What is a Kitchen Porter?
A kitchen porter is a crucial part of every kitchen to help the kitchen run smoothly. They are primarily responsible for ensuring kitchen cleanliness, basic food preparation, and maintaining kitchen organisation. Kitchen porters can be employed by restaurants, hospitals, hotels, and other establishments where food is prepared and served to customers.
How to become a Kitchen Porter?
There are no set requirements on becoming a kitchen porter. You can apply directly for jobs. Though some employers may ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 2 (A* to E) in English and maths. It might also 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 porter duties
Kitchen porter duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Sweeping and mopping all kitchen areas during shifts and at the end of shifts
- Assisting the Chef with basic food preparation, which includes washing, peeling, and cutting meal ingredients as per the Chef’s instructions
- Arrange equipment and ingredient deliveries
- Keep the food and supply storage areas organized
- Empty all trash bins and ensure that all waste is disposed of promptly
Kitchen porter skills
To be an effective kitchen porter, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- Ability to stand for extended periods
- Excellent time management skills
- Effective communication skills
- Organizational skills
- Ability to work unsupervised in a busy environment
- Fast learner
- Ability to work well with others
How to find a kitchen porter job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the kitchen porter jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for kitchen porter 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 Porter Job Titles
When you search for kitchen porter jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for kitchen porter jobs include;
- Kitchen assistant
- Kitchen hand
- Kitchen attendant
- Kitchen helper
- Kitchen cleaner
What does a kitchen porter do?
The day-to-day tasks of a kitchen porter 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