Job Description

-Opening the kitchen

Before operations commence in a kitchen, a kitchen steward usually opens the kitchen and ensures everything is ready for the cooking team. They may inspect surfaces and equipment to ensure they're clean, review stocks and inventory levels and test fixed cooking equipment. A kitchen steward may visit each cooking station to ensure the correct cutlery and tools are available for the cooking team. They essentially ensure the cooking team can begin preparing food when their shifts begin.

- Cleaning equipment

Depending on the organisation, a kitchen steward may clean, polish and dry dishes and cutlery. They may also clean and scrub cooking pans and pots. They typically clean these items rigorously, as the standards in commercial and industrial kitchens are usually high, particularly for restaurants and hotels. If the kitchen is large enough, the organisation might hire dishwashers or kitchen helpers, whose responsibilities are to clean kitchenware. This might allow kitchen stewards to focus on other duties.

-Maintaining surfaces

Throughout the daily operation of a kitchen, surfaces may become dirty with grease and oil. A kitchen hand may maintain the cleanliness of surfaces, such as stove tops, splashbacks, range hoods and floors. This responsibility can be important for ensuring the kitchen meets sanitary and health compliances. Kitchen stewards may utilise cleaning equipment and sanitising products to ensure surfaces are clean and suitable for cooking. They maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen environment, not only at the beginning or end of a shift but throughout its daily operation.

-Storing and organising

Commercial and industrial kitchens usually have large storage rooms, such as pantries, freezers and industrial fridges. They all store ingredients and cooking products that chefs utilise when preparing foods. A kitchen steward may ensure these storage facilities have an appropriate amount of inventory. They usually designate shelves and areas for specific types of ingredients or products. A kitchen steward may maintain this order of storage to ensure chefs and cooks can easily locate ingredients. If ingredients are lacking or missing, a kitchen steward may retrieve them from a larger central storage room.

Closing the kitchen

When the kitchen is closing, a kitchen steward typically remains in the kitchen to ensure the environment is ready for the next shift. They essentially perform the same duties as when opening the kitchen. They ensure all surfaces and equipment are clean, inventory levels are sufficient and stations are ready with the correct tools. Depending on the kitchen, they may also lock the area to prevent unauthorised access.

Assisting team members

It's typically rare, but in some situations, a kitchen steward may directly assist other professionals in the team. They may help servers by providing service to tables, refilling drinks, taking food orders and bringing food to tables. They might also assist cooking teams by performing basic preparation tasks, such as peeling and cutting foods. A kitchen hand usually assists other team members when employees are ill or the kitchen pace is irregularly busy.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to AED1,800.00 per month