Executive Pastry Chef / Head of Product Development (Kitchener)

Introduction

MITHAEIR is a premium bakery café concept inspired by the worlds leading bakery cafés, blending European pastry craftsmanship with the rich flavors and traditions of Indian flavors. Our mission is to create an elevated dessert and café experience featuring artisan pastries, specialty coffee, handcrafted chocolates, celebration cakes, and innovative Indian-inspired creations.

As we prepare to launch our first location in the GTA, we are seeking an experienced and visionary Executive Pastry Chef to lead product development, central kitchen operations, and culinary innovation.

The Opportunity

This is more than a pastry chef position. We are looking for a creative leader who will help define the culinary identity of MITHAEIR and build a scalable product platform for future expansion across Canada.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to create signature products, build production systems, recruit and train staff, and become a key member of the founding leadership team.

Key Responsibilities

• Product Development & Innovation
• Develop and launch a unique menu of pastries, cakes, desserts, chocolates, and baked goods
• Create creative products inspired by Indian flavors such as saffron, pistachio, cardamom, rose, mango, chai, rabri, etc along with the continental favourites
• Design seasonal and limited‑edition product collections
• Standardize recipes and production procedures
• Central Kitchen Leadership
• Oversee daily production operations
• Manage quality control and consistency across all products
• Establish production schedules and inventory controls
• Maintain food safety and sanitation standards
• Team Building & Training
• Recruit, train, and mentor bakers, pastry chefs, chocolatiers, and production staff
• Foster a culture of creativity, excellence, and continuous improvement
• Develop training manuals and operational systems
• Business & Operations
• Manage food cost targets and labor efficiency
• Work with ownership on menu pricing and profitability
• Source premium ingredients and establish supplier relationships
• Support future expansion and multi‑unit growth plans

Ideal Candidate

• Required
• Minimum 5 years of professional pastry leadership experience
• Experience in high‑volume bakery, hotel, luxury pastry shop, or café operations
• Strong knowledge of:
• Viennoiserie
• Croissants and laminated doughs
• Cakes and entremets
• Artisan breads
• Dessert production
• Experience developing and scaling recipes
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Preferred
• Experience with chocolates, gelato and confectionery
• Experience with international desserts and/or South Asian flavors
• Culinary or Pastry Arts diploma
• Experience opening new concepts or locations
• Entrepreneurial mindset

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Performance‑based bonus opportunities
• Creative freedom and Team support
• Opportunity to build a nationally recognized brand from the very beginning
• Long‑term growth into Corporate Executive Chef or Culinary Director role as the company expands

Compensation

Compensation will be based on experience, leadership capabilities, and demonstrated success in product development and bakery operations.

If you are passionate about innovation, craftsmanship, and creating unforgettable products that blend modern pastry with Indian heritage, we would love to hear from you. Join us in building MITHAEIR from the very beginning.