Executive Chef

A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER

"I'm building CACO & CO. from scratch, and I'm looking for the experienced chef who will define how it tastes. If you've ever wanted to build a chocolate brand from the first recipe up, with the tools, backing and freedom to do it right, I'd love to talk."

– Shaishav Mittal, Founder

**ABOUT US

CACO & CO. is a new-age, offline-retail luxury chocolate brand from the Lovely Group, the parent company behind Lovely Professional University, Lovely Autos, Lovely Sweets and Lovely Bake Studio. Backed by the Group's strength and built with a fresh, modern outlook, CACO & CO. becomes the ultimate destination that brings together artisanal chocolates, a signature chocolate beverage bar, specialty coffee, a 100% eggless patisserie and curated luxury gifting under one roof, crafted for indulging, celebrating and gifting.

Our Vision: To become India's most-loved chocolate brand, part of how India celebrates, sips and treats itself.

Our Mission: Crafted without compromise.

ROLE OVERVIEW**

• Role level: Senior leadership; leads the kitchen and production unit

• Reports to: Founder (founding role, direct access)

• Experience: Minimum 10 years, including senior kitchen and team leadership

• Qualification: Culinary degree or diploma; international training preferred

• Compensation: ₹2.5–3.0 lakh per month fixed, based on experience. Over and above it, you earn incentives directly linked to your product innovation and the revenue it generates: the more people love what you create, the more you earn.

**ROLE PURPOSE

This is the most important hire we will make. The Executive Chef is the creative and commercial heart of CACO & CO.: every chocolate, bake and gift that carries our name begins in your kitchen, and the brand's success rests on what you create. You will define how the brand tastes, and build the kitchen that makes it: a brand-new production unit with a Selmi line, set up from scratch, run to world-class standards and scaled for every festive peak.

WHY THIS ROLE IS DIFFERENT**

• Built from scratch: a brand-new Selmi line in a production unit built from the ground up

• Your recipe, our brand: you write the first recipe, and your craft will define the brand

• World-class training: at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy or with Selmi in Italy

• Bean to bar: visit Indian cacao farms to build our bean-to-bar line

WHAT YOU'LL CREATE (TENTATIVE RANGE)

• Bonbons and truffles: global and Indian flavours, in 6, 12 and 24-piece boxes

• Bars: a main collection and an Indian-origin bean-to-bar line

• Pralines, gianduja and spreads

• Dragées, barks, clusters and thins

• Chocolate beverages: hot, cold and signature drinks, plus retail mixes

• Eggless pâtisserie and bakes

• Festive collections: Valentine's Day, Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, Christmas and more

• Corporate gifting and weddings: logo chocolates, hampers and favours

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Product innovation and R&D

• Develop and perfect the full range across chocolate, pâtisserie, eggless bakery and gifting, plus beverage R&D.

• Create global and Indian flavours, with the discipline to make every recipe repeatable.

Production set-up and operations

• Set up the production unit: equipment, workflows and capacity, including the Selmi line.

• Plan daily and weekly production to meet demand, and scale for festive and corporate gifting peaks.

Quality, food safety and shelf life

• Own SOPs, quality, shelf life and FSSAI and HACCP compliance, including 100% eggless integrity.

Leadership and talent

• Hire, train and lead the chocolate, pastry and bakery team, with a clear skills matrix and succession plan.

Commercial ownership

• Cost every recipe with Finance; control food cost, yield and wastage; scale the winners and retire slow movers.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Essential

• Minimum 10 years in premium chocolate, pâtisserie or bakery, with team leadership.

• Mastery of tempering, ganache, bonbons, moulding and enrobing.

• Hands-on bean-to-bar: roasting, winnowing, refining, conching.

• European chocolate machinery, incl. one-shot depositor lines.

• Has set up or scaled production; knows food cost, HACCP, FSSAI.

• A palate for Indian flavours, and a calm, inspiring leader.

Preferred

• 3–5 years leading a kitchen as Head Chef or above.

• Selmi machinery experience.

• International training (see below).

• Eggless pâtisserie, entremets and viennoiserie.

• Luxury hotels, patisseries or chocolate brands.

• Large-scale festive and corporate gifting.

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING WE VALUE

International training is not mandatory, but it is a strong advantage. We particularly value certifications and professional courses from:

• Le Cordon Bleu: Diplôme de Pâtisserie; Grand Diplôme

• École Ducasse – ENSP, Yssingeaux: French Chocolate and Confectionery Arts Diploma

• L'École Valrhona: professional chocolate and pâtisserie courses

• Callebaut Chocolate Academy: professional chocolate and confectionery courses

• FERRANDI Paris / Institut Paul Bocuse: professional pâtisserie programmes

• French national certifications: CAP Pâtissier; CAP Chocolatier-Confiseur

• City & Guilds (UK): Diploma in Professional Patisserie and Confectionery

• Academy of Pastry & Culinary Arts: professional pâtisserie and chocolate diplomas

Participation in the World Chocolate Masters, the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie or WorldSkills is also valued. Strong Indian training, such as a hotel management degree or a professional pâtisserie diploma, is equally welcome.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Relocation support and housing assistance.

• Annual R&D and learning budget, incl. international training.

• A founding role, with direct access to the Founder.

• A clear path to Director of Production as we expand.

**HOW TO APPLY

Email your CV (PDF or Word) to [email protected]

Subject line: Executive Chef – Caco & Co.

Please include a portfolio of 5 to 8 signature creations, details of any international training, your current and expected compensation, and your notice period.**