Head Bakery Chef

Department: Bakery & Pastry
Designation: Head Bakery Chef
Reports To: Executive Chef / Head of Culinary / Operations Head
Industry: Premium Restaurant / Café / Hospitality
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: As per company requirements

1. Job Purpose

To lead and manage all bakery and pastry operations, ensuring consistent product quality, innovation, presentation, cost efficiency, food safety, and timely production. The Head Bakery Chef will oversee the development of bakery products, standardisation of recipes, production planning, inventory management, and training of the bakery team in line with the restaurant's quality standards and business objectives.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Bakery & Pastry Production

- Lead daily bakery and pastry production for the restaurant and café operations.
- Prepare and oversee the production of breads, croissants, sourdough, buns, cookies, cakes, brownies, tarts, pastries, desserts, and other bakery products as per the menu.
- Ensure consistency in taste, texture, portion size, freshness, and presentation.
- Develop and standardise recipes, preparation methods, and production specifications.
- Supervise dough preparation, fermentation, proofing, baking, cooling, finishing, and storage.
- Ensure all products meet established quality standards before dispatch or service.
- Introduce seasonal specials, new products, and creative bakery offerings.
- Conduct regular product tastings and quality checks.

B. Production Planning & Cost Control

- Prepare daily and weekly production plans based on sales forecasts, reservations, and business requirements.
- Maintain par levels and ensure timely availability of bakery products.
- Monitor ingredient consumption, portion control, yield, and production wastage.
- Calculate recipe costing, food cost percentages, and product profitability.
- Maintain standard recipe cards with ingredients, quantities, yields, preparation methods, and shelf life.
- Control overproduction, spoilage, and avoidable wastage.
- Coordinate with the purchase team to ensure quality ingredients are procured at competitive prices.

C. Team Leadership & Training

- Lead, supervise, and allocate responsibilities to bakery chefs, pastry chefs, commis, and bakery assistants.




- Prepare duty rosters and production schedules in coordination with management.
- Train team members in baking techniques, recipe execution, hygiene, equipment handling, and safety.
- Conduct performance reviews and identify training requirements.
- Maintain discipline, punctuality, grooming, and professional kitchen conduct.
- Build a collaborative team culture focused on quality, productivity, and continuous improvement.

D. Quality Assurance & Food Safety

- Ensure compliance with applicable FSSAI regulations and company food safety SOPs.
- Maintain personal hygiene, proper uniforms, and clean production practices.
- Ensure correct labelling, production dates, expiry dates, allergen identification, and stock rotation using FIFO/FEFO.
- Monitor temperature control, storage conditions, refrigeration, and freezing requirements.
- Prevent cross-contamination and maintain allergen-control procedures.
- Ensure proper cleaning and sanitisation of workstations, ovens, mixers, proofers, utensils, and storage areas.
- Maintain production, cleaning, temperature, and wastage records.

E. Equipment & Inventory Management

- Ensure proper operation and maintenance of ovens, mixers, refrigerators, freezers, proofers, and other bakery equipment.
- Report breakdowns and coordinate preventive maintenance.
- Monitor stock levels of flour, butter, chocolate, dairy products, yeast, sugar, packaging, and other ingredients.
- Verify ingredient quality and quantities upon receipt.
- Conduct regular stock counts and investigate discrepancies.
- Ensure economical use of ingredients and equipment.

F. Menu Development & Business Support

- Collaborate with the Executive Chef and management to develop bakery and dessert menus.
- Create innovative products aligned with the restaurant's brand positioning and target customers.
- Support new outlet openings, menu launches, product trials, and special events.




- Evaluate customer feedback and sales data to improve product offerings.
- Work with the service and marketing teams on product launches, seasonal promotions, and retail bakery products.

3. Qualifications & Experience

- Diploma or degree in Bakery, Patisserie, Culinary Arts, or Hotel Management preferred.
- Minimum 5–8 years of relevant bakery and pastry experience, including at least 2–3 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
- Experience in a premium restaurant, specialty café, artisan bakery, hotel, or central kitchen preferred.
- Strong knowledge of artisan breads, sourdough, viennoiserie, cakes, pastries, cookies, and desserts.
- Proven experience in recipe standardisation, costing, production planning, and inventory management.
- Knowledge of food safety, hygiene standards, and applicable FSSAI requirements.

4. Required Skills & Competencies

- Advanced baking and pastry techniques.
- Strong leadership and team-management skills.
- Excellent product consistency and attention to detail.
- Recipe development and menu innovation.
- Food costing, yield management, and wastage control.
- Production forecasting and time management.
- Inventory control and vendor coordination.
- Problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet production deadlines.

5. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

- Product quality, consistency, freshness, and presentation.
- Bakery food cost percentage against approved targets.
- Production wastage and spoilage percentage.
- Availability of products as per the production plan.
- Recipe and portion-control compliance.
- Customer feedback and product acceptance.
- Food safety, hygiene, and kitchen audit scores.
- Team productivity, training, and staff retention.
- New product development and successful menu launches.
- Equipment maintenance and inventory accuracy.

6. Working Conditions

- Full-time role with rotational shifts as per operational requirements.
- Early morning, evening, weekend, and public holiday shifts may be required.
- Ability to work in a hot kitchen environment and stand for extended periods.
- Must follow all kitchen safety, grooming, and hygiene requirements.

Pay: ₹80,000.00 per month

Perks:

- Food provided

Work Location: In person

📌 Bakery head chef (Mumbai)
🏢 EARTH CAFE
📍 Mumbai