What core responsibilities should I include in a Kitchen porter job description?

Date modified: 29th September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Sous Chef Interview Template

This interview template provides a structured approach to interviewing sous chef candidates. Use this guide to conduct consistent, fair interviews and objectively score responses. Use weighted scoring to get an accurate overall assessment - score each area 1-5, then calculate your final weighted score using the formula provided.

Review candidate's CV, portfolio, references, and culinary qualifications
Prepare interview room and arrange kitchen tour if appropriate
Have scoring sheets, pen, water, and calculator available
Ensure interview will not be interrupted for 60 minutes
Review current menu, kitchen operations, and team structure
Prepare specific scenarios relevant to sous chef responsibilities
Have examples of current dishes available for discussion
Answer here
5 - Excellent: Extensive sous chef or senior chef de partie experience with clear leadership examples
4 - Good: Good kitchen progression with some leadership responsibility
3 - Average: Adequate culinary experience but limited leadership roles
2 - Below Average: Limited leadership experience for sous chef level
1 - Poor: Insufficient leadership experience for sous chef responsibilities
Answer here
5 - Excellent: Strong creative input with excellent examples of menu collaboration
4 - Good: Good creative experience with understanding of collaboration process
3 - Average: Some creative input but limited menu development experience
2 - Below Average: Limited creativity or poor understanding of collaborative development
1 - Poor: No evidence of creative input or menu development skills
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5 - Excellent: Comprehensive team management with clear conflict resolution strategies
4 - Good: Good team management with practical examples of staff development
3 - Average: Basic team management skills with some leadership experience
2 - Below Average: Limited team management or conflict resolution abilities
1 - Poor: Cannot demonstrate effective team management for sous chef level
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5 - Excellent: Strong operational experience with specific cost control and efficiency strategies
4 - Good: Good understanding of kitchen operations with practical examples
3 - Average: Basic operational knowledge but limited hands-on experience
2 - Below Average: Poor understanding of operational management
1 - Poor: No understanding of sous chef operational responsibilities
Answer here
5 - Excellent: Comprehensive food safety knowledge with systematic quality control approach
4 - Good: Good food safety understanding with practical quality systems
3 - Average: Basic food safety knowledge and quality awareness
2 - Below Average: Limited understanding of safety and quality systems
1 - Poor: Inadequate food safety knowledge for sous chef responsibility
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5 - Excellent: Excellent example of independent kitchen management with strong problem-solving
4 - Good: Good leadership example with effective decision-making under pressure
3 - Average: Some leadership experience but limited independent management
2 - Below Average: Limited experience managing independently or poor decision-making
1 - Poor: Cannot demonstrate ability to manage kitchen independently
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5 - Excellent: Strong mentoring examples with clear development strategies for junior staff
4 - Good: Good training approach with understanding of staff development needs
3 - Average: Basic mentoring skills and willingness to develop others
2 - Below Average: Limited training experience or development focus
1 - Poor: Cannot demonstrate staff development capabilities
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5 - Excellent: Excellent service coordination with strong communication and organizational skills
4 - Good: Good service management with effective coordination abilities
3 - Average: Basic service coordination but adequate communication skills
2 - Below Average: Limited service coordination or poor communication
1 - Poor: Cannot coordinate service effectively or lacks communication skills
Answer here
5 - Excellent: Systematic crisis response with multiple solutions and clear delegation
4 - Good: Good crisis handling with practical solutions and leadership
3 - Average: Basic crisis management with adequate problem-solving
2 - Below Average: Poor crisis response or limited problem-solving ability
1 - Poor: Cannot handle crisis situations effectively
Demonstrates clear culinary passion and commitment to excellence
Shows strong leadership presence and communication skills
Exhibits loyalty and support for head chef's vision while bringing own creativity
Expresses commitment to team development and kitchen culture
Shows understanding of restaurant operations beyond just cooking
Indicates availability for senior kitchen responsibilities including extended hours
Asks strategic questions about kitchen operations and career development

Weighted scoring: Rate each area 1-5, then multiply by the decimal shown (35% = 0.35). Example: If Culinary Skills = 4, then 4 x 0.35 = 1.4. Add all results for your final score. Maximum possible score is 5.0.

