Kitchen Helper: What is the cost of hiring?

What is a kitchen helper?

A kitchen helper, also known as a kitchen assistant, supports culinary operations by assisting chefs and kitchen staff with food preparation, cleaning and maintaining hygiene standards in the kitchen.

Why hire a kitchen helper?

Hiring a kitchen helper can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of kitchen operations, enabling chefs to focus on food preparation and ultimately improving the overall dining experience.

Contributions of a great kitchen helper:

• Maintains a clean, organized and sanitary kitchen environment to support smooth operations
• Prepares ingredients and basic components efficiently to ensure timely meal preparation
• Assists chefs and cooks during service by handling tasks quickly and reliably under pressure

Defining your hiring needs for a kitchen helper

Start by assessing your kitchen’s workload and identifying tasks that require support, such as food prep, dishwashing or cleaning. Set a budget based on labour needs and decide whether the position should be full-time, part-time or seasonal. Choose the right job title. Kitchen helper is typically an entry-level role focused on support tasks, distinct from a prep cook, who handles more advanced food preparation. Clarifying these differences will help attract the right candidates and avoid role confusion.

What are the types of kitchen helpers?

When writing your kitchen helper job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on kitchen helper jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Kitchen helper
• Dishwasher
• Restaurant
• Cook
• Prep cook
• Helper

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Where to find a kitchen helper

To find the right kitchen helper for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Job boards: Post on general job boards as well as hospitality-focused platforms such as Hcareers or Culinary Agents. Local culinary schools and community colleges often have job boards or co-op programs that allow you to connect with students seeking experience.
• Employment services: Community centres and immigration employment services organizations frequently run employment programs and can refer job-ready candidates.
• Local bulletin boards: Consider placing flyers in grocery stores, community bulletin boards or local food supply shops where kitchen staff often visit.
• Networking: Attending local food festivals, hospitality job fairs or trade association events (such as Restaurants Canada or regional hospitality groups) can connect you with candidates who are actively engaged in the food service industry.

Post your job online. Try posting your kitchen helper job on Indeed to find and attract quality kitchen helper candidates.

Skills to look for in a kitchen helper

A successful kitchen helper candidate will typically have the following skills and competencies, which may be gained through a variety of experiences, training, or education:

• Basic food preparation skills and the ability to wash, peel, chop and portion ingredients efficiently and safely
• Works quickly and stays organized in a fast-paced, high-pressure kitchen environment
• Maintains strict sanitation standards in all work areas
• Cooperates effectively with chefs, cooks and other kitchen staff to support smooth operations
• Capable of standing for long periods and handling repetitive tasks in a hot, busy kitchen
• Willingness to take on various support tasks as needed, from dishwashing to restocking supplies

Writing a kitchen helper job description

Now that you know the key skills, salary expectations, popular job-seeker search terms and hiring insights for a kitchen helper, you’re ready to write a job description.

A kitchen helper job description typically includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities, and the required and preferred skills for the position. You may also want to include information about your company culture, benefits and perks to attract candidates to your open role.

Ready to get started? See our full guide for writing kitchen helper job descriptions.

Interviewing kitchen helper candidates

Strong candidates for kitchen helper positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Experience with food preparation and handling
• Knowledge of kitchen safety and hygiene practices
• Ability to work in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
• Teamwork and communication with kitchen staff
• Reliability and time management

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of kitchen helper interview questions for examples (with sample answers).