HEAD CHEF

Company: Goldstone Hospitality Private Limited

Brand: SOMARA

Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Department: Culinary / Kitchen

Employment Type: Full-Time

Reports To: General Manager / Business Head

About SOMARA

SOMARA is a contemporary global-cuisine restrobar being developed by Goldstone Hospitality, combining sophisticated dining, innovative beverages, premium ambience and a modern hospitality experience.

We are looking for an experienced and creative Head Chef who can lead the culinary operations of SOMARA and establish a strong, consistent and commercially successful food identity.

Role Overview

The Head Chef will be responsible for the complete culinary function of SOMARA, including menu development, kitchen operations, food quality, presentation, food cost control, procurement coordination, hygiene standards, kitchen team management and training.

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in premium restaurants, restro-bars, hotels or high-volume contemporary dining, with the ability to create globally inspired food while understanding local customer preferences.

Key Responsibilities

1. Culinary Leadership

- Lead and manage the complete kitchen operation.
- Establish and maintain SOMARA’s culinary standards.
- Develop innovative, visually appealing and commercially viable dishes.
- Ensure consistency in taste, portion size, presentation and quality.
- Maintain high standards during both regular service and peak hours.

2. Menu Development

- Develop and refine the food menu in collaboration with management.
- Create signature dishes and hero products for SOMARA.
- Develop recipes, preparation methods, portion sizes and plating standards.
- Introduce seasonal and promotional menus when required.
- Continuously evaluate menu performance and customer feedback.
- Ensure the menu is suitable for the Lucknow market while maintaining a global positioning.

3. Kitchen Operations

- Plan daily kitchen operations and production.
- Establish mise-en-place systems and kitchen SOPs.
- Ensure smooth coordination between kitchen, service and management teams.
- Monitor food preparation and service during operating hours.
- Minimise wastage,



overproduction and operational inefficiencies.

4. Food Cost & Inventory

- Maintain food cost within approved targets.
- Prepare recipe costing and portion-cost calculations.
- Monitor food consumption and wastage.
- Coordinate with purchase and stores teams.
- Ensure proper storage, FIFO and inventory rotation.
- Identify opportunities to improve margins without compromising quality.

5. Team Management

- Recruit, train and develop kitchen staff.
- Allocate duties and prepare kitchen rosters.
- Conduct regular training and performance evaluations.
- Maintain discipline and professional kitchen culture.
- Develop SOPs and training systems for all kitchen sections.
- Build a strong and reliable culinary team.

6. Hygiene & Food Safety

- Maintain strict kitchen hygiene and sanitation standards.
- Ensure compliance with applicable food-safety regulations and FSSAI requirements.
- Monitor food storage temperatures and handling procedures.
- Conduct regular cleaning and hygiene checks.
- Ensure proper personal hygiene and grooming standards for kitchen staff.

7. Procurement & Vendor Coordination

- Coordinate with management and purchase teams regarding ingredients and supplies.
- Evaluate ingredient quality and consistency.
- Assist in vendor selection and product trials.
- Approve samples and maintain quality specifications for key ingredients.
- Develop alternative ingredients/products where required without affecting the final dish.

8. Quality Control

- Conduct daily tasting and quality checks.
- Monitor consistency across every service.
- Establish standard recipes and plating guides.
- Investigate customer complaints relating to food quality.
- Implement corrective measures immediately.

9. Financial & Commercial Responsibility





- Work closely with management to achieve food-cost and profitability targets.
- Analyse menu performance and identify high-performing and low-performing dishes.
- Recommend menu engineering strategies.
- Control labour utilisation and kitchen operating expenses.
- Maintain a balance between premium quality and commercial viability.

Required Skills

- Strong culinary and kitchen-management skills
- Menu planning and development
- Global cuisine knowledge
- Recipe development
- Food costing
- Portion control
- Kitchen SOP development
- Inventory management
- Food safety and hygiene
- Team leadership
- Staff training
- Vendor coordination
- Quality control
- Menu engineering
- Plating and presentation
- Cost control
- Problem-solving
- High-volume kitchen management

Preferred Experience

- 5–10+ years of professional culinary experience.
- Previous experience as Head Chef / Executive Chef / Sous Chef in a premium restaurant, restrobar, hotel or high-end hospitality operation.
- Experience with contemporary/global cuisine.
- Experience in launching a recent restaurant or kitchen will be highly valued.
- Experience managing a sizeable kitchen team.
- Strong understanding of food costing and kitchen profitability.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a chef who is:

- Creative but commercially practical.
- Extremely particular about food quality and consistency.
- Strong in leadership and team management.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.
- Customer-focused and open to feedback.
- Capable of building a kitchen from the ground up.
- Passionate about creating signature dishes and memorable food experiences.
- Comfortable working closely with the management and business team.

Performance Expectations

The Head Chef will be expected to establish:

Excellent Food Quality + Consistency + Strong Kitchen Systems + Controlled Food Cost + High Hygiene Standards + Efficient Team + Distinctive SOMARA Food Identity

The successful candidate will play a key role in making SOMARA’s food a major part of the brand experience.

Pay: ₹75,000.00 - ₹150,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person

📌 Head Chef (Lucknow)
🏢 Goldstone Hospitality
📍 Lucknow