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Job details:
Head Chef — Ember 8
Location: M3M 65th Avenue, Gurugram
Employment Type: Full-time
Work Mode: On-site
About Ember 8
Ember 8 is an upcoming contemporary café concept at M3M 65th Avenue, Gurugram.
We are building a modern café experience centred around quality food, crafted beverages, thoughtful hospitality and a distinctive guest experience.
As we prepare for our launch, we are looking for an experienced Head Chef who can take ownership of our culinary operations and help build the kitchen from the ground up.
About the Role
This is a hands-on leadership role for a chef who is passionate about menu creation, kitchen setup, team building and operational excellence.
The Head Chef will work closely with the founders to develop and finalise the food offering, establish kitchen systems and SOPs, recruit and train the kitchen team, and ensure consistent quality once operations begin.
Key Responsibilities
Menu Development
- Develop and finalise the Ember 8 food menu in collaboration with the founders.
- Create innovative yet commercially viable dishes.
- Develop standardised recipes and plating guidelines.
- Conduct menu trials, tastings and refinements.
- Balance creativity, food cost and operational feasibility.
Kitchen Setup & Operations
- Assist in setting up the kitchen prior to launch.
- Establish kitchen workflows, SOPs and operational standards.
- Create systems for food preparation, storage and service.
- Ensure smooth coordination between kitchen and front-of-house teams.
- Maintain high standards of hygiene, cleanliness and food safety.
Team Management
- Assist in hiring and building the kitchen team.
- Train, supervise and mentor kitchen staff.
- Allocate responsibilities and manage kitchen schedules.
- Maintain discipline, consistency and a positive kitchen culture.
Cost & Inventory Management
- Develop recipes with accurate portion sizes and food-cost calculations.
- Monitor food costs and minimise wastage.
- Manage inventory, stock levels and kitchen requirements.
- Coordinate with vendors and ensure quality of ingredients.
- Implement appropriate storage and wastage-control systems.
Quality Control
- Maintain consistency in taste, presentation and portioning.
- Conduct regular quality checks.
- Ensure all dishes are prepared according to standard recipes.
- Continuously evaluate and improve the menu.
Cuisine Exposure
We are looking for candidates with strong exposure to multiple cuisines, particularly:
- Indian
- Chinese
- Continental
- Japanese
Additional experience in contemporary café, Asian, Mediterranean or global café cuisine will be an advantage.
What We're Looking For
- Proven experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef, or equivalent senior culinary role.
- Strong experience in restaurant/café kitchen operations.
- Demonstrated experience in menu development.
- Previous experience in a new café/restaurant setup or opening will be highly preferred.
- Strong knowledge of food costing and recipe standardisation.
- Good understanding of kitchen hygiene and food safety.
- Strong leadership and team-management skills.
- Creative mindset combined with commercial understanding.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Strong communication and organisational skills.
Why Join Ember 8?
This is an opportunity to join the brand at an early stage and have a genuine influence on its culinary identity.
The selected candidate will have the opportunity to:
- Build the menu from the ground up.
- Shape the culinary identity of the brand.
- Build and lead the kitchen team.
- Establish kitchen systems and standards.
- Work directly with the founders.
- Play a key role in the launch and growth of Ember 8.
How to Apply
Please share your updated CV along with:
- Total years of experience
- Current/last designation
- Current/last CTC
- Expected CTC
- Notice period
- Current location
- Previous café/restaurant opening or setup experience
- Key cuisines you specialise in
- Examples of menus you have developed, if available
We are looking for someone who doesn't just want to run a kitchen, but wants to build one.
Click on Apply to know more.