Senior New Product Development (NPD) Chef

About Calo
Calo is an app providing personalized meal plans for busy people through nutritional algorithms, built with love by chefs, nutritionists, and software engineers. 💚

Launched in Bahrain in 2019, we have since expanded to 5 countries in the region, delivered millions of meals to our customers, and launched our very own Grab & Go Cafe concepts.

We're on a noble mission to make healthy easy. We think this is one of the most important problems to tackle in our world today. We have global ambitions - no small thinking here. 

Role Overview

To function as a New Product Development (NPD) Chef for Calo and contribute to long-term food product development that aligns with the organizational goals and objectives.  e.g. new product development and the expansion of existing product lines. You’ll be working with the NPD team to formulate and test new recipes and to improve existing recipes. 

Main Responsibilities:

1. Product Development:
   • Design and develop new  Asian meal options that meet nutritional standards and cater to various dietary preferences (e.g., vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, High Protein, Balanced).
   • Formulate traditional  Asian recipes that balance flavor, texture, and nutritional value while adhering to cost and production constraints.
   • Oversee the creation and Modification of dishes, ensuring alignment with health and wellness trends in conjunction with the R&D team.
2. Market Research and Trend Analysis:
   • Stay abreast of the latest trends in South Asian  healthy eating, dietary needs, and consumer preferences.
   • Analyze customer feedback and market data to continuously improve and innovate meal offerings.
3. Collaboration and Coordination:
   • Collaborate with nutritionists and dietitians to ensure meal options are nutritionally balanced and meet dietary guidelines.
   • Coordinate with suppliers and procurement teams to source high-quality, health-conscious ingredients.
4. Documentation and Reporting:
   • Maintain detailed records of recipe development, ingredient sourcing, product testing.
   • Ensure all recipe methods and yields are accurate.
5. Quality and Compliance:
   • Ensure that all new meal products meet company quality standards and comply with relevant health and safety regulations.
   • Implement and monitor quality control procedures to maintain high standards of food safety and product consistency.
6. Innovation and Creativity:
   • Foster a culture of culinary creativity and innovation within the team, experimenting with new ingredients, cooking techniques, and presentation styles.
   • Develop unique and appealing meal options that enhance the subscription service’s value proposition and attract new customers.
7. Scaling:
   • Scale  the  Asian Dishes effectively with very little variance in flavor profile, taste and texture of the original recipe.
   • Document all scaling standards and with a picture process for the training team to build training documents.
   • Train the Training team on all the South Asian scaled dishes.

Ideal Candidate:

Qualifications

• Culinary Arts degree or equivalent qualification
• Minimum of 9-12 years experience in  Asian Cuisine.
• Must be a proficient communicator in English. Fluency in Arabic will be an advantage.
• Previous experience in Bulk cooking,  food manufacturing facility is a plus
• Obsessed with customer’s feedback and satisfaction

Knowledge & Competency

• Has had team-leading experiences and would be able to train the kitchen team
• Up-to-date with culinary trends and optimized kitchen processes
• Strong time-management skills
• Capable of delegating & managing multiple task
• Working knowledge of various computer software programs (MS Office, restaurant management software, POS, MMS )
• Advanced knowledge of healthy cooking techniques and nutritional requirements.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and launching innovative meal products.
• Strong creative and problem-solving skills, with a keen eye for detail.
• Proven ability to conduct audits and optimize operational processes.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.
• Proficiency in food safety, quality standards, and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and project management skills.

Personality

• Strong communicator 
• Ability to work both independently and in a team
• Eager to learn 
• Friendly and pleasant personality that can lead with empathy and patience 

Perks that come with this role: 

• The chance to build something extraordinary from the ground up
• Access to our mouthwatering meal subscriptions
• Competitive benefits and stock options
• Working with driven and extremely passionate colleagues in a growth-oriented culture