Kitchen Porter Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a kitchen porter job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a kitchen porter. Feel free to use our kitchen porter job description template to produce your own kitchen porter job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a kitchen porter.
Who is a Kitchen Porter?
A kitchen Porter, otherwise called Kitchen Steward is a catering professional that assists fellow kitchen staff like Chefs, Cooks, Managers, or Supervisors. Their primary responsibilities include cleaning the kitchen and its environs, restocking supplies and equipment, and organizing drinks, food, and other catering items in the kitchen and stockroom.
Kitchen Porters usually work in a commercial or an industrial kitchen as support. They are often not involved in the food preparation processes rather they clean up and organize to ease the duties of the chefs and their assistants during food preparation. In the ranking of the kitchen, kitchen porters are usually considered to be in the least order in as much as their duties are important. The kitchen Porter officials the duties of other staff easier. Having a good knowledge of your work is a strong set of traits that helps you make the most out of your job. Kitchen porters are expected to be responsible, punctual to work, and of course dependable. Having this in mind, they take pride in discharging their duties while striving to always deliver their services at their best. Being grounded in the knowledge of work ethics will aid your advancement in business or even fetch you recommendations and new offers.
The duties of a Kitchen Porter may involve the direct or indirect maintenance of foodstuffs in a healthy state. Also while using or cleaning the kitchen, especially the electrical or fragile appliances, it is expected that a Kitchen Porter expresses a high sense of safety procedures while handling these. They should have a good knowledge of food storage techniques and cooking procedures to ensure they deliver healthy meals to customers. They are also expected to be conversant with the safe handling of chemicals or biologically harmful substances to ensure they don’t get themselves or others exposed to toxins. To become a successful kitchen Porter, you should be aware of the estimated time for every task and ensure to work accordingly. If there is a reason for the delay, it is expected that the kitchen Porter should be able to make meaningful adjustments ahead of time.
The office of a kitchen porter is an entry-level office in the food industry or restaurant and achieving promotions may take a while. This office is a good ground to get groomed on the kitchen operations, although the responsibilities attached to it are demanding and you may have to work long hours shifts. To achieve success in your field as a kitchen porter, you need to work hard to impress your employer and get some good promotions. Potential employers may ask for trial work or shifts as part of your examination or interview. It is important to listen with utmost carefulness while paying attention to every detail during this trial or interview shift. This can serve as a means to demonstrate your skillfulness in communication and learning. Kitchen Porters may work with a team of other kitchen officials which includes the cooks and supervisors. The ability to work well with others will enable each staff complete their duties efficiently, thereby making the work environment conducive for both workers and customers. To become a kitchen porter, it is important to be skillful in the kitchen area with regards to the Food customers consume as well because you may have to represent or stand in for a chef if the need arises and this makes it an important skill to consider when preparing to become a professional kitchen Porter
Kitchen Porter Job Description
What is a kitchen porter job description? A kitchen porter job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a kitchen porter in an organization. Below are the kitchen porter job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a kitchen porter job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a kitchen porter include the following:
- Sanitizing and cleaning all utensils and food preparation arenas
- Sweeping and cleaning cooking areas before and after shifts
- Checking all equipment before use to ensure they are in order before other kitchen staff commence their activities
- Receiving deliveries, unboxing, and putting them in the right places
- Emptying garbage cans for washing and re-linning
- Helping out with basic food processing and preparation. Some of which are cutting or slicing foodstuffs, peeling some condiments, and washing as instructed by the chef
- Sterilizing, cleaning, and sharpening cutting tools like kitchen knives
- Keeping the entire kitchen environment clean after each day’s work in readiness for the coming day
Qualifications
- GED or a High school diploma
- A license for food handlers or good handling
- Approved years of experience working in a commercial kitchen or kitchen-related environments like bakery industries and so on
- Good knowledge of food safety and health regulations
- Previous experience in team works
- Great time management, effective communication, and your ability to endure standing for long
Essential Skills
- Adherence to Work Ethic: Having a good knowledge of your work is a strong set of traits that helps you make the most out of your job. Kitchen porters are expected to be responsible, punctual to work, and, of course dependable. Having this in mind, they take pride in discharging their duties while striving to always deliver their services at their best. Being grounded in the knowledge of work ethics will aid your advancement in business or even fetch you recommendations and new offers
- Application of Health & Safety Measures: The duties of a Kitchen Porter may involve the direct or indirect maintenance of foodstuffs in a healthy state. Also while using or cleaning the kitchen, especially the electrical or fragile appliances, it is expected that a Kitchen Porter expresses a high sense of safety procedures while handling this equipment and they should also have a good knowledge of food storage techniques and cooking procedures to ensure they deliver healthy meals to customers. They are also expected to be conversant with safe handling of chemicals or biologically harmful substances to ensure they don’t get themselves or others exposed to toxins
- Team spirit: This is explained as the ability to work in harmony with others. Kitchen Porters may work with a team of other kitchen officials which includes the cooks and supervisors. The ability to work well with others will enable each staff complete their duties efficiently, thereby making the work environment conducive for both workers and customers.
