Job Description

Ready to shape food that moves from kitchen bench to mass production? Join our team and bring creative, reliable cooking to a wider audience by working with us at jj asia manufacturing sdn bhd, where we develop and produce food products for local markets and commercial clients.

As Head Chef you will build menus and kitchen systems that scale, move recipes from test kitchen to production, and set standards for taste, cost, and consistency. You will lead cooks, improve processes, and make sure every batch meets quality and flavour expectations.

Your Growth & Impact

• Lead kitchen-to-production projects and expand your portfolio across commercial food lines.
• Elevate your management skills by guiding a mixed team of cooks and production staff.
• Expand your professional network with suppliers, QA teams, and production planners.
• Build measurable experience in cost control and food manufacturing operations.
• Develop a clear path toward senior operations or product roles within a food manufacturer.

Job Requirements

Responsibilities

Kitchen Leadership

• Organise daily kitchen operations, assign stations and manage shift rosters to meet production targets.
• Coach and develop a team of cooks and supervisors to maintain consistent standards and safe working habits.
• Run regular briefings and practical training so new recipes and SOPs are understood and followed.
• Resolve staff issues quickly to keep the kitchen focused and productive.

Production & Quality

• Translate test kitchen recipes into repeatable production procedures for batch cooking and packaging.
• Oversee quality checks at key stages to ensure flavour, texture and food safety meet specifications.
• Coordinate with QA and production planners to address deviations and reduce waste.
• Monitor ingredient yields and storage to optimise shelf life and minimise cost.

Menu, Cost Control & Planning

• Design and refine product recipes with clear portioning and costing for scalable runs.
• Work with procurement to select suppliers and negotiate ingredient costs without sacrificing quality.
• Lead menu trials, sensory panels and adjustments until products meet customer and regulatory needs.
• Create production schedules that balance demand, lead times and kitchen capacity.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 5 years of culinary experience with at least 3 years in a supervisory or head role in a commercial kitchen or food production environment.
• Formal culinary qualification or equivalent practical experience in commercial cooking.
• Proven track record of delivering consistent recipes and managing shift-based teams.
• Experience with Malaysian cuisine and large-batch cooking is preferred.

Hard Skills & Knowledge

• Strong cooking and recipe development skills, including portioning and scaling for production.
• Knowledge of food safety standards, HACCP principles and basic quality control methods.
• Familiarity with inventory management, cost control and basic food cost calculations.
• Comfortable using digital tools for scheduling, stock tracking and recipe documentation.

Soft Skills & Qualities

• Excellent team leadership and communication, able to motivate a diverse kitchen crew.
• Self-motivation, self-discipline and self-confidence to manage pressure during peak production.
• Good organisation and strategic planning to balance quality, cost and deadlines.
• Professional attitude towards compliance, punctuality and continuous improvement.

Skills