Central Kitchen Manager

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Monroe Consulting Group, an Executive Recruitment firm, is partnering with an organisation in the Consumer industry to hire a Central Kitchen Manager. This opportunity is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Position Overview

Lead and manage all Central Kitchen operations, ensuring efficient production, quality assurance, food safety compliance, and supply chain effectiveness across a growing multi-outlet F&B business.

Drive menu innovation, product development, and operational excellence while supporting business expansion through scalable and standardised production processes.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Operations Management

• Lead and direct all Central Kitchen production activities end-to-end, ensuring output meets the demands of all outlets and beverage production.
• Own the production schedule: forecast resource requirements, plan batch production runs, and ensure all outlet inventory levels are replenished accurately and on time.
• Establish and continuously refine kitchen SOPs to embed business continuity management and drive operational resilience.
• Monitor, analyse and optimise production output levels, yields, portion sizes and packaging quality against defined targets.
• Manage Central Kitchen equipment — maintenance schedules, servicing contracts, calibration and troubleshooting — to ensure zero unplanned downtime.
• Lead initiatives to reduce wastage, increase productivity and lower unit production costs without compromising product quality.

R&D & Menu Innovation

• Collaborate closely with brand and marketing teams on new product development from ideation through to commercialisation.
• Lead the kitchen-side R&D process: recipe development, ingredient selection, production feasibility assessment, cost modelling and menu standardisation.
• Scale and standardise new recipes for central kitchen production, ensuring that quality, flavour profile and presentation are replicable across all outlets.
• Drive continuous improvement of existing menu items — seeking better ingredients, techniques or processes to elevate the product.
• Conduct and document food and beverage trials, including shelf-life, stability and sensory evaluation for Ready-to-Drink (RTD), Ready-to-Eat (RTE) and Ready-to-Cook (RTC) products.
• Stay abreast of F&B trends — locally and globally — and proactively bring innovation ideas to the table.

Quality Assurance & Food Safety

• Implement, maintain and audit a robust HACCP-based food safety management system across all Central Kitchen operations.
• Conduct regular quality checks and spot audits, investigating and resolving production, quality and yield issues with timely corrective action.
• Ensure full compliance with the Malaysian Food Act 1983, Food Regulations 1985, and all relevant MITI, MOH and local authority requirements.
• Oversee and drive the application for Halal certification for applicable products.
• Establish quality benchmarks for raw materials and finished goods, and manage supplier quality performance in partnership with the procurement team.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead and develop the Central Kitchen production team, including recruitment, onboarding, training, shift scheduling and performance management.
• Set clear KPIs for the team and foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and pride in craft.
• Work cross-functionally with outlet operations, marketing and leadership teams to align kitchen output with business goals.

Supply Chain, Procurement & Logistics

• Manage raw material procurement and vendor relationships, ensuring consistent quality, competitive pricing and reliable supply.
• Oversee inventory management for all raw materials and packaging, minimising wastage while maintaining appropriate buffer stock levels.
• Coordinate cold-chain logistics and distribution from the Central Kitchen to all outlets in compliance with food safety standards.
• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers as the menu evolves and production volumes scale.

Key Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma or Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Culinary Arts, Hotel & Catering Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in food production or F&B management, including at least 3 years within a central kitchen or food manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record of managing multiple operational functions simultaneously, including production, logistics, warehouse and QA/QC.
• Hands-on experience with freshly prepared beverages, RTD, RTE and/or RTC products.
• Experience within a multi-outlet F&B or restaurant chain environment is highly desirable.

Technical / Functional Expertise

• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, GMP and food safety management systems; HACCP certification preferred.
• Familiarity with Malaysian food regulations, including the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985, as well as Halal compliance requirements.
• Proven experience in recipe development and menu standardisation across food and beverage categories.
• Competency in production planning, scheduling and inventory management.
• Good understanding of food costing, yield analysis and kitchen-level P&L management.
• Proficiency in both English and Bahasa Malaysia.

Soft Skills & Leadership Competencies

• Genuine passion for food and beverage innovation, with equal enthusiasm for R&D and operational excellence.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced and rapidly scaling environment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality, consistency and continuous improvement.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Hands-on leadership style and willingness to be actively involved in day-to-day operations.