How should I describe a typical shift in a Kitchen Porter job ad?

Describe a typical kitchen porter shift by walking through the main phases with real timings so candidates can picture the rhythm of their working day. Start with the beginning of shift — arriving, checking the dishwashers, organising the wash-up area, and handling any prep pots from earlier in the day. Then describe the build-up as service starts and plates, glasses, and pots begin flowing back from the restaurant. Explain what the peak rush looks like — the continuous cycle of loading, running, and unloading the dish machine while hand-washing larger pots that will not fit. Finally, describe close-down: the final clear from the chefs, deep cleaning surfaces and equipment, and making sure everything is set for the next day's team. Using actual shift times, such as a 3pm start with service peaking between 7pm and 9pm and close-down wrapping up around 11pm, gives candidates a concrete picture rather than vague promises.

Common misunderstanding: Kitchen porter candidates already know what the job involves, so a shift preview is unnecessary.

While most KP candidates understand the general nature of the work, every kitchen operates differently. The volume of covers, the pace of service, the quality of equipment, and the length of close-down vary enormously between venues. A shift preview specific to your kitchen helps candidates assess whether this particular role suits them, not just the role in general.

Common misunderstanding: Describing the intensity of a busy service will scare off potential kitchen porter candidates.

Honest intensity descriptions actually attract better candidates. People who are put off by an accurate description of a busy service would likely leave within the first week anyway. Candidates who read your honest shift preview and still apply are self-selecting for the reality of the job, which means better retention from day one.

What level of detail about daily routine should I include in a Kitchen Porter job ad?

Include enough detail for candidates to understand the pace and physical demands at each stage of the shift without turning the ad into an operations manual. Mention when the shift starts and when it typically ends, when service peaks and how long that peak lasts, what the break arrangement is and when it falls, and what close-down involves in practical terms. For a kitchen doing 80 covers at dinner service, explain what that means in wash-up volume — the continuous flow of plates and glasses during service, the stack of pots from the line that need hand-washing, the final push of equipment cleaning during close-down. Candidates benefit from understanding the contrast between quieter setup periods and the intensity of peak service so they can mentally prepare for the rhythm of the work.

Common misunderstanding: Providing specific cover numbers and timings makes the ad too operational and dry.

Cover numbers and timings are exactly the information KP candidates use to gauge whether they can handle the workload. An 80-cover dinner service means something tangible to an experienced porter, and even first-time candidates benefit from understanding the scale. These practical details make your ad more useful than one filled with vague language about "busy periods."

Common misunderstanding: Every shift is different, so describing a typical one creates unrealistic expectations.

While individual shifts vary, the general rhythm of a KP role is consistent enough to describe usefully. Candidates understand that some nights are busier than others. What they need is a baseline picture of what most shifts look like so they can decide whether the typical workload suits them. Mentioning that weekends are significantly busier than weekdays is a helpful addition rather than a contradiction.

How do I give a realistic shift preview for a Kitchen Porter without overwhelming candidates?

Focus on the three or four main phases of a shift rather than listing every individual task. Structure your preview around setup, service, and close-down, with clear indications of pace at each stage. Be honest about the intensity of the busy period but balance it by explaining what your kitchen does to make that intensity manageable — running two porters on busy nights, maintaining equipment so the dishwasher does not break down mid-service, providing a genuine break before the rush begins. The goal is not to minimise the challenge but to show that your kitchen has thought about how to support the person doing this demanding work. Candidates respond well to honesty paired with evidence that the employer takes the role seriously enough to resource it properly.

Common misunderstanding: A shift preview should emphasise the easy or enjoyable parts of the role to maintain candidate interest.

Emphasising only the easy parts sets candidates up for disappointment on their first shift, which leads to immediate dropout. Kitchen porters respect ads that tell the truth about the hard parts while also explaining what makes the job workable. An honest preview that says "the rush is intense but the equipment works and you are not doing it alone" is far more compelling than one that glosses over the reality.

Common misunderstanding: Kitchen porter candidates prefer short, punchy ads and will not read a detailed shift description.

KP candidates who are seriously evaluating your role will read relevant detail. The key is that the detail must be practical and specific to their experience — shift timings, workload volume, break arrangements — rather than generic corporate language. A three-paragraph shift preview filled with useful information holds attention far better than three paragraphs of buzzwords.