets and drive strict cost controls without compromising quality
• Forecast & monitor consumption, wastage, portion sizes
• Work closely with procurement for vendor selection & quality audits
• Build and evaluate suppliers for fresh produce, bakery, dairy, meat & specialty items

Kitchen & Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure 100% compliance with FSSAI, airport safety norms & corporate food safety guidelines
• Implement HACCP & hygiene protocols
• Conduct kitchen inspections, audits & temperature log maintenance
• Track expiry, storage and waste management standards

People Leadership

• Recruit, train, mentor and develop kitchen team members (CDPs, Commis, Utility staff)
• Conduct performance reviews, skill upgrades & succession planning
• Build a culture of discipline, creativity, and guest-first approach

Skills & Competencies

• Strong culinary foundation regional Indian, international cuisine, contemporary cooking
• Leadership & team-building ability in a high-volume premium environment
• Menu engineering & cost control expertise
• Good communication & stakeholder management
• Passion for innovation, hygiene excellence, and guest delight

Qualifications

• Degree/Diploma in Hotel Management / Culinary Arts
• FSSAI Certification preferred
• Training in HACCP / Food Safety will be an added advantage