New Product Development chef

About Calo

Calo is an app providing personalized meal plans for busy people through nutritional algorithms, built with love by chefs, nutritionists, and software engineers.

Launched in Bahrain in 2019, we have since expanded to 5 countries in the region, delivered millions of meals to our customers, and launched our very own Grab & Go Cafe concepts, on demand delivery and retail marketplace

We're on a noble mission to make healthy easy. We think this is one of the most important problems to tackle in our world today. We have global ambitions - no small thinking here.

Role Overview

To function as a New Product Development (NPD) Chef for Calo Qatar and contribute to long-term food product development that aligns with the organizational goals and objectives, including the creation of new product lines and the expansion of existing ones. You’ll work closely with the Operations Head, Kitchen Manager, and Central Ops NPD team to formulate, test, and refine recipes while translating them into scalable operational execution. The role is ideal for classically trained chefs who are fitness-focused, creative, and eager to grow into the NPD space.

Main Responsibilities

Product Development

• Create innovative meal options and plans that meet nutritional standards and address diverse dietary needs (e.g., keto, high-protein, detox, gluten-free, vegan).

• Develop, refine, and fix recipes to balance flavor, nutrition, cost, and production efficiency.

• Translate recipes into operational execution for high-volume environments ( food manufacturing, QSR, outdoor catering, on demand delivery ).

• Continuously adapt and improve dishes in line with evolving health, wellness, and consumer trends.

Market Research and Trend Analysis

• Track healthy eating trends, dietary needs, and consumer preferences specifically to the Qatar market

• Use customer feedback and market insights to refine and innovate meal offerings.

• Maintain awareness of fitness, sports, and wellness trends to inspire new creations.

Collaboration and Coordination

• Work with nutritionists and dietitians to ensure meals meet dietary guidelines.

• Partner with procurement to source quality, health-conscious ingredients aligned with cost metrics

• Collaborate with content teams to support on-camera demonstrations, videos, and culinary content creation.

Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain clear records of recipe development, sourcing, and testing.

• Ensure recipe methods, yields, and standards are accurate and aligned with cost requirements

Quality and Compliance

• Guarantee all new products meet the company's quality and food safety standards as well as Calo’s brand DNA

• Implement and monitor quality control procedures for consistency, working alongside the production & quality team

Innovation and Creativity

• Foster a culture of culinary creativity and innovation within the team, experimenting with new ingredients, cooking techniques, and presentation styles.

• Develop distinctive meals that enhance the subscription experience.

• Support events or live cooking demonstrations as required.

Scaling

• Standardize recipes for large-scale production with minimal variance.

• Document scaling processes with visuals for training teams.

• Train the Training team to ensure consistent execution.Ideal Candidate

Ideal Candidate

Qualifications

• Culinary Arts degree or equivalent qualification with formal training in classical cooking fundamentals.

• Experience with multiple cuisines and operational execution in high-volume environments (hotel, restaurants, or bulk production).

• Fitness- or sports-oriented, with strong knowledge of nutrition and health-conscious meal creation.

• Skilled in content creation or comfortable being on camera to showcase recipes.

• Previous experience in NPD is not mandatory, but an interest in developing in this area is essential.

• Experience hosting events is a plus.

• Junior Sous or Sous Chef level preferred.

Knowledge & Competency

• Strong knowledge of culinary trends, healthy cooking techniques, and nutritional requirements.

• Ability to balance creativity with operational efficiency, cost control, and scalability.

• Skilled in recipe scaling and process optimization.

• Strong time management and multi-tasking skills.

• Comfortable using basic software and AI tools (Google Workspace, MS Office, Notions, Chatgpt, Gemini, etc.).

Personality

• Ambitious, driven, and creative problem solver. Passion for quality and continuous improvements

• Organized multitasker with attention to detail, obsessed with delivering a high level of customer satisfaction

• Collaborative and empathetic, building the best version of yourself and your peers

• Personally committed to health, wellness, and fitness.