| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Restaurants and Food Service |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Kitchen Supervisor |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | Fresher or entry level |
Kitchen Helper job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Kitchen Helper
Department: Restaurants and Food Service
Reports to: Kitchen Supervisor
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Kitchen Helper supports the cooks and chefs with prep, cleaning and fetching in a kitchen. They wash, peel and chop, move stock, clean vessels and stations, and keep the kitchen running behind the scenes. The role is entry level and physically active. A good Kitchen Helper preps quickly and cleanly, keeps the kitchen stocked and tidy, follows hygiene, and shows the reliability and interest to grow into a commis or cook.
Key responsibilities
- Wash, peel, cut and prepare vegetables and other ingredients.
- Wash vessels and utensils and clean the kitchen stations.
- Fetch and move stock between the store and kitchen.
- Support cooks with basic prep and simple cooking tasks.
- Keep floors, sinks and bins clean and food safe.
- Receive and store deliveries in the right storage places.
- Set up and clear stations before and after service.
- Segregate and dispose of kitchen waste correctly every day.
- Follow kitchen hygiene and safety rules at all times.
Requirements
- No formal qualification needed
- Willing to learn kitchen work
- Ready for shift work
- Fresher or entry level
KRAs and KPIs for a Kitchen Helper
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Prep support | Prep tasks done on time and to the cook needs |
| Cleanliness | Vessels, stations and floors kept clean and food safe |
| Stock movement | Stock fetched and stored correctly without delay |
| Waste handling | Waste segregated and disposed of correctly |
| Reliability | Present and ready for every rostered shift |
| Growth | Learning prep and cooking basics toward commis role |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Knives and peelers, Washing sinks, Cleaning supplies, Storage trays, Trolleys.
Reporting line and career path
Interview questions for a Kitchen Helper
- Are you comfortable with long hours standing and prep work?
- How do you keep vessels and stations properly clean?
- How do you prep vegetables quickly and safely?
- How do you store a delivery in the right place?
- How do you handle and segregate kitchen waste?
- Would you like to grow into a cook, and why?
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What does a Kitchen Helper do?
A Kitchen Helper supports the cooks and chefs with prep, cleaning and fetching. They wash, peel and chop, move stock, clean vessels and stations, and keep the kitchen tidy and stocked. It is an entry level, hands on role and a common first step toward becoming a commis chef or cook.
What qualifications do you need to be a Kitchen Helper?
No formal qualification is needed. Employers look for willingness to work hard, basic hygiene sense, reliability and interest in learning kitchen work. Many kitchen helpers grow into commis chef and cook roles over time by learning prep and cooking on the job.
How does a Kitchen Helper grow into a cook?
By learning prep, knife skills and basic cooking while doing the helper job well, and showing reliability and interest. Chefs move helpers who prove themselves into commis chef roles, then cook. Attitude, cleanliness and eagerness to learn matter most for this step up.