Head Kitchen Porter

Houston & Hawkes; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off every year

Free meals on duty

Contributory pension scheme

Job summary

Houston & Hawkes in Central London is seeking an experienced Head Kitchen Porter to lead the kitchen porter team across a fast-paced operation serving a large student community. You will organise daily duties, train new porters and ensure the kitchen, wash-up and back-of-house areas are impeccably clean and ready for service.

The role requires hands-on leadership, excellent organisation and a focus on safety and hygiene.

Qualifications

• Prior experience as Head Kitchen Porter or senior Kitchen Porter stepping into a leadership role
• Experience in busy contract catering, university, hotel or high-volume operation preferred
• Strong leadership, organisational and communication capabilities

Responsibilities

• Lead and organise the kitchen porter team across a busy 5 out of 7 operation
• Allocate daily duties and ensure the team is prepared for each service
• Maintain cleanliness and organisation of kitchen, wash-up and back-of-house areas
• Ensure pots, pans, crockery and equipment are cleaned and available
• Support chefs and wider culinary team during busy prep and service periods
• Receive deliveries and store products safely
• Maintain waste, recycling and stock control processes
• Train and support new kitchen porters, setting clear standards
• Maintain communication between team, chefs and management
• Adhere to food safety, hygiene and COSHH standards
• Lead by example and stay hands-on during service

Skills

Leadership experience

Team coordination

Food safety knowledge

COSHH knowledge

Communication skills

Job description

HEAD KITCHEN PORTER

Houston & Hawkes | Central London | £15.80 - £16 per hour | 40 hours per week | 5 out of 7
A fantastic opportunity for an experienced Head Kitchen Porter to take the lead behind the scenes within a vibrant, fast-paced student environment where great food, strong teamwork and exceptional standards matter every day.

Houston & Hawkes is looking for a confident, organised and hands-on Head Kitchen Porter to lead the kitchen porter team at one of our busy Central London locations. With a lively food operation serving a large student community, this is a role for someone who enjoys pace, takes real pride in standards and knows how to keep a busy kitchen running smoothly.

You will be an important part of the wider culinary team, organising the daily kitchen porter operation, supporting the chefs and making sure the kitchen, equipment and back-of-house areas are always clean, safe, organised and ready for service.

THE ROLE

• Lead and organise the kitchen porter team across a busy 5 out of 7 operation
• Allocate daily duties and make sure the team is prepared for each service
• Keep the kitchen, wash-up, storage and back-of-house areas exceptionally clean and organised
• Ensure pots, pans, crockery, utensils and kitchen equipment are cleaned and available when needed
• Support the chefs and wider culinary team during busy preparation and service periods
• Receive deliveries and ensure products are stored safely and correctly
• Maintain organised waste, recycling and storage areas
• Monitor cleaning materials and support stock control and ordering
• Train and support new kitchen porters, setting clear standards from day one
• Maintain excellent communication between the kitchen porter team, chefs and management
• Ensure cleaning schedules and daily tasks are completed consistently
• Maintain the highest standards of food safety, hygiene, COSHH and health and safety compliance
• Lead by example and remain hands-on throughout the operation

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Previous experience as a Head Kitchen Porter, Senior Kitchen Porter or experienced Kitchen Porter ready to step into a leadership role
• Experience within a busy contract catering, university, hotel, restaurant or high-volume food operation would be highly desirable
• A positive, energetic and hands-on leadership style
• Excellent organisation and the confidence to coordinate a busy team
• Strong standards of cleanliness, hygiene and attention to detail
• Good knowledge of COSHH, food safety and health and safety procedures
• The ability to remain calm, organised and reliable during busy services
• Good communication skills and a genuine team mentality
• The confidence to train, support and motivate others
• Pride in maintaining an exceptional working environment for the entire kitchen team

WHY JOIN HOUSTON & HAWKES?

• £15.80 - £16 per hour depending on experience
• 40 hours per week
• 5 out of 7 working pattern
• 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 training, development and genuine opportunities to progress
• Summer Awards Party celebrating our people and achievements
• An unforgettable Christmas Party at one of London's outstanding venues

ABOUT HOUSTON & HAWKES

At Houston & Hawkes, exceptional kitchens are built by exceptional teams, and the people working behind the scenes are every bit as important as the people at the pass.

We're an award-winning independent caterer creating fresh, vibrant food and hospitality experiences across some of the UK's most impressive workplaces and education environments. 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're an experienced Kitchen Porter who is ready to lead a team, take ownership and become an important part of a busy, high-performing kitchen, we'd love to hear from you.