| 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 Steward 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 Steward
Department: Restaurants and Food Service
Reports to: Kitchen Supervisor
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Kitchen Steward keeps the kitchen and its equipment clean and hygienic. They wash dishes, pots and utensils, clean floors and surfaces, manage waste, and support the kitchen with stewarding duties. The role is essential to food safety. A good Kitchen Steward keeps a steady supply of clean vessels through service, holds the kitchen to hygiene standards, handles chemicals and waste safely, and keeps the back of house running without a pile up.
Key responsibilities
- Wash and sanitise dishes, pots, pans and utensils through service.
- Clean the kitchen floors, surfaces, sinks and equipment thoroughly.
- Keep a steady supply of clean vessels for the cooks.
- Manage kitchen waste, its segregation and disposal correctly daily.
- Operate the dishwashing machine and use cleaning chemicals safely.
- Support deep cleaning of the whole kitchen on schedule.
- Move and store clean equipment in the right places.
- Help receive and store kitchen deliveries when they are needed.
- Follow all hygiene and safety rules at all times.
Requirements
- No formal qualification needed
- Willing to do cleaning work
- Ready for shift work
- Fresher or entry level
KRAs and KPIs for a Kitchen Steward
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 |
|---|---|
| Clean vessels | Clean vessels always available for the cooks during service |
| Hygiene | Kitchen and wash area kept clean and food safe |
| Waste handling | Waste segregated and disposed of correctly |
| Chemical safety | Cleaning chemicals used and stored safely |
| Deep cleaning | Scheduled deep cleaning completed on time |
| Reliability | Present and ready for every rostered shift |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Dishwashing machine, Cleaning chemicals, Scrubbers and mops, Waste bins, Protective gloves.
Reporting line and career path
Interview questions for a Kitchen Steward
- How do you keep clean vessels coming during a busy service?
- How do you use cleaning chemicals safely?
- How do you segregate and dispose of kitchen waste?
- How do you clean and sanitise a cooking range?
- How do you keep up when dishes pile up fast?
- Are you comfortable with long hours of cleaning work?
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What does a Kitchen Steward do?
A Kitchen Steward keeps the kitchen and its equipment clean and hygienic. They wash dishes, pots and utensils, clean floors and surfaces, manage waste, operate the dishwasher and support deep cleaning. Their job is a steady supply of clean vessels and a kitchen that meets hygiene and food safety standards.
What is the difference between a Kitchen Steward and a Kitchen Helper?
A Kitchen Steward focuses on washing, cleaning and hygiene in the back of house. A Kitchen Helper focuses on food prep support such as peeling and chopping, alongside cleaning. Both are entry roles; stewarding centres on cleanliness, while helping leans toward prep and cooking support.
Do you need qualifications to be a Kitchen Steward?
No formal qualification is needed. Employers look for willingness to do cleaning work, basic hygiene sense, reliability and stamina. It is a common entry point into hotel and restaurant kitchens, and stewards can grow into helper, commis and other kitchen roles over time.