Head Baker, 1 Opening, 7 To 8 Years Experience

Job Description - MELD - Head Baker

An Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and innovative Head Baker to lead our daily baking operations in our hyper traceable bakehouse & restaurant. This role combines culinary creativity and artisan baking expertise with operational diligence, requiring someone who is willing to learn and manage complex traceability requirements—including tracking grain and flour movements between Meld and local farm partners—while maintaining the highest standards of baked goods quality, consistency, and kitchen efficiency.

Core Responsibilities

Research & Development

●    Work alongside our head chef to develop and test new bread, pastry, and baked goods recipes that align with our hyper traceability standards and seasonal ingredient availability.

●    Create detailed recipe documentation including precise measurements, baker's percentages, baking techniques, proofing schedules, and presentation specifications.

●    Work with our head chef to conduct research and evaluate new grains, whole grain flours, and baking suppliers that meet our traceability requirements.

●    Work with our head chef to design seasonal menu updates, baked product lines, and special event offerings.

●    Collaborate with suppliers and farm partners to understand ingredient origins, farming practices, milling processes, and supply chain logistics.

Production Management & Bakehouse Operations

●    Oversee daily baking preparation and production, ensuring consistency in taste, texture, portion control, and presentation across all bread, pastry, and dessert items.

●    Coordinate production schedules to meet service and delivery demands while minimizing raw material waste.

●    Implement and maintain standardized recipes, mixing techniques, proofing protocols, and baking procedures across all bakery stations.

●    Assist in production and maintaining par stocks of all bakehouse final goods, fruits, final components, and dry store items, including current flour stocks.

●    Ensure complete tracking and documentation of grain and flour movements between Meld and farm partners (such as Three One Farms, OOO Farms, Taru Naturals etc).

Team Leadership & Personnel Management

●    Supervise, train, and mentor bakehouse staff including junior chefs, commis, bakery assistants, and apprentices in collaboration with our head chef.

●    Create and manage staff schedules for the bakery department, ensuring adequate coverage during early morning prep and service times.

●    Conduct performance evaluations with our head chef and provide ongoing coaching to develop team members' skills.

●    Recruit and onboard new bakehouse employees according to restaurant standards.

●    Foster a positive, collaborative work environment while maintaining discipline and efficiency.

●    Organize, delegate tasks, and oversee station operations to ensure smooth daily service.

Manual Inventory Management

●    Maintain and ensure accurate inventory records for all baking ingredients; tracking quantities, delivery dates, supplier information, and produce/grain quality.

●    Ensure that all incoming store deliveries and outgoing items to outlets are properly checked for quality, quantity, and food safety.

●    Implement first-in-first-out (FIFO) rotation systems to ensure ingredient freshness, especially for fresh produce and direct farm-sourced grains.

●    Conduct weekly/biweekly inventory counts and reconcile raw material usage against production records.

●    Place orders for supplies and ingredients based on production forecasts and storage capacity.

Additional Operational Responsibilities

Bakehouse Operations

●    Ensure compliance with all health, hygiene, and food safety regulations, including proper food handling and sanitation procedures.

●    Set up bakery stations in time for service and ensure thorough cleaning and scrubbing down at the end of each shift.

●    Maintain commercial baking equipment (ovens, mixers, proofers, dough sheeters) and coordinate repairs to prevent operational disruptions.

●    Oversee bakehouse sanitation and cleanliness standards throughout all production periods.

●    Step in as acting head chef/kitchen lead during absences when required to make operational decisions.

●    Inform the team about cost optimization and the reduction of raw material wastage.

●    Attend daily kitchen meetings, briefings, and represent food production.

●    Work directly with line cooks and kitchen staff to integrate baked products within the broader kitchen menu.

Required Qualifications

●    Minimum 3-5 years of experience in a professional bakery or kitchen, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or head baker role.

●    Strong expertise in artisan bread baking, pastry production, dough fermentation, and baking techniques.

●    Thorough knowledge of commercial baking equipment, food safety protocols, and health and hygiene standards.

●    Experience with menu development, recipe creation, and scaling formulas for production.

●    Excellent leadership and communication skills with the ability to train, delegate, and motivate team members.

●    Detail-oriented with strong organizational abilities for manual record-keeping and inventory tracking.

●    Understanding of / Willingness to learn sustainable and traceable food systems.

●    Ability to work early morning shifts efficiently under pressure while maintaining quality standards.

●    Physical stamina to work long hours in a fast-paced bakehouse environment.

Preferred Qualifications

●    Culinary degree, diploma, or professional certification in Baking and Pastry Arts (or equivalent).

●    Experience with farm-to-table, organic, or sustainable restaurant/bakery operations.

●    Knowledge of sourdough fermentation, ancient grains, and seasonal ingredient availability.

●    Previous experience with manual inventory management and food cost control systems.

●    Familiarity with allergen management and dietary restriction protocols.

●    Experience in bakery opening, concept development, or scaling bakehouse operations.