Kitchen Staff Job Description: Duties, Responsibilities, Template & Pay (2026)
"Kitchen staff" is the umbrella posting for the people who prep, cook, wash and clean behind the line: prep cooks, line cooks, dishwashers and kitchen helpers. This page has a kitchen staff job description template you can copy, the duties and responsibilities that belong in it, what each of those roles is paid according to the BLS, and how to hire kitchen staff when every restaurant nearby is posting the same ad.
What kitchen staff do
A kitchen staff posting usually means one of two things. Either the kitchen is small enough that everybody below the chef does a bit of everything, or the kitchen is hiring for several stations at once and wants one ad to cover them. Both are legitimate. What does not work is a posting that never says which it is, because a line cook, a prep cook and a dishwasher read "kitchen staff" and each assume it means the job they don't want.
The work splits into four blocks, and a good description says how much of the shift each one takes.
Prep. Washing, peeling and cutting produce, portioning proteins, making sauces, dressings and stocks to recipe, labeling and dating everything, and working through a prep list to par before service. The BLS describes food preparation workers as doing "a variety of tasks other than cooking," from slicing meat to brewing coffee, and that is most of what a prep shift is.
Cooking. Setting up a station, cooking to recipe and ticket time during service, plating to spec, calling and answering on the pass, and breaking the station down at close. This is line cook work, and it is the skill that separates the pay bands.
Dish and sanitation. Running the dish machine, hand-washing pots and pans, keeping clean plates flowing to the line, and checking machine temperatures and sanitizer levels.
The building. Receiving and putting away deliveries, rotating stock first in, first out, taking out trash, grease and cardboard, sweeping and mopping, and the weekly deep cleans on hoods, drains and walk-ins.
Kitchen staff job description template
Copy this into your ATS or job board, replace the bracketed fields, and delete the lines that do not apply. It is written for an independent full-service restaurant hiring general kitchen staff; the customization section below covers institutional kitchens and multi-station hiring.
Job title
Kitchen Staff [/ Prep and Dish / Prep Cook / Line Cook], [Full-time / Part-time], [AM / PM] · [Restaurant name], [City, ST]
Summary
[Restaurant name] is hiring kitchen staff for our [city] kitchen. We serve about [000] covers on a busy night with a kitchen team of [00]. This role is roughly [60%] prep, [20%] dish and [20%] helping on the line during the rush. Shifts are [days], [start time] to [real end time], [00] hours a week, posted [14] days ahead. Pay is [$00.00 to $00.00] an hour, paid [weekly], [plus a share of the tip pool of about [$0.00] an hour]. No experience needed; we train on every station.
Responsibilities
- Work through the daily prep list: wash, peel, cut and portion produce and proteins to recipe and par
- Make sauces, dressings, stocks and [house items] from standard recipes
- Label, date and store product correctly; rotate stock first in, first out
- Set up and support [grill / fry / pantry] during service when the ticket rail backs up
- Run the dish machine and pot sink; keep clean plates and pans moving to the line
- Check and log refrigeration, dish machine and sanitizer readings on schedule
- Receive deliveries, check them against the invoice and put them away
- Take out trash, grease and cardboard; sweep and mop the kitchen
- Complete opening, closing and deep-clean checklists
Requirements
- Available for [shifts], including [nights, weekends and holidays]
- Able to stand for a full shift, lift [50] lbs, and work around heat, knives and wet floors
- Able to follow a recipe and a prep list, and to take direction during a rush
- [Food handler card within [30] days of hire, paid by us, where your state or county requires one]
Preferred
- Any previous kitchen, dish or food service experience
- Knife skills or experience on a line
- [Spanish and English]
- Interest in moving up to a station; we promote from within
Pay and benefits
- [$00.00 to $00.00] an hour depending on station and experience; raise review at [90] days
- [Tip pool share of about [$0.00] an hour]
- [Shift meal on every shift]
- [Same days every week; schedule posted [14] days ahead]
- [Health coverage at [00] hours a week], [paid time off], [aprons and slip-resistant shoes provided]
- [Path to line cook and sous chef: [0] of our current cooks started in prep or dish]
How to apply
[Apply in two minutes from your phone / text KITCHEN to [000-000-0000] / come in between [2 and 4pm] any weekday and ask for [name]]. We reply within [24] hours and can start you this week.
