General Assistant

Houston & Hawkes; Epsom; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off

Free meals on duty

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Employee assistance

Job summary

Houston & Hawkes is recruiting a Catering General Assistant for a busy site in Epsom. You will support both kitchen and front-of-house operations, including food prep, serving, till operation, and maintaining high standards of cleanliness.

The role is Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours/week, with a positive, proactive team environment and great development opportunities within a renowned catering company.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering, hospitality, food service or customer-facing environment preferred.
• Friendly, confident approach to customer service.
• Interest in food and willingness to assist with basic prep.
• Hands-on attitude to support kitchen and front-of-house duties.
• Good organisation and ability to work efficiently during busy service.
• Pride in maintaining cleanliness and presentation standards.
• Reliability, enthusiasm and team mentality.
• Professional communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the kitchen team with general food preparation, including sandwiches and fresh cold food.
• Prepare and serve food and beverages to customers throughout the day.
• Provide friendly, professional and efficient customer service.
• Operate the till and process customer payments accurately.
• Support table service and clear tables during service.
• Restock food, beverages and service items for ready presentation.
• Support stock rotation and proper storage/display of products.
• Keep front-of-house and back-of-house areas clean and organised.
• Carry out general housekeeping duties including sweeping, mopping and cleaning service areas.
• Work closely with chefs and catering team to ensure smooth daily service.
• Maintain food safety, allergen, hygiene and health & safety standards.

Skills

Customer service

Food preparation

Positive attitude

Organisation

Cleanliness

Reliability

Communication skills

Job description

CATERING GENERAL ASSISTANT

Houston & Hawkes | Epsom | £14.80 per hour | 37.5 hours per week | Monday to Friday

Fresh food, friendly service and a varied role at a fantastic client site in Epsom.

Houston & Hawkes is looking for a friendly, reliable and enthusiastic Catering General Assistant to join our team at a fantastic client site in Epsom. This is a varied, hands-on role for someone who enjoys working with food, providing great customer service and being part of a busy and supportive catering team.

No two parts of the day will be exactly the same. You'll support both the kitchen and front-of-house operation, from preparing sandwiches and fresh cold food to serving customers, operating the till and making sure our restaurant and service areas are always clean, organised and welcoming.

THE ROLE

• Support the kitchen team with general food preparation, including sandwiches and fresh cold food
• Prepare and serve food and beverages to customers throughout the day
• Provide friendly, professional and efficient customer service
• Operate the till and process customer payments accurately
• Support table service and clear tables throughout service
• Restock food, beverages and service items to ensure everything is ready and well presented
• Support stock rotation and ensure products are stored and displayed correctly
• Keep front-of-house and back-of-house areas clean, tidy and organised
• Carry out general housekeeping duties including sweeping, mopping and cleaning service areas
• Work closely with the chefs and wider catering team to ensure a smooth daily service
• Maintain excellent food safety, allergen, hygiene and health and safety standards

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Previous experience within catering, hospitality, food service or a customer-facing environment would be an advantage
• A friendly and confident approach to customer service
• An interest in food and willingness to support with basic food preparation
• A positive, hands-on attitude and willingness to help across both kitchen and front-of-house duties
• Good organisation and the ability to work efficiently during busy service
• Pride in maintaining excellent cleanliness and presentation standards
• Reliability, enthusiasm and a strong team mentality
• Good communication skills and a professional approach

WHY JOIN HOUSTON & HAWKES?

• A varied role at a fantastic client site in Epsom
• A friendly and supportive catering team
• Birthday off every year
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Free meals on duty
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• CODE Hospitality membership
• Ongoing learning, development and genuine career progression
• Summer Awards Party celebrating our people and achievements
• An unforgettable Christmas Party at one of London's outstanding venues

ABOUT HOUSTON & HAWKES

Houston & Hawkes is an award-winning independent caterer creating vibrant, creative and exceptional food and hospitality experiences across some of the UK’s most prestigious client sites.

We're a Certified B Corp, recipient of the King's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026 and proud to be ranked No. 14 in The Caterer’s Best Places to Work in Hospitality.

If you enjoy working with food, love looking after customers and want a varied Monday to Friday role with a great team, we would love to hear from you.