Food Business Lead

Comeback Cafe | Samyarth, Igatpuri, Maharashtra

About Comeback Cafe

Comeback Cafe is a food venture run by women graduates of the School of Second Chances (SOSC), a residential program for women survivors of trauma. We run a fully equipped cafe that serves as a real-world training ground and livelihood platform for women rebuilding their lives.

We are restarting with a new batch of SOSC students, cleared FSSAI licensing, a rented cafe, and a minimal operating budget. What we need now is the right person to lead this from the ground up.

If you're someone who wants to make a real difference in the lives of those seeking a new start, this role is for you!

About Igatpuri

Igatpuri is a hill town in Maharashtra, surrounded by mountains and waterfalls. Many people dream of running a cafe in the mountains — if that's you too, this is a great opportunity.

Our HQ office is also based here, and every month, new teams visit to meet one another, keeping the place lively and the community growing.

About the Role

You will be the anchor who makes Comeback Cafe a reality.

This is a unique opportunity to build and run a purpose-driven food business from the ground up, with infrastructure already in place, a meaningful mission, and the creative ownership to shape its growth.

You will set up kitchen operations, train a cohort of students, identify venues, and build a proof of concept that can unlock the next stage of growth.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Operations

• Lead end-to-end Comeback Cafe operations, from daily preparation and service to closing.

• Manage two external cooks and coordinate workflows between the cooks and student commis.

• Own menu planning, food costing, portion control, and waste minimisation.

• Maintain FSSAI hygiene and food safety standards at all times.

• Handle daily procurement, vendor relationships, and inventory management.

2. Venue and Revenue

• Identify and pitch venues, starting with residential society RWA stalls (2–4 evenings per week), and gradually expanding to corporate campuses and institutions.

• Own outreach and relationship-building with RWA contacts, event organisers, and venue gatekeepers.

• Explore packaged food retail through shops and e-commerce as a parallel revenue stream.

• Scout and evaluate private land or roadside locations for standalone food truck parking.

3. Student Training and Mentorship

• Onboard and orient each new SOSC student batch into the Comeback Cafe environment.

• Design and lead structured kitchen skills training covering preparation, service, hygiene, and customer interaction.

• Act as the day-to-day mentor for students, maintaining a patient, consistent, and trauma-informed approach.

• Gradually build student independence so they can co-run operations with minimal supervision.

4. Documentation and Growth

• Document operations, customer feedback, and revenue data to build an evidence base for corporate pitches.

• Work with the founder to report progress, flag blockers, and co-create the medium-term roadmap.

• Manage the operating budget allocated for raw materials, consumables, and minor infrastructure.

What We're Looking For

Must-Have

• 1–3 years of experience in food service, catering, or F&B operations.

• Experience running a stall, small restaurant, canteen, or food cart.

• Experience managing a small kitchen team or working closely with cooks.

• Ability to independently handle end-to-end logistics.

• Based in Pune, Igatpuri, or Nashik, or willing to relocate immediately.

Good to Have

• Experience running or co-running a food venture, however small.

• Experience training or mentoring junior kitchen staff.

• Experience with packaged food or home delivery operations.

• Familiarity with food costing and menu engineering.

• Prior experience working with NGOs, social enterprises, or women's programmes.

 

The Person We Are Looking For

Experience matters less than the right combination of drive, ownership, and warmth. We are looking for someone who demonstrates:

• Entrepreneurial energy: Treats this like their own business, not just a job.

• Hunger and initiative: Takes ownership and doesn't wait to be told what needs to be done.

• Operational discipline: Is reliable, consistent, and detail-oriented in the kitchen.

• People orientation: Is genuinely invested in the growth and development of the students they work with.

• Resilience: Is comfortable working in an environment that is still being built and can handle ambiguity.

• Mission alignment: Understands and connects with the purpose behind Comeback Cafe.

 

What We Offer

• A compelling mission and story that opens doors with corporates, funders, and media.

• An opportunity to grow into a leadership role as Comeback Cafe scales.

• Direct mentorship from and access to the Samyarth founder team.

• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women rebuilding their lives after trauma.

• Accommodation and food.

 

Role Details

Detail	Information
Organisation:	Samyarth – School of Second Chances (SOSC)
Venture:	Comeback Kitchen – Social Food Enterprise
Location:	Igatpuri, Maharashtra
Employment Type:	Full-time, ground-level leadership role
Reports To:	Founder / SOSC Program Lead
Expected Start Date:	Immediate – within 2 weeks preferred
Remuneration:	As per non-profit standards, with profit sharing once the business starts

 

Equal Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer. Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.