Project Chef - Cafe Concept & Kitchen Setup

Dharamkot Studio is a pottery studio and community art space that brings together art, craft, learning, and meaningful experiences. As part of our growing campus, we are developing an art cafe that reflects the same philosophysimple, thoughtful food served in a warm, creative environment.

We are looking for an experienced Project Chef to lead the complete setup of our cafe's food program over a 30-day project.

This is not a permanent kitchen position. It is a project-based role focused on creating a well-designed menu, setting up efficient kitchen systems, and training our team to independently operate the cafe after the project is complete.

Project Objectives

By the end of the project, you will have:

• Designed and tested a complete cafe menu.
• Developed standardized recipes and food costing.
• Set up practical kitchen systems and workflows.
• Trained the kitchen staff to execute the menu consistently.
• Handed over a kitchen ready for day-to-day operations.

Role & responsibilities

Cafe Concept & Menu Development

• Design a menu aligned with the vision and philosophy of an art cafe.
• Develop recipes that are simple, consistent, and easy to execute.
• Balance taste, presentation, food cost, and operational efficiency.
• Include vegetarian, vegan, and healthy options where appropriate.
• Test, refine, and finalize all recipes before launch.

Kitchen Setup

• Recommend an efficient kitchen workflow and layout.
• Help establish food preparation, storage, and service systems.
• Recommend equipment and kitchen tools where required.
• Develop practical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for daily kitchen operations.

Recipe Standardization

Prepare complete documentation including:

• Standard recipes
• Portion sizes
• Preparation methods
• Plating guidelines
• Ingredient specifications
• Food costing
• Daily prep lists

Staff Training

• Train the kitchen team on every menu item.
• Build consistency in taste, quality, and presentation.
• Train staff in hygiene, food safety, and kitchen organization.
• Ensure the team can confidently operate the kitchen independently by the end of the project.

Live Kitchen Supervision

• Supervise the kitchen during the initial operating period.
• Fine-tune recipes and workflows based on real service.
• Improve speed, consistency, and operational efficiency.

Preferred candidate profile

We're looking for someone who:

• Has experience setting up cafes, boutique restaurants, or hospitality projects.
• Has strong menu development and recipe standardization skills.
• Understands food costing and efficient kitchen operations.
• Enjoys training and mentoring kitchen teams.
• Can work independently and deliver a complete project within a defined timeline.
• Appreciates simple, high-quality food and thoughtful hospitality.

What We're Looking For

We are not looking for an overly complicated menu.

We are looking for a food program that is:

• Simple to execute
• Consistent in quality
• Operationally efficient
• Low in wastage
• Profitable
• Easy for a small team to maintain
• Aligned with the atmosphere of an art cafe