Kitchen Assistant

The Dukeries Lodge has undergone a major £1.5 million refurbishment, transforming the site into a busy and welcoming pub, restaurant and hotel with 17 beautifully designed bedrooms.

We are looking for a reliable and enthusiastic Kitchen Assistant to join our kitchen team.

This is a great opportunity for someone looking to start or develop a career in hospitality. Previous kitchen experience is helpful but not essential — what matters most is a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and the ability to work well as part of a busy team.

For the right person, the Kitchen Assistant role can be a stepping stone into a chef position, with training, support and opportunities to develop your kitchen skills.

About the role
As a Kitchen Assistant, you will play an important part in keeping the kitchen organised, clean and ready for service.

Alongside maintaining high standards of cleanliness, you will support our chefs with food preparation, help keep the kitchen stocked and organised during busy services, and prepare desserts and basic dishes in line with company specifications.

You will work closely with the wider kitchen team and will be encouraged to develop your food preparation and cooking skills as your confidence and experience grow.

Main responsibilities

• Maintain excellent standards of cleanliness and hygiene throughout the kitchen.
• Follow daily and weekly kitchen cleaning schedules.
• Keep washing-up, equipment and kitchen areas organised during busy service periods.
• Support chefs with basic food preparation and preparation for service.
• Ensure chefs have the equipment, ingredients and supplies they need throughout service.
• Prepare and present desserts to company specifications and presentation standards.
• Prepare basic dishes and food items as training and experience develop.
• Follow food hygiene, allergen and food safety procedures at all times.
• Assist with stock rotation, labelling and correct food storage.
• Help keep fridges, freezers, dry stores and preparation areas organised.
• Work efficiently as part of the kitchen team during busy periods.
• Complete any other reasonable duties required to support the smooth running of the kitchen.

What we're looking for
We're looking for someone who:

• Has a positive attitude and is willing to learn.
• Takes pride in keeping a clean and organised workplace.
• Can work well under pressure in a busy kitchen environment.
• Is reliable and works well as part of a team.