Senior R&D Chef Modern Vegetarian Cuisine

Job Description: Senior R&D Chef – Modern Vegetarian Cuisine

Location: New Delhi, India

Department: Culinary / Research & Development

Position: Senior R&D Chef

About the Opportunity

An exciting opportunity awaits an innovative and forward-thinking Senior R&D Chef to lead culinary research, menu innovation, and concept development for a modern vegetarian restaurant concept in New Delhi.

We are looking for a passionate culinary professional who combines creativity, technical expertise, and a strong understanding of evolving global food trends to create distinctive vegetarian dining experiences. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the restaurant's culinary identity, developing innovative menus, and establishing the concept as a leading destination for contemporary vegetarian cuisine.

This role is ideal for a chef who challenges conventional thinking, experiments with ingredients and techniques, and transforms creative ideas into commercially successful dishes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Culinary Innovation & Menu Development

• Research and develop innovative vegetarian dishes inspired by global cuisines, emerging food trends, and contemporary dining concepts.
• Create distinctive menus that combine creativity, flavour, presentation, and consistency.
• Explore modern cooking techniques, ingredient combinations, textures, fermentation, plant-based alternatives, and innovative food presentation.
• Develop signature dishes that establish a unique culinary identity for the restaurant.
• Introduce seasonal menus, tasting menus, chef's specials, and new dining experiences.

2. Research & Development

• Lead end-to-end culinary R&D, from initial concept and recipe creation to testing, tasting, refinement, and final implementation.
• Experiment with new ingredients, cooking methods, flavour profiles, and contemporary culinary technologies where appropriate.
• Conduct product trials and sensory evaluations to ensure the highest standards of taste, texture, appearance, and quality.
• Develop and maintain standardised recipes, preparation methods, portion specifications, and plating guidelines.
• Stay ahead of international food trends and identify opportunities to introduce fresh ideas to the Indian vegetarian dining market.

3. Concept Development & Culinary Strategy

• Work closely with the management team to translate the restaurant's vision into a compelling culinary offering.
• Help position the restaurant as an innovative destination for modern vegetarian cuisine.
• Identify opportunities to differentiate the concept from traditional vegetarian restaurants through creativity, storytelling, ingredients, and presentation.
• Develop a strong balance between culinary experimentation, customer expectations, and commercial viability.
• Contribute ideas for future menu extensions, signature experiences, and potential concept expansion.

4. Costing & Commercial Performance

• Develop accurate recipe costing, portion control standards, and target food-cost structures.
• Source innovative ingredients while maintaining quality and financial sustainability.
• Evaluate ingredient availability, seasonality, wastage, and supplier capabilities.
• Ensure new dishes are commercially viable, scalable, and suitable for consistent execution during high-volume service.
• Collaborate with procurement and operations teams to improve efficiency and profitability.

5. Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and mentor culinary team members involved in research, testing, and menu execution.
• Collaborate with executive chefs, operations, procurement, and restaurant management to implement new menus successfully.
• Train kitchen teams on new recipes, techniques, plating standards, and quality expectations.
• Ensure all new dishes can be reproduced consistently across service periods and, where applicable, future outlets.

6. Quality, Hygiene & Compliance

• Maintain the highest standards of food safety, hygiene, and kitchen organisation.
• Ensure consistency in flavour, presentation, portion size, and overall dining experience.
• Establish clear quality-control procedures for new product development and menu implementation.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience as a Senior R&D Chef, Head Chef, Innovation Chef, Development Chef, or in a similar senior culinary role.
• Strong experience in modern vegetarian cuisine, contemporary Indian cuisine, innovative plant-based dining, or other relevant modern culinary concepts.
• A demonstrable track record of developing original dishes, successful menus, and distinctive restaurant concepts.
• Strong knowledge of global food trends, modern cooking techniques, ingredient innovation, and contemporary presentation.
• Experience in recipe development, food costing, menu engineering, supplier coordination, and product testing.
• A creative mindset combined with strong commercial awareness and operational understanding.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• The ability to turn experimental culinary ideas into practical, scalable, and commercially successful dishes.
• A strong portfolio of original dishes, menus, or previous R&D projects will be highly advantageous.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a culinary innovator who thinks beyond conventional vegetarian cooking and understands how to create a memorable, contemporary dining experience.

The ideal candidate will combine creativity, culinary science, global inspiration, and commercial thinking to build a distinctive food proposition that attracts customers, generates excitement, and sets new standards in modern vegetarian dining.

Candidates from progressive restaurants, premium dining concepts, innovative Indian restaurants, contemporary plant-based kitchens, or established culinary R&D teams are encouraged to apply.

What This Role Offers

• The opportunity to shape the culinary identity of an exciting modern vegetarian restaurant concept.
• Creative freedom to experiment with ingredients, techniques, and emerging food trends.
• A senior leadership position with the opportunity to influence menu strategy and concept development.
• The platform to develop signature dishes and create a distinctive position in India's evolving dining landscape.

Interested candidates: Please share your updated CV along with a portfolio of signature dishes, innovative menus, and relevant R&D projects.

Confidential recruitment | New Delhi, India