Hospitality & Tourism
Kitchen Hand
Kitchen hands support chefs and cooks by doing basic food preparation, dish washing and stacking, and general kitchen cleaning.
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Entry-level education
Junior secondary school certificate or equivalent
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Job outlook
What does a Kitchen Hand do?
Kitchen hands support chefs and cooks by doing basic food preparation, dish washing and stacking, and general kitchen cleaning.
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Work activities
As a kitchen hand, you would:
- carry and sort food deliveries
- keep storerooms and cool rooms tidy and organised
- wash pots, dishes, utensils and cutlery and get them back into service
- stack crockery, cutlery and pots onto shelves
- clean and sanitise kitchen appliances, preparation surfaces, floors and walls
- remove and sort kitchen waste
- do basic food preparation under supervision.
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Key skills and interests
To become a kitchen hand, you would need:
- a good level of physical fitness
- to be able to stand for extended periods
- good teamwork skills
- the ability to work under pressure
- high standards of cleanliness and hygiene
- the ability to do several tasks at once in a timely manner.
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Working hours and conditions
Working Hours
Kitchen hands often work irregular hours, including early mornings and/or late nights depending on where they work. You could also expect to work on weekends and public holidays. Part-time, casual and seasonal work is often available.
Conditions
Kitchens are hot and humid and very busy around key meal times. You would spend your entire shift standing and long periods of time may be spent at sink of hot water and using commercial dishwashing machines. You would wear a uniform and a hat or hairnet for hygiene reasons.
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How to become an Kitchen Hand?
Entry Level Education
You can work as a kitchen hand without formal qualifications, and would probably get some training while working.
You can also become a kitchen hand through a traineeship. You would usually require a junior secondary school certificate for an entry level kitchen role.
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Job outlook
Employment of kitchen hands is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Population and income growth are expected to fuel demand for more restaurants and cafes, catering services, and pre-prepared food available from non-traditional food-service operations, such as petrol stations, resulting in demand for food service workers, including kitchen hands.
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