Lead - Innovation & New Product Development - Food/QSR (10-15 yrs)

Hiring for a client of ours.

We are looking for :

- A chef with 10-15 years experience in handling kitchen operations

- Sound understanding of product innovation and new product development preferably in QSR, Aviation Catering and Casual Dinning / Fast Causal category

- Degree in hotel management/PG

- Strong logical and analytical skills; combined with a keen sense of creativity.

- Demonstrated experience in supporting projects and cross functional collaboration

- Understanding of consumer behavior and brand marketing

- Knowledge of Kitchen Equipment and Food Processes.

- Should be in a managerial position currently handling direct reportees

Roles and Responsibilities:

- Develop new products for launch

- Understand need gaps basis market research, market feedback, business requirements, competition moves, global mandates & consumer feedback

- Facilitate rigorous testing and research on new products

- Ensure optimum costing of all ingredients by working closely with vendors & SCM team

- Ensure all new products meet technical, commercial, quality and production parameters

- Build a strong innovation pipeline

- Drive menu vision of the brand to meet set business goals over short and long term

- Adapt successful products from global markets.

- Drive transactions and profitability plans of the business through product solutions

- Spearhead taste leadership in category

- Champion sessions on culinary trends and ideas with supply partners

- Support Projects

- Liaisoning with global teams to ensure adherence of brand standards.

- Replication of ingredients for supply contingency and competitiveness

- Working with cross functional teams - SCM, QA and Restaurant Operations on projects

- Understanding of equipment and their operating procedures. Facilitate testing of new equipment and oversee development of new smallware to meet new product requirements