Catering Assistant

John Lewis & Partners; Greenhithe; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company is seeking a Catering Assistant for their locations in Greenhithe. The role involves providing exceptional customer service in restaurants and assisting with food preparation. The ideal candidate will be flexible, passionate about food, and committed to maintaining high hygiene standards.

Benefits

Free food on working days

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Ability to be flexible to work across the whole Catering team.
• Passion for food and keen eye for detail in food preparation.
• Experience in a kitchen or catering environment is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Work as a team to ensure a smooth catering service.
• Provide positive customer interactions with a friendly attitude.
• Follow health and safety procedures in completing tasks.

Skills

Flexibility

Passion for food

Attention to detail

Customer service skills

Job description

Apply on JLP Jobs - the official careers website for John Lewis Partnership, John Lewis & Partners, and Waitrose & Partners.

About the role

Our Catering Assistants in our John Lewis shops work in either our customer restaurants or behind-the-scenes in our Partner (employee) dining rooms. You will offer the great customer service we're known for. The role can be fast-paced, but by taking pride in your food preparation and presentation standards, you'll ensure the best catering experience. You will also support other catering-related tasks, including stock replenishment and storage of deliveries. Our Catering Partners enjoy free food in our dining rooms on their working days, and since the role is based in our shops, there are no split shifts or late evening work.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as a team to ensure a smooth catering service.
• Provide positive customer and Partner interactions with a friendly and welcoming attitude, acting as an ambassador for the John Lewis brand at all times.
• Follow procedures and instructions in accordance with the 'Health and Safety at Work Act' and 'Food Safety Act' when completing all relevant tasks.
• Ensure stock is replenished and available for customers.
• Reduce food wastage by ensuring care and due diligence when rotating food stock.
• Act promptly and use your initiative to resolve any issues that arise in the operation.
• Maintain personal hygiene standards.

Essential skills/experience you'll need

• Ability to be flexible to work across the whole Catering team and use your initiative to ensure smooth operation.
• Passion for food.
• Keen eye for detail and high standards in food preparation, hygiene, and cleanliness.

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, physically demanding environment.
• Teamwork.
• Great customer service skills.
• Experience in a kitchen or catering environment.

Varied hours of full and part-time work across seven days, including 8am starts, evenings, and weekends.

The partnership

We’re the largest employee-owned business in the UK and home to our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees; we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt, and diversify. We are Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality, and service in John Lewis, and passionately serve food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners, we share ownership and its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through good and challenging times, always treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We own making the Partnership a place where we belong, embracing our differences and creating an environment where we can thrive—growing individually and collectively.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

Some roles are subject to pre-employment vetting, including DBS checks for successful candidates. If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process. We encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. DBS checks will be carried out by a registered third-party body, and financial probity checks may also be required for some roles.

We recommend applying promptly, as vacancies may close early if we receive a high number of applications.

We support flexible working arrangements to promote a good work-life balance. This might include flexible or compressed hours, job sharing, or shorter contracts. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.