The Executive Chef (Food Engineering Focus) is responsible for leading large- scale production of savory Vietnamese and Western cuisine, butchery, and ready- to- eat meals while integrating modern food engineering, sustainability, and dietary inclusivity into daily operations.
This role blends culinary mastery with financial, operational, and R&D leadership. The Executive Chef ensures scalable recipe execution, cost efficiency, manpower productivity, food safety compliance, and innovation that addresses today’s consumer trends—including plant- based diets, vegetarian offerings, and dietary needs such as Halal and Kosher.
Planning & Budgeting
Contribute to long- term capacity planning to meet store expansion, partnerships, and B2B opportunities.
Track productivity KPIs (output per FTE, yield per batch) and drive improvements.
Identify cost- saving opportunities through recipe optimization, by- product utilization, and supplier negotiations.
Support the Head of Production in developing annual production plans, manpower forecasts, budgets, and Capex, ensuring alignment with growth and automation strategies.
Manage food cost, labor cost, and productivity to meet budget targets.
Culinary & Production Leadership
Collaborate closely with Supply Chain, QA/QC, Marketing, and Operations to ensure seamless alignment of production with business needs.
Oversee and train teams in advanced culinary techniques (e.g., sous- vide, smoking, braising, steaming, grilling) as well as core chef skills and product knowledge, ensuring store- based associates meet brand standards.
Lead operations in commissary across various sections: receiving, hot kitchen, butchery, soups, sauces, grills, and RTE lines, product waste lines.
Mentor chefs, butchers, and line cooks to strengthen technical, cultural, and leadership skills.
Ensure consistent production of authentic, premium ingredients and RTE products, balancing traditional recipes with efficiency at scale.
Create a team culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Food Engineering & Operational Excellence
Monitor yields, batch performance, and process productivity with data- driven controls.
Integrate automation and advanced technologies (combi steaming, pressure cooking, sous vide cooking, vacuum, MAP, pasteurization, freezing).
Lead HACCP, ISO, and cold chain programs across production, conducting audits, enforcing SOPs, and aligning with export standards.
Design and optimize food processing layouts and workflows to maximize efficiency, safety, and scalability.
Standardize recipes for high- volume production while maintaining flavor, nutrition and consistency.
Ensure hygiene systems and in- store compliance, including dietary and religious requirements (Halal, Kosher, vegetarian), in coordination with the Hygiene & Sanitation Manager.
Supervise protein handling from receiving to finished goods, ensuring portion control, cold chain compliance, yield optimization, and by- product utilization.
Innovation, Sustainability & Consumer Trends
Lead initiatives in energy efficiency, water usage reduction, sustainable sourcing, and eco- friendly packaging/storage solutions.
Integrate health- conscious, functional, and sustainable food solutions.
Stay ahead of global and local food trends (clean label, organic, low- carb, wellness- driven).
Research and develop plant- based and vegetarian options to meet modern dietary trends.
Ensure inclusiveness in offerings by addressing Halal, Kosher, Vegan, allergen- free, and other dietary requirements.
Develop and implement waste reduction and sustainability programs for raw, cooked, and packaging materials.
Conduct trials and validations for automation, shelf- life extension, and consumer acceptance.
Partner with NGOs and community partners for food donation initiatives.
Collaborate with relevant stakeholders and suppliers to design scalable savory recipes and detect/respond to consumer trends.
