Senior Associate-Chef

Senior Associate - Chef

ICRISAT seeks applications from dynamic professionals for the position of Senior Associate – Chef – Indian Cuisine within Food Services under Corporate Services. The incumbent will prepare high-quality, authentic Indian cuisine for staff, guests, meetings, conferences and institutional events. Key responsibilities include menu planning, food preparation, kitchen hygiene, quality and portion control, and efficient service delivery in accordance with institutional standards. This position is based at Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organisation that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and Africa, working with partners around the world. Drylands cover about 45% of the world's land, are home to 2.3 billion people (one in three) and support 45–50% of the world's livestock. ICRISAT's vision is a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics.ICRISAT is headquartered in Patancheru, Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in Africa. Visit www.icrisat.org for more information.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• 
  
• Prepare Indian cuisine including breakfast, lunch, dinner and special menus as required.
• Handle bulk food preparation and catering operations, including preparation for a minimum of 100 pax independently.
• Demonstrate good culinary skills in Indian cooking, including cooking, seasoning, portioning and presentation.
• Perform daily food preparation activities such as:

o  Cutting and chopping

o  Vegetable and meat preparation

o  Thawing

o  Marination

o  Mise en place

o  Cooking and finishing

• Maintain consistency in food quality, taste, quantity and portion control.
• Follow approved recipes, menus and production requirements.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene of the kitchen, equipment and work areas.
• Follow basic food safety, personal hygiene and safe food handling practices.
• Support catering, events and special functions as required.
• Work effectively as part of the kitchen team and support other culinary sections when required.
• Willingness to work split shifts, extended hours, weekends and holidays, and to support special events or additional meal services, as required by operational needs.
• Commitment to work extended working hours or days when required due to business needs, events or operational requirements.
• Flexible to support extended operations and additional meal services.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage high-volume food production.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physically demanding kitchen duties.
• Ability to safely lift and move kitchen ingredients, utensils and equipment within reasonable workplace requirements.
• Willingness to work on weekends, holidays or special events as required by business operations.

Requirements:

• Diploma in Catering, Culinary Arts or Hotel Management, with at least four years of professional experience in preparing Indian cuisine.
• Sound knowledge of regional Indian cuisines, ingredients, cooking methods, seasoning, portioning and presentation standards.
• Experience in bulk catering / institutional food production.
• Ability to independently prepare food for at least 100 persons.
• Good knife skills and knowledge of basic food preparation.
• Knowledge of thawing, marination, preparation and storage practices.
• Basic knowledge of food safety and hygiene.
• Ability to follow recipes, production schedules and instructions.
• Good teamwork, discipline and time-management skills.
• Ability to maintain quality and consistency during high-volume operations.
• Basic computer proficiency, including the ability to use Windows and Microsoft Office applications for routine kitchen records, schedules and related documentation.

General:

This is a contractual role for a period of 36 months (03 years), renewable based on the performance of the incumbent and the institute’s continuing need for the position.

How to apply:

The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. All Applicants should apply with their latest Resume by 21 October 2026, along with the names and contact information of three references who are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Applicants must be nationals of the country of assignment or possess a valid work permit and legal authorization to work in the country to be eligible to apply for the position.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining a progressive and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether they have a disability.