Culinary Operations Assistant Manager

Job Summary

The Culinary Operations Assistant Manager supports the daily operations of a food manufacturing and central kitchen facility, ensuring that food production is carried out efficiently, safely, and in accordance with production schedules, quality standards, food safety requirements, and customer specifications.

The role works closely with the Culinary, Production, Quality Assurance, Procurement, Warehouse, Logistics, and Maintenance teams to ensure smooth end-to-end production operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in overseeing the daily operations of the manufacturing and central kitchen.
• Coordinate daily production schedules and ensure production targets are met on time.
• Work closely with the culinary and production teams to ensure consistency in food quality, taste, portion size, and presentation.
• Monitor production processes, including food preparation, cooking, chilling, freezing, packing, labelling, and storage.
• Ensure strict compliance with approved recipes, product specifications, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Monitor raw material usage, production yields, portion control, and food wastage.
• Assist in manpower planning, staff deployment, and production workflow to improve operational efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, hygiene, HACCP, ISO 22000, Halal, SFA, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with the Quality Assurance team to ensure food safety and quality standards are consistently maintained.
• Coordinate with Procurement and Warehouse teams to ensure sufficient raw materials, ingredients, and packaging materials for production.
• Coordinate with the Logistics team to ensure finished products are prepared and ready for timely dispatch and delivery.
• Support inventory control and proper stock rotation using FIFO/FEFO practices.
• Assist in new product development, recipe trials, product testing, food tastings, and production scale-up.
• Support the implementation of new products from R&D or kitchen trials to full-scale commercial production.
• Identify production and operational issues and implement corrective and preventive actions where required.
• Ensure kitchen equipment and production machinery are properly maintained and report breakdowns or maintenance requirements promptly.
• Assist in training production and culinary staff on SOPs, food safety, hygiene, and production procedures.
• Maintain accurate production records, temperature records, wastage reports, and other required operational documentation.
• Participate in internal and external food safety, Halal, and certification audits when required.
• Assist management with cost control, productivity improvement, process improvement, and other operational initiatives.
• Perform any other ad hoc duties or projects assigned by management.

Requirements

• Diploma or Degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Food Technology, F&B Management, Hospitality, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• Relevant experience in a central kitchen, food manufacturing facility, catering production kitchen, or large-scale food production environment.
• Good understanding of large-scale food production processes and kitchen operations.
• Knowledge of cook-chill, cook-freeze, chilled and frozen food production would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of HACCP, ISO 22000, Halal, GMP, and food safety requirements is preferred.
• Strong leadership, planning, coordination, and problem-solving skills.
• Able to manage production schedules, manpower, and multiple operational priorities.
• Hands-on, proactive, and comfortable working in a fast-paced manufacturing kitchen environment.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work across different departments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.

Key Performance Areas

Production Efficiency: Achieving daily production targets and ensuring timely completion of production.

Food Quality: Maintaining consistency in taste, portioning, appearance, and product specifications.

Food Safety & Compliance: Ensuring compliance with food safety, hygiene, Halal, HACCP, ISO 22000, and regulatory requirements.

Cost & Waste Control: Monitoring food costs, production yields, wastage, and operational efficiency.

Team Management: Supporting manpower planning, staff training, productivity, and discipline.

Continuous Improvement: Identifying opportunities to improve production processes, product quality, efficiency, and cost control.