Assistant Chef

iiqaf Group; Willesden; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

IIQAF Group in London, United Kingdom, is seeking an Assistant Chef to support daily kitchen operations and cooking under the Head Chef. You will prepare ingredients, assist with menu items, and help maintain food quality in a busy hospitality environment.

Ideal candidates have experience in food preparation, commercial kitchen operations, and knowledge of food hygiene. Various assistant and junior chef roles are considered for applicants with relevant training.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Professional cookery or culinary qualification is an advantage.
• Experience in hospitality environments or commercial kitchens is beneficial.
• UK food hygiene training or certification is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Assist Head/Sous Chef with daily kitchen operations and service.
• Prepare vegetables, meat, poultry, and seafood for service.
• Help with appetizers, soups, salads, sauces, and main courses.
• Follow recipes and standard portion sizes for consistent quality.
• Support catering, hotel service, and events as needed.
• Plate and present dishes to established standards.
• Organize ingredients and equipment for service times.
• Check freshness and expiry dates of ingredients.
• Follow kitchen policies and schedules.
• Assist with menu prep and general kitchen tasks.

Skills

Kitchen operations

Food preparation

Cooking

Food hygiene

Food handling

Recipes

Portion control

Education

High school diploma

Culinary arts certificate

Hospitality diploma

Food preparation training

Job description

Company: IIQAF Group
Location: London, United Kingdom
Industry: Hospitality
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: £26,000–£30,000 per year

Job Summary

IIQAF Group is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic Assistant Chef to support daily kitchen operations in a professional hospitality environment in London. The successful candidate will work alongside the Head Chef, Sous Chef, and kitchen team to prepare ingredients, assist with cooking, maintain food quality, and ensure efficient kitchen service.

This role is ideal for candidates with experience in food preparation, commercial kitchen operations, restaurant cooking, hotel kitchens, catering services, and food hygiene. Applicants with previous experience as an Assistant Chef, Commis Chef, Junior Chef, Assistant Cook, Kitchen Assistant, or Catering Assistant are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the Head Chef and Sous Chef with daily kitchen operations, food preparation, cooking, and service activities.
• Prepare ingredients by washing, peeling, chopping, slicing, trimming, weighing, and portioning vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Assist in preparing appetizers, soups, salads, sauces, main courses, side dishes, desserts, and other menu items.
• Follow recipes, preparation instructions, portion sizes, and cooking procedures to maintain consistent food quality.
• Support food preparation for restaurant dining, hotel services, catering functions, buffet operations, and special events.
• Assist with cooking, plating, garnishing, and presenting dishes according to established presentation standards.
• Ensure food is prepared accurately and served within required kitchen service times.
• Organize ingredients, kitchen utensils, cooking equipment, and workstation supplies before and during service.
• Check the freshness, quality, labeling, and expiry dates of ingredients before use.
• Follow company policies, kitchen schedules, uniform requirements, and established operating procedures.
• Support menu preparation, ingredient organization, and other kitchen tasks assigned by the Head Chef or kitchen supervisor.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent qualification preferred.
• Culinary arts certificate, professional cookery qualification, hospitality diploma, or relevant food preparation training is an advantage.
• Previous experience as an Assistant Chef, Commis Chef, Junior Chef, Assistant Cook, Kitchen Assistant, or Catering Assistant is preferred.
• Experience in a restaurant, hotel, café, catering company, commercial kitchen, or hospitality establishment is an advantage.
• Basic knowledge of food preparation techniques, cooking methods, ingredient handling, and kitchen organization.
• Understanding of recipes, portion control, food presentation, and standard kitchen procedures.
• Knowledge of food hygiene, safe food handling, temperature control, and food storage practices.
• Relevant UK food hygiene training or certification is an advantage.