R&D Chef📣 Job Ad

About the R&D Chef Role at Ghithaa

Ghithaa is seeking a creative and experienced R&D Chef to lead the development of innovative, healthy, and commercially viable food products. This full-time position, based in Makkah (Jeddah, Makkah), involves overseeing the entire product development lifecycle from concept to launch, ensuring adherence to Ghithaa’s quality, nutritional, operational, and profitability standards. The role requires 2-5 years of experience in product development or R&D within the food industry.

Core Responsibilities

The R&D Chef will be responsible for a range of critical tasks to drive product innovation and success:

• Developing innovative meal concepts, seasonal menus, and new product lines.
• Conducting recipe development, kitchen trials, product testing, and refinement.
• Standardizing recipes with precise ingredient specifications, yields, cooking methods, and portion sizes.
• Validating recipes for large-scale production, ensuring consistency, quality, and food safety.
• Collaborating with Procurement and Finance to optimize recipe costs and achieve target margins.
• Ensuring compliance with SFDA regulations, HACCP principles, and company food safety standards.
• Evaluating product packaging, shelf life, transportation, and customer experience.
• Analyzing market trends, customer preferences, and competitor products to inform innovation strategies.
• Working closely with Operations, Production, Quality Assurance, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to support successful product launches.
• Continuously improving existing products based on performance, customer feedback, and operational needs.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree or professional qualification in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Nutrition, or a related field.
• A minimum of 3–5 years of experience in Product Development or R&D within the food industry.
• Experience in Central Kitchens, Meal Subscription, Cloud Kitchens, Catering, or Food Manufacturing environments.

Technical and Soft Skills

The role requires a strong foundation in specific technical areas and effective interpersonal skills:

• Proficiency in recipe development and standardization.
• Knowledge of food costing and yield management.
• Understanding of product lifecycle management.
• Experience with nutritional analysis and labeling.
• Familiarity with shelf-life and packaging validation processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets; experience with ERP or recipe management software is advantageous.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, SFDA regulations, and food safety systems.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and project management skills.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in Arabic is a plus.

Work Location and Type

This is a full-time position located in the Makkah region, with responsibilities spanning across Jeddah and Makkah. The role is integral to the operational success of Ghithaa's product development initiatives.