Executive Chef

Job Title: Executive Chef – Culinary R&D

Location: Dubai, UAE
Company: Eatopia Group
Industry: Hospitality / Food & Beverage

Job Summary

Eatopia Group is seeking an experienced and creative Executive Chef to develop and launch a new all-day dining concept in Dubai. This is an R&D-focused leadership role for a chef who can create an innovative menu, develop recipes from scratch and build a complete kitchen operation from the ground up.

The ideal candidate will combine culinary creativity with strong commercial understanding, bringing together global cuisines, bold flavours, seasonal ingredients and modern cooking techniques to create memorable, flavour-driven food.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead culinary research and development, including menu creation, recipe testing, standardisation and refinement.
• Develop a plant-forward, globally inspired all-day menu using local and seasonal ingredients.
• Bring together Asian, Indian/South Asian and Middle Eastern culinary influences, complemented by contemporary global cooking techniques.
• Create innovative flavour combinations featuring fermentation, smokiness, acidity, tanginess, herbs and deep savoury notes.
• Balance comfort food and indulgence with freshness, nutrition, texture and creative presentation.
• Develop recipes that are consistent, cost-effective, scalable and suitable for delivery.
• Conduct food costing, ingredient trials, supplier evaluation and sourcing to ensure commercial viability.
• Design and establish the kitchen from scratch, including layout, equipment selection, preparation systems, recipe specifications and food-safety standards.
• Recruit, train, mentor and lead the back-of-house team, fostering a collaborative and creative kitchen culture.
• Manage food costs, inventory, preparation planning, supplier relationships and operational budgets.
• Implement waste-reduction practices, ingredient utilisation, fermentation and preservation techniques where appropriate.
• Collaborate with the founders, brand team and restaurant operations team to establish a distinctive culinary identity.
• Support the concept launch and ensure the kitchen is fully prepared for opening.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Minimum 6+ years of experience in professional kitchen leadership.
• Proven experience in culinary R&D, menu innovation and recipe development.
• Previous experience launching or opening at least one restaurant from the concept or development stage.
• Strong knowledge of international cuisines, particularly Asian, Indian/South Asian and Middle Eastern culinary influences.
• Expertise in flavour development, modern cooking techniques, fermentation, ingredient pairing and texture.
• Experience in food costing, recipe standardisation, sourcing and supplier management.
• Understanding of kitchen design, workflow planning, food safety and team development.
• Experience developing menus for delivery and high-volume operations is an advantage.
• Strong leadership, communication, organisation and problem-solving skills.
• A creative mindset combined with commercial awareness and attention to detail.

Preferred Candidate Profile

We are looking for a chef who enjoys creating something new rather than simply managing an established menu. The ideal candidate will be passionate about experimenting with flavours, exploring culinary influences across cultures and translating creative ideas into commercially successful dishes.

Candidates with experience in chef-driven casual dining, open-kitchen concepts, locally sourced ingredients and restaurant launches will be preferred.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with opportunities for professional growth.
• A leadership role with genuine ownership of menu development and culinary direction.
• The opportunity to build a new food concept and kitchen operation from the ground up.
• Visa sponsorship and relocation support, where applicable.
• Potential for a long-term growth partnership for the right candidate.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit their updated CV along with a brief description of one original dish they would propose for this concept and why it would be a good fit to 054926273

Join us to create an innovative food concept that brings together global culinary influences, bold flavours and memorable dining experiences.

Pay: AED14,500.00 - AED16,500.00 per month

Work Location: In person