Kitchen Assistant

jlp; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full-time holiday entitlement

Staff discount in store and online

Pension scheme with employer match

Job summary

John Lewis Partnership’s Innovation Kitchen in Bracknell is seeking a Kitchen Assistant to support the development and quality assurance across the campus, including helping with sample organisation and daily kitchen operations.

You will work with the chef team across a range of activities, maintain facilities, and support events and panels. This role offers permanent, full-time hours with standard weekday patterns.

Qualifications

• Passion for product, quality and attention to detail.
• Catering background & experience - food preparation practices & quality assessments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Good team player and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Comfortable using IT tools to manage bookings / admin.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development kitchen & other areas of the campus focused on innovation & quality assurance.
• Shopping and organising samples to keep our innovation process & quality sampling sessions running smoothly
• Ensuring our state-of-the-art kitchen facilities are kept in pristine condition
• Playing a key role in supporting the chef team with panels & other events and the general daily operations of the kitchen.

Skills

Catering background

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

Team player

IT bookings/admin

Education

Food Safety L3

Tools

IT systems

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Kitchen Assistant you'll work in all areas of the kitchen including; as a kitchen porter, basic food preparation, helping to maintain the high standards in the Innovation Kitchen assisting the Executive Chef

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £3.75 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

At a glance

Working pattern - This role involves working at our Innovation Kitchen in Bracknell Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00. There will, on occasion, be a need to visit our other locations. Visits, where possible, will occur during regular working hours but some flexibility will be required.

About the role

The Innovation Kitchen specialises in the development of Waitrose own brand products - translating food trends into products that delight our customers and build on our market proposition.

As a Kitchen Assistant, you will be involved with a wide range of responsibilities such as:

• Assist in the development kitchen & other areas of the campus focused on innovation & quality assurance.
• Shopping and organising samples to keep our innovation process & quality sampling sessions running smoothly
• Ensuring our state-of-the-art kitchen facilities are kept in pristine condition
• Playing a key role in supporting the chef team with panels & other events and the general daily operations of the kitchen.

Essential skills you’ll need

• Passion for product, quality and attention to detail.
• Catering background & experience - food preparation practices & quality assessments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Good team player and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Comfortable using IT tools to manage bookings / admin.
• Must be able to drive and has own car due to shopping requirements

Desirable

• Food Safety L3 qualification
• Sensory evaluation training

Benefits of the Partnership and the role

• Full - time working holiday entitlement 22 or 25 days holiday, plus public and bank holidays
• Excellent work life balance, including focus on well being and flexible working and our marketing leading equal parenthood leave Policy
• Defined Contribution pension scheme where your contributions will be matched by the Partnership (up to 8% of pay) and, after three years' service, you’ll receive an additional Partnership contribution of 4% of pay, regardless of whether you pay in or not
• You’ll get Partnership discount in store and online once you complete Probation. That’s 25% off in John Lewis & Partners (12% off electrical products) and 20% in Waitrose & Partners. You’ll also be able to nominate someone you live with to share your discount
• Simple cycle to work support scheme
• We’re really proud of our exclusive hotels based in some of Britain’s most beautiful areas and once you’ve been with us for three months, you’re welcome to explore them
• Learn more about our extensive range of exciting benefits that you could enjoy when you join us, visit - https://www.jlpjobs.com/about/benefits/

Job Details

• Closing Date: September 1, 2026
• Pay: £27,200.00 - £33,200.00 Annual
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Hours of Work: Working varied full time hours of 35, across Monday to Friday
• Job Level: Partnership Level 10
• Where You’ll Be Working: Bracknell Campus, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of 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 ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

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