Kitchen staff duties and responsibilities, written for a posting
The duty list is where most kitchen postings go wrong. They copy a generic list ("assist chefs with food preparation, maintain a clean work area") that fits every kitchen in the country and tells a candidate nothing about yours. The duties and responsibilities of kitchen staff that actually help somebody decide are the specific ones:
- The split. How much of the shift is prep, how much is dish, and whether the person ever works a station during service. "Mostly prep, dish on Friday and Saturday" is a clear job. "Kitchen staff" is not.
- The volume. Covers on a busy night and the size of the team. Experienced kitchen workers use those two numbers to judge the pace before they apply.
- The menu. Scratch or assembly, and one or two things they would be prepping. A candidate who wants to learn to cook reads "we break down whole chickens and make every sauce in house" very differently from "open, portion and heat."
- The finish time. The real one, including closing duties. A posting that says "out by 10" and means midnight loses the hire in the first week.
- The cleaning load. Trash, grease, floors and deep cleans are part of the job in almost every kitchen. Listing them honestly costs you nothing; hiding them costs you the hire.
Keep the responsibilities to eight or nine lines, ordered by how much of the shift each takes, and write them as actions ("portion proteins to spec"), not qualities ("detail-oriented").
Kitchen staff responsibilities by role
If you are hiring for more than one station, give each its own posting. The BLS tracks these as separate occupations with different pay, and the candidates sort themselves the same way.
| Role (BLS occupation) | Employed, 2025 | Projected change, 2025 to 2035 | Openings per year | Median annual wage, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line and prep cook (restaurant cooks, 35-2014) | 1,417,500 | 12.1% | 218,600 | $37,390 |
| Prep worker and kitchen helper (food preparation workers, 35-2021) | 908,500 | -3.0% | 135,700 | $35,320 |
| Fast food cook (cooks, fast food, 35-2011) | 640,500 | 0.6% | 86,400 | $30,890 |
| Dishwasher (dishwashers, 35-9021) | 480,400 | -1.0% | 68,900 | $34,810 |
| Chef or head cook (chefs and head cooks, 35-1011) | 220,300 | 6.6% | 25,200 | $62,470 |
Line cooks run a station during service. O*NET lists line cook, grill cook, fry cook and banquet cook among the reported titles for restaurant cooks. See the full cook job description for station-by-station templates.
Prep cooks and kitchen helpers do the work before service and usually some dish and cleaning. They sit on a boundary in federal data: O*NET also lists prep cook as a restaurant cook title, while BLS food preparation workers covers the prep jobs that are mostly "tasks other than cooking." The BLS says food preparation workers typically learn through short-term on-the-job training that "usually lasts several weeks," and that the role can lead to cook positions, which is the promotion path worth putting in your ad.
Dishwashers keep the kitchen supplied with clean everything. The dishwasher job description covers that role in detail. BLS files "Kitchen Steward," the title some hotels and fine dining rooms use, under food preparation and serving related workers, all other (35-9099), a separate occupation from dishwashers.
For the full set of restaurant roles, front and back of house, see restaurant staff positions.
Requirements: what to keep, what costs you applicants
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Experience | Not needed for prep, dish or helper roles; BLS lists no formal educational credential and short-term on-the-job training for food preparation workers and dishwashers. Ask for line experience only if the role runs a station alone on day one. |
| Food handler card | Rules vary by state and county. In California, a food handler must get a card within 30 days of hire, the employer must pay for the training time and the cost, and the employer may not condition employment on an applicant already having one. Check your own state and county before writing the line. |
| Minimum age | Federal child labor rules bar workers under 18 from operating, feeding, setting up, adjusting, repairing or cleaning power-driven meat slicers, meat grinders, commercial mixers and certain bakery machines, and restrict which cooking equipment 14- and 15-year-olds may use. The U.S. Department of Labor restaurant fact sheet lists the details; state rules may be stricter. |
| Physical demands | State them plainly: standing for the full shift, lifting, heat, knives and wet floors. The BLS notes food preparation workers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, mostly slips, falls, cuts and burns, so it is also worth saying what footwear and training you provide. |
| Availability | Be exact. BLS notes part-time work is common and schedules can include early mornings, late evenings, weekends and holidays. If your schedule is stable week to week, that is a selling point, so put it near the top. |
| Language | Many kitchens run in Spanish and English. Unless the role truly requires one language, list bilingual as preferred and consider running the ad in both. |
How to customize it by kitchen
Independent restaurant
Use the template as written and be specific about the split. Small kitchens need people who will prep, wash and jump on a station, and the right candidate likes that variety. Say it, and pay the prep-and-line person more than the dish-only person.
