Job description
Join PT Selera Nikmat Nusantara as an R&D Specialist focused on Japanese cuisine. Based in Jakarta Raya, you will shape the future of our Japanese F&B offerings by driving end-to-end menu development. Your role blends culinary creativity with rigorous product testing, recipe standardization, and strategic execution to ensure consistent quality across all venues. You will translate market insights and guest feedback into innovative, scalable dishes that reflect our brand and delight diners while protecting margins and food safety.
You will collaborate with a cross-functional team including culinary leadership, procurement, QA, and operations to design new items, optimize costs, and integrate new menus into SOPs and training programs. You will conduct supplier negotiations and ingredient validation, conduct sensory analysis, define portioning and plating specs, and document standard operating procedures. You will monitor post-launch performance, iterating recipes based on data and guest response. You will stay current with Japanese culinary trends and adapt authentic techniques to the Indonesian palate, ensuring authenticity and consistency.
This is a growth role for a results-driven professional with excellent palate, project management, and cross-cultural communication skills. If you are passionate about Japanese flavors and building compelling menu experiences in a fast-paced hospitality environment, we want to hear from you.
Responsibility
- Lead end-to-end Japanese cuisine R&D initiatives from concept through product launch across outlets.
- Perform market and culinary research to identify trends and new ingredients suitable for the Indonesian market.
- Design and standardize recipes, portion sizes, cooking methods, and plating to ensure consistency and profitability.
- Plan and execute product trials, sensory evaluations, and scale-up testing with cross-functional teams.
- Collaborate with procurement to source high-quality ingredients and manage supplier relationships.
- Work with operations to integrate new menus into SOPs, training programs, and seasonal rollouts.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, QA programs, and brand standards.
- Monitor performance post-launch, gather feedback, and iterate recipes for continuous improvement.
Qualification
- Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, or a related field.
- 3+ years of experience in R&D or menu development in food service; Japanese cuisine experience preferred.
- Strong knowledge of Japanese cooking techniques, ingredients, and flavor profiles.
- Experience in recipe standardization, portion control, and menu costing.
- Excellent palate, sensory analysis, and problem-solving skills.
- Proven project management and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
- Ability to work in Jakarta and adapt to local market needs; fluent in English; Indonesian language a plus.