- Great knowledge of Stock Control and Management: The duties of a Kitchen Porter often involvestocking up the refrigerator and pantry. A good understanding of stock list reading, inventory level checking, and the making of subsequent orders is an important skill for a kitchen porter. It is also important that a Kitchen Porter is aware of where and how the cooks like their ingredients stored to aid easy accessibility of stock during cooking
- Good Time Management: Time management is the ability of an individual to make plans and execute them within a given time. This is a necessary quality for kitchen porters as they are faced with a bulk of activities and they are expected to complete all their tasks within the apportioned time of work. To become a successful kitchen Porter, you should be aware of the estimated time for every task and ensure to work accordingly. If there is a reason for the delay, it is expected that the kitchen Porter should be able to make meaningful adjustments ahead of time
- Basic Food Preparation Skills: It is important to be skillful in the kitchen area with regards to the Food customers consume as well. A Kitchen Porter may have to represent or stand in for a chef if the need arises and this makes it an important skill to consider when preparing to become a professional kitchen Porter
- Cleaning: This is an essential skill for kitchen porters as they are usually involved in cleaning and keeping the kitchen in order. It is one thing to have enthusiasm for your work and it is another to know how to deliver your services well. Kitchen Porters are expected to properly and skillfully maintain kitchen utensils and the environment through cleaning. They may also be involved in the washing of dishes
- Kitchen Equipment Operation: Having the basic knowledge of operating a kitchen is helpful because you may be asked to help out in the food preparation procedures if your industry is running short of staff. A Kitchen porter should be able to handle all kitchen ranging from microwaves, dishwashers, ovens, ice makers, and others
- Fire Safety Measures: Fire safety measures are a very important skill for kitchen porters. They are expected to know the normal and abnormal heating ranges of some kitchen machines to avoid setting their premises ablaze. In cases of emergency, it is expected that a kitchen Porter should be able to use the fire extinguisher effectively. It is also their responsibility to ensure all electrical appliances are removed from the light source when not in use
- Detail Oriented: Paying attention to detail is an important skill for every job seeker. This entails carefulness in carrying out your duties. Taking note or identifying even the small details as this can make a big difference in your service delivery or the kitchen appearance. Knowing the right measurements for stocks and the appropriate means of storing them up can be attributed to paying attention to details
- Pest Control: A good knowledge of the measures applied in warding off pests from the kitchen without contaminating the food or kitchen utensils is a great skill expected of every kitchen Porter
How to Become a Kitchen Porter
- Update your resume: Updating your resume helps in projecting your years of experience in the industry. Most employers would go for a Kitchen Porter who has at least a minimum of two years of work experience in cleaning and working within the kitchen arena. Your resume should be well structured and it should contain the necessary needed by your prospective industry or employer
- Get familiar with safety and health regulations: Study or get training on food safety measures and regulations. Find out the code of conduct for food industries within your country or state before going for an interview in the food industry or restaurant. Having a general orientation of these rules and regulations will give you an edge over your counterparts when being interviewed by your prospective employer
- Search for companies that are recruiting your profession and apply for the job. For each application, keep your cover letter handy. You may search for recruiting companies online and offline
- Agree to work for a trial: Your potential employer may ask for trial work or shift as part of your examination or interview. It is important to listen with utmost carefulness while paying attention to every detail during this trial or interview shift. This can serve as a means to demonstrate your skillfulness in communication and learning
- Stay patient and positive while managing your expectations: The office of a kitchen porter is an entry-level office in the food industry or restaurant and achieving promotions may take a while. This office is a good ground to get groomed on the kitchen operations, although the responsibilities attached to it are demanding and you may have to work long hours shifts. To achieve success in your field as a kitchen porter, you need to work hard to impress your employer and get some good promotions
Where to work as a Kitchen Porter
A kitchen porter may be employed in any place where food is processed and prepared in large quantities. Although they are commonly seen in restaurants, schools may employ them to work in their cafeterias. They can also be seen in hospitals and hotels kitchens
Kitchen Porter Salary Scale
The salary scale of Kitchen Porters in the United States is between $24,841 and $34,950, having a median salary of about $28,342. The average number of Kitchen Porters can be paid about $28,342 or $30,426, while a good number of them are paid $34,950. A variety of parameters are the salary scale of kitchen porters and some of these parameters are your job location. Working in a metropolitan kitchen will fetch more salary than the rural kitchens. Also, the number of years in service will directly affect the salary scale of kitchen porters because most employers increase their workers’ salaries on promotion, and to gain a promotion you must have been dedicated to working and of course, spent the required years in service for each promotion.