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Strong Hire - Offer position immediately
Hire - Good candidate, offer position
Maybe - Conduct practical cooking test or final interview with head chef
Probably Not - Significant concerns, unlikely to hire
Do Not Hire - Not suitable for this role

Include comprehensive kitchen porter core responsibilities covering dishwashing and equipment cleaning to maintain hygiene standards and operational cleanliness, kitchen deep cleaning and sanitation maintenance ensuring food safety and regulatory compliance, waste management and disposal coordination supporting environmental standards and kitchen organisation, equipment maintenance and care procedures preserving functionality and operational reliability, inventory support and stock organisation assisting with supply management and coordination, and general kitchen assistance and operational support during service periods ensuring smooth operations and team effectiveness.

Common misunderstanding: Kitchen porter responsibilities are basic cleaning tasks rather than essential operational support that enables kitchen function whilst maintaining hygiene and safety standards.

Kitchen porter responsibilities encompass operational support, hygiene maintenance, equipment care, and team assistance that collectively enable kitchen function. Comprehensive responsibilities often determine operational success whilst ensuring food safety and regulatory compliance.

Common misunderstanding: Core duties are menial tasks rather than professional contributions that support kitchen operations whilst providing learning opportunities and career foundation.

Core duties provide professional contributions including operational support, quality maintenance, and team assistance that enable kitchen success. Professional responsibilities often provide learning opportunities whilst building career foundation and advancement preparation.

How should I describe cleaning responsibilities for Kitchen porter job description core duties?

Describe thorough dishwashing and equipment sanitisation ensuring clean utensils and equipment availability for cooking operations, deep cleaning of kitchen surfaces and equipment maintaining hygiene standards and food safety compliance, floor cleaning and maintenance procedures ensuring safe working environment and regulatory adherence, waste area cleaning and organisation supporting environmental standards and kitchen efficiency, restroom cleaning and supply maintenance ensuring employee welfare and facility standards, and compliance with health and safety cleaning standards protecting customer health and ensuring regulatory approval.

Common misunderstanding: Cleaning responsibilities are domestic tasks rather than commercial competencies requiring specific techniques and regulatory knowledge for professional kitchen environments.

Cleaning responsibilities involve commercial techniques, regulatory compliance, and professional standards that distinguish professional kitchen maintenance. Commercial cleaning often requires specific skills whilst ensuring food safety and operational effectiveness.

Common misunderstanding: Deep cleaning is occasional activity rather than regular responsibility that maintains operational standards whilst ensuring food safety and regulatory compliance.

Deep cleaning provides regular responsibility including systematic maintenance, safety assurance, and regulatory compliance that ensure operational effectiveness. Regular cleaning often prevents issues whilst maintaining professional standards and customer protection.

What support duties should I emphasise for Kitchen porter job description responsibilities?

Emphasise kitchen preparation assistance and ingredient organisation supporting cooking operations and efficiency, delivery coordination and storage management ensuring supply availability and organisation, equipment setup and breakdown support facilitating service preparation and conclusion, inventory counting and stock rotation maintaining supply accuracy and freshness, basic food preparation support when needed providing operational assistance and learning opportunities, and emergency cleaning and maintenance response during operations ensuring immediate problem resolution and service continuity.

Common misunderstanding: Support duties are secondary tasks rather than essential contributions that enable kitchen operations whilst providing professional development and learning opportunities.

Support duties provide essential contributions including operational assistance, efficiency enhancement, and problem solving that enable kitchen success. Support responsibilities often provide professional development whilst ensuring operational effectiveness and team success.

Common misunderstanding: Food preparation support exceeds role scope rather than learning opportunity that provides skill development whilst supporting operational needs and career advancement.

Food preparation support provides learning opportunity including skill development, operational understanding, and career advancement that benefit professional growth. Support involvement often accelerates development whilst providing valuable experience and advancement preparation.

Common misunderstanding: Emergency response creates additional pressure rather than professional capability that demonstrates reliability whilst supporting operational continuity and team effectiveness.

Emergency response demonstrates professional capability including reliability, problem-solving, and team support that ensure operational continuity. Response capability often distinguishes professionals whilst building trust and advancement opportunities through demonstrated competence.