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- Tasks: Lead food development, ensuring quality and innovation across all menu offerings.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at itsu, known for healthy Asian cuisine.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, benefits, and performance bonuses.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on food quality and sustainability in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in food science or culinary arts, with strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Opportunity to work in a vibrant London location with career growth potential.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Menu management & commercial performance: Structure and maintain the food development calendar, conduct competitor analysis, and ensure menu offerings align with commercial requirements and brand standards.
- Innovation through NPD & EPD across all food and drink ranges
- Quality consistency through quality management
- Process & simplicity improvement
- Skills & knowledge enhancement
- Delivering our health strategy
- Clean ingredients declarations and UPI removal
- Nutritional reporting
- Delivering against agreed nutritional targets
- Organise & structure the itsu food development meetings
- Ensure all food development is aligned to deliver customer, marketing and commercial requirements
- Maintain an annual food development calendar to feed into commercial and planning calendar
- Implement structured reviews of current menus & offer, considering competitors to identify areas for improvement and ensure adherence to quality standards (taste, texture, presentation)
- Ensure all products are validated to allow consistent delivery across all shop formats
- Building routes to operational simplicity that will drive simplicity and quality standards, continually working to simplicity KPI’s
- Work within the planning cycles to ensure all projects are delivered on time and on brand
- Maintain all recipe information is accurate with Starchef
- Validate all food service equipment to be fit for purpose to maintain itsu’s high quality food standards
- Work with marketing and supply chain to define and deliver standards, ensuring all ingredients meet itsu sustainable sourcing and clean labelling requirements as agreed
- Define & deliver nutritional improvements across all food products to meet nutritional goals
- Contribute actively to itsu’s sustainability commitments by promoting and including ethical use of ingredients and driving initiatives to reduce the environmental impact within the food development process
- Manage the nutritional data for the business allowing up to date reporting
- Collaborate with the supply chain/technical department to ensure the sourcing of high-quality ingredients and their consistency
- Oversee the development and implementation of validation, including product testing, sensory evaluation, and shelf-life
- Work with Ops to develop and implement food quality control processes across all itsu locations, building knowledge and empowerment through monthly quality focuses
- Work with L&D to embed key quality training within the development pathways for each role
- Engage with the safety team to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to food safety and quality
- Work with technical & supply/procurement teams to ensure an up-to-date risk assessed ingredient review plan is in place
- Ensure products are reviewed against the risk assessment alongside technical to ensure supplier quality standards are met
- Track all complaints and utilise this to drive quality improvement at suppliers and via restaurants
A bachelor's degree or higher in food science, nutrition, culinary arts, or a related field preferred. Proven experience in a similar role within the food industry, preferably in a retail or restaurant setting. In-depth knowledge of food quality control processes, regulations, and industry standards. Familiarity with cold and hot menu development, drinks, snacks, and desserts. Experience in managing and collaborating with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders. Strong leadership and management abilities to lead a food & quality team. Excellent organisational and planning skills to implement control processes and improvements. Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with various departments. Attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high-quality standards. Ability to stay updated with industry trends and emerging technologies. Passion for Asian & healthy food. Commitment for delivering exceptional quality to customers. Proactive, innovative, and commercial approach to generating new ideas and implementing improvements. Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Strong problem-solving skills to address any issues related to food quality. Adaptable and flexible mindset to adjust to changing business needs.
Salary: Competitive salary, benefits and bonus (package discussed on application)
Location: Carlisle Place London, United Kingdom
Head of Food employer: Itsu Limited
Contact Detail:
Itsu Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Food
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the food industry, especially those who work at itsu or similar companies. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info that could help you stand out.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion for food! When you get the chance to meet potential employers, share your ideas about menu innovation or quality improvements. Let them see your enthusiasm for Asian and healthy food—it'll make you memorable!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching itsu’s current menu and any recent changes in their food development strategy. Being knowledgeable about their offerings will show you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re keen on being part of the itsu team right from the start.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Food
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Food role. Highlight your experience in menu management, food quality control, and any innovative projects you've led. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share your passion for Asian and healthy food, and explain how you can contribute to our sustainability commitments. Let us know why you're the perfect fit for our team.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive quality and innovation. Use metrics where possible to show how you've made an impact in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Itsu Limited
✨Know Your Menu Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you’re familiar with itsu’s current menu offerings. Understand the ingredients, nutritional values, and how they align with the brand's health strategy. This will show your passion for food and your commitment to quality.
✨Showcase Your Innovation Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully introduced new products or improved existing ones in previous roles. Highlight your experience with NPD (New Product Development) and EPD (Existing Product Development) to demonstrate your ability to innovate while maintaining quality standards.
✨Understand the Competition
Conduct a competitor analysis before your interview. Be ready to discuss what you think itsu can do better than its competitors and how you would approach menu management to enhance commercial performance. This shows you’re proactive and have a strategic mindset.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Leadership
Be prepared to talk about your experience working with cross-functional teams. Share specific instances where you led a team or collaborated with marketing and supply chain to achieve common goals. This will highlight your leadership skills and ability to work under pressure.
