What is a kitchen helper?
A kitchen helper is responsible for basic food preparation, kitchen cleanliness, and ensuring the area remains organised. They are employed by restaurants, hospitals, hotels, and other establishments that prepare food for public consumption.
How to become a kitchen helper?
There are no set requirements, but it might help if you take a college course in cookery or hospitality, such as:
- Level 1 Award in Introduction to Employment in the Hospitality Industry
- Level 1 Certificate in General Cookery
- Level 1 Certificate in General Hospitality
- Basic food hygiene certificate like Level 2 Food Safety
Kitchen helper duties
Kitchen helper are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Wash cookware, utensils and cutlery fast to keep them in rotation
- Arrange equipment and ingredient deliveries
- Keep the food and supply storage areas organized
- Clean and sanitize all meal preparation areas as well as kitchen walls, stoves, sinks, ovens, and grills
- Sweep and mopping all kitchen areas during shifts and at the end of shifts
- Assist the Chef with basic food preparation
Kitchen helper skills
To be an effective kitchen helper, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Ability to stand for long hours
- Willingness to adhere to health and safety rules
- Good organizational skills
- Ability to work unsupervised in a busy environment
- Excellent time management skills
- Effective communication skills
How to find a kitchen helper job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the kitchen helper jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for kitchen helper jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Kitchen Helper Job Titles
When you search for kitchen helper jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for nursery kitchen helper include;
- Kitchen hand
- Kitchen attendant
- Kitchen porter
What does a kitchen helper do?
The job of a kitchen helper varies depending on the job role and the company you’re working for. Check the duties and responsibilities of kitchen helper job advertisements to find jobs that best suit your skills and experience.
The day-to-day tasks of a kitchen helper include;
- unload deliveries
- organise the storeroom
- collect and wash pots, pans, plates and cutlery
- get pots, pans plates and cutlery back into use quickly
- wash and disinfect kitchen appliances, work surfaces, floors and walls
- make sure kitchen equipment is properly stored
- remove and recycle waste from the kitchen