Kitchen Assistant

Dobbies Garden Centres; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Employee discount

Stream access

Retail Trust support

Dobbies Academy

Culture & teamwork

Job summary

Dobbies Garden Centres is looking for Kitchen Assistants to support our in-store restaurant teams. You will help prepare and present meals, maintain high hygiene standards and assist with general kitchen duties in a fast-paced environment.

We value enthusiastic, customer‑focused team players who are keen to learn and grow with us. Relevant food safety qualifications are ideal, and training will be provided to support your development with our garden centre teams.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in food service.
• Knowledge and understanding of kitchen health, safety and hygiene rules.

Responsibilities

• Preparing and presenting food in line with menu specification.
• Working proactively and supporting general kitchen duties.
• Working alongside the kitchen team to ensure meals are presented to a high standard and on time.
• Developing knowledge of dietary requirements and health & safety.

Skills

Food service

Team player

Communication

Education

Food safety qualification

Job description

Our Kitchen Assistants play an essential role in delivering exceptional customer experience across our Restaurants - delivering tasty food, ensuring food hygiene and maintaining high operational standards.

Responsibilities

• Preparing and presenting food in line with menu specification
• Working proactively and supporting general kitchen duties
• Working alongside the kitchen team to ensure your customers are presented with their meal to a high standard and on time
• Developing your knowledge of dietary requirements, allergies and health & safety

Who We Are Looking For

• You are passionate about all things food and delivering the best possible experience for our customers
• A team player and confident communicator who is eager to learn new skills and gain new experiences
• Flourish in a busy, fast-paced environment
• Experience of working in food service
• Knowledge and understanding of kitchen health, safety and hygiene ruules
• Relevant food safety qualifications would be ideal
• Can demonstrate our values at all times - we're one team, getting better everyday. We bring a smile. We live and breathe gardens. We make it work for our customers.

What We Offer

• Generous annual leave entitlement. Use your holidays when you want with limited statutory days off required
• Treat yourself with generous uncapped discount across our stores with 50% off in our Restaurants, 25% off in the Garden Centre and 10% off in our food halls
• Access to Stream – support your financial wellbeing, with ability to access earnings ahead of pay day, save for the future and financial advice
• Access to Retail Trust – seek confidential support, access to a virtual GP, free counselling service and discounted retail rewards with our employee wellbeing platform
• Access to Dobbies Academy – continue your development with our eLearning platform and development programmes
• Thriving culture; the Dobbies team are passionate, diverse and committed to making it work for our customers

About Us

At Dobbies, we’re proud to have a history dating back to 1865. We were founded by James Dobbie and are the only garden centre retailer to have stores in every nation across the UK.

Our passion and joy for gardens and plants is what makes it special. In our stores, we showcase this through own brand and branded products, concession partners and services. We champion garden living all-year-round.

Many of our stores feature a restaurant or coffee shop, where customers can enjoy refreshments or meals in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

We offer a calendar of events and experiences that bring people and communities together, and we have a national charity partner that both our colleagues and customers raise money for.

We’re committed to being a great place to work. We’re one team and we encourage our colleagues to be the best version of themselves, every day; to share their wins and celebrate success. Together, we make it work for our customers.