Head Commercial Kitchen Designer (M 209)
--Makoto HR Solutions--
Hiring for a MNC Client
Designation: Head – Kitchen Design (Projects)
Location: Mumbai
Reporting to: Director – Projects
Leads people, governs design quality, ensures regulatory compliance, and represents the client’s operational interest — without compromising safety or outcomes.
Budget – Salary is not a bar for the right candidature.
Role Overview
We are seeking a senior leader to head our Kitchen Design (Projects) function. This role combines technical authority, regulatory expertise, team leadership, design governance, client-facing representation, and commercial ownership, ensuring delivery of safe, compliant, and operationally efficient commercial kitchens.
Authority
- Final approval authority on kitchen design intent and technical outputs.
Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, manage, and mentor a team of kitchen designers.
- Establish and enforce design governance, peer review, QA/QC, and approval protocols for all kitchen design deliverables
- Act as a client-facing kitchen operations expert, representing the organisation in design reviews, coordination meetings, and senior client presentations.
- Perform peer reviews and independent technical validations of kitchen designs (including third-party consultants/contractors) when appointed by the client
- Approve final kitchen layouts, BOQs, and technical submissions prior to issue
Ensure full compliance with:
- FSSAI operational requirements
- Fire regulations and local fire authority norms
- HVAC, exhaust, fresh air, and heat-load regulations
- Gas safety standards and NBC requirements
- Oversee projects from concept design through food trials and handover
- Lead coordination with clients, chefs, architects, PMCs, MEP/fire consultants, and vendors
- Manage client expectations during scope changes, late menu revisions, and operational constraints
- Own billing milestones, variations, and commercial alignment for the kitchen design scope
- Act as the final technical escalation point, enforcing no-compromise life-safety and compliance standards
Must Have
- Experience & Skills
- 10+ years in commercial kitchen design & execution
- Proven experience leading teams and governing design quality
- Strong hands-on experience with FSSAI, Fire Department approvals, and HVAC/exhaust regulations
- Credibility to act as a client-appointed kitchen operations expert and peer reviewer
High proficiency in:
- AutoCAD (layout review & coordination)
- PowerPoint (client presentations, design narratives)
- Excel (BOQs, billing, tracking, analysis)
- Excellent client-facing, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
Success Indicators
Ensures zero Fire, Gas, FSSAI, or HVAC compliance failures across projects.
Delivers first-time-right kitchen designs with minimal rework.
Acts as a trusted client advisor, driving repeat and expanded engagements.
Maintains billing discipline with clear scope control and high recovery.
- Builds a strong, consistent kitchen design team with fewer escalations.