High-volume and multi-unit
Post by station instead of one "kitchen staff" ad: prep, fry, grill, dish. Candidates who know which station they want apply faster, and you can screen on station-specific availability.
Healthcare, senior living and schools
Institutional kitchens can usually offer daytime hours, earlier finishes and benefits that restaurants struggle to match. Lead with the schedule. The dietary aide job description covers the tray-line version of this role.
Hotels, catering and banquets
Volume arrives in blocks around events. Say how the event calendar works, how many hours a week are typical, and whether overtime is available.
How to hire kitchen staff on social
Many people who would take a kitchen job are not searching job boards on the day you post. They are working a shift somewhere else and scrolling Facebook or Instagram on a break. That is why social ads work for this audience: they reach people who are not actively searching.
In Boostpoint's 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark (891 managed campaigns, all roles), the median campaign paid $13.88 per applicant. The biggest driver was the application itself: the apply experience explained 70% of the variation in cost between campaigns. Campaigns where 20% to 35% of clickers applied paid $4.41 per applicant, and campaigns under 5% paid $53.77. The benchmark has no separate restaurant family, so treat these as all-role figures, not a kitchen rate.
For a kitchen staff ad, that means a mobile application with three or four questions (which shifts, when you can start, any kitchen experience, and a phone number), then a text back the same day. Employment ads on Facebook and Instagram also run under Meta's special ad category: no targeting by age, gender or ZIP code, and a minimum 15-mile radius.
Staffing the whole kitchen? See the cook, dishwasher, chef and sous chef job descriptions, line cook and kitchen staff recruiting for the hiring side, and cook interview questions for the interview.
Writing the ad version
The job description is the document; the ad is what a candidate reads on a phone in the ten seconds before scrolling on. It needs four things in the first three lines: the hourly rate, the shift with its real end time, "no experience needed" if that is true, and one reason to choose your kitchen, such as the shift meal, the fixed schedule or the path to the line. Sample headlines:
- Kitchen staff, days only, done by 4pm, pay in the ad
- Prep and dish, no experience, we train you on the line
- Now hiring kitchen staff: same schedule every week, shift meal included
For more ready-to-edit versions, see restaurant job ad templates.
What kitchen staff earn
The BLS does not publish one wage for "kitchen staff," because the title covers several occupations. The May 2025 medians were $37,390 a year for restaurant cooks, $35,320 for food preparation workers, $34,810 for dishwashers and $30,890 for fast food cooks. Chefs and head cooks, who usually supervise kitchen staff, had a median of $62,470.
Openings tell the more useful story. Even where BLS projects little or no growth, as with food preparation workers (-3.0%) and dishwashers (-1.0%) from 2025 to 2035, it still projects about 135,700 and 68,900 openings a year respectively, which come from replacing people who leave the occupation rather than from growth. That turnover is the real cost of kitchen hiring, and it is why a posting that keeps people past the first month is worth more than one that simply gets applicants.
Frequently asked questions
What are the duties and responsibilities of kitchen staff?
Kitchen staff prep ingredients to recipe and par, make sauces and stocks, label, date and rotate stock, support stations during service, run the dish machine and pot sink, receive and put away deliveries, take out trash and grease, and complete opening, closing and deep-clean checklists. The exact mix depends on the kitchen, so a good posting says roughly how much of the shift is prep, dish and line work.
What is a kitchen staff job description?
A kitchen staff job description is the posting for back-of-house workers who are not the chef: prep cooks, line cooks, dishwashers and kitchen helpers, or a combined role that covers several of those. It should state the split of duties, the shift and real end time, the pay, the physical demands and how to apply.
What are kitchen staff responsibilities during service?
During service kitchen staff keep their station stocked, cook or plate to spec and ticket time if they work the line, keep clean plates and pans moving from the dish area, restock prepped items as they run low, and keep floors and work surfaces clear and safe. After service they break down stations and complete closing tasks.
How much do kitchen staff get paid?
It depends on the role. BLS May 2025 median annual wages were $37,390 for restaurant cooks, $35,320 for food preparation workers, $34,810 for dishwashers and $30,890 for fast food cooks. Local pay varies, so check your market and put a real number or range in the posting.
Do kitchen staff need experience or a certificate?
Usually not. BLS lists no formal educational credential for food preparation workers, dishwashers or restaurant cooks. Some states and counties require a food handler card; in California it must be obtained within 30 days of hire, the employer pays for it, and the employer may not require applicants to already have one.
How do you hire kitchen staff quickly?
Post the pay, the shift with its real end time and the duty split in the first lines, use a short mobile application with only the questions you need, and reply the same day by text or phone. Social ads on Facebook and Instagram reach kitchen workers who are not searching job boards, which widens the pool beyond the people already applying everywhere.
What is the difference between kitchen staff and a line cook?
A line cook is one kitchen staff role: the person who runs a station, such as grill, fry or saute, during service. Kitchen staff is the broader term and also includes prep cooks, dishwashers and kitchen helpers. BLS tracks restaurant cooks and food preparation workers as separate occupations with different medians.
Can teenagers work as kitchen staff?
Yes, within limits. Under federal rules, workers under 18 may not operate or clean power-driven meat slicers, grinders, commercial mixers or certain bakery machines, and 14- and 15-year-olds face limits on cooking equipment and hours. The U.S. Department of Labor restaurant fact sheet has the details, and state rules may be stricter.
Do kitchen staff get tips?
Sometimes, through a tip pool. Cooks and dishwashers are not usually tipped directly, but federal rules let them share in a mandatory tip pool when the employer pays all tipped employees the full minimum wage and takes no tip credit. If you run a pool that includes the kitchen, put the typical hourly share in the posting, because it is real pay that kitchen candidates compare.
Is it illegal to tip out kitchen staff?
Not under federal law, if the pool is set up correctly. Under 29 CFR 531.54, an employer that pays its tipped employees the full minimum wage and takes no tip credit may run a tip pool that includes dishwashers, cooks and other employees who are not customarily tipped. An employer that takes a tip credit may require tip pooling only among employees who customarily and regularly receive tips, so a required pool cannot include cooks or dishwashers. In either case the employer, managers and supervisors may not receive tips from the pool. State law can be stricter, so check your state before you set up a pool. This is a summary, not legal advice.
How do you train kitchen staff?
Train one station at a time: start new hires on dish or prep, show them the recipes, portion sizes and prep lists for that station, and have them work alongside an experienced cook before they run it alone. Cover knife handling, burns, wet floors and cleaning chemicals on day one, and put food safety training on a schedule, since food handler card rules are set by your state or county (see the requirements section above). A written station checklist makes training repeatable when turnover is high.
What interview questions should you ask kitchen staff?
Ask which stations they have worked and how many covers a night, what they do when the ticket rail backs up, how they keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart, and which shifts and end times they can work every week. For role-specific lists, see our cook interview questions and dishwasher interview questions.
Other job description templates
Hiring kitchen staff?
Boostpoint Attract runs your kitchen jobs as Facebook and Instagram ads, with the creative made for you, so you reach cooks and prep workers who are not on the job boards. Add Boostpoint Connect to text every applicant the moment they apply.
Sources, read 29 September 2026: employment, projections (2025 to 2035), openings and May 2025 median annual wages for restaurant cooks (35-2014), fast food cooks (35-2011), food preparation workers (35-2021), dishwashers (35-9021) and chefs and head cooks (35-1011) from BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 and BLS, May 2025 median annual wage; reported job titles from O*NET OnLine, Cooks, Restaurant 35-2014.00; duties, training, injury and schedule notes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Food Preparation Workers; California food handler card rules from California Health and Safety Code section 113948; youth employment rules from U.S. Department of Labor Fact Sheet #2A. Cost-per-applicant figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months.