Kitchen Assistant

Loungers; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Tips shared among team

Free meal on every shift

50% discount on food & drinks from day

Staff discount from day one

Career development

Paid breaks

Loungers staff events

Job summary

Loungers is hiring a Kitchen Assistant for Maritimo Lounge. You’ll help keep a busy kitchen clean, safe, and organised while assisting chefs with prep. This role supports fresh, on-spec cooking and great customer experiences across a growing UK brand.

We offer hourly pay up to £12.71 with tips, a flexible contract, free meals on every shift, staff discounts from day one, and a supportive team environment with opportunities to develop and progress within Loungers.

Qualifications

• Experience in a kitchen or hospitality environment is helpful, but the right attitude and reliability matter most.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene.
• Support chefs with food prep during service.
• Flexible to evening and weekend work.

Responsibilities

• Keep the kitchen clean, tidy, and well organised throughout the day
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness across kitchen areas, equipment, and washing up
• Support the chefs with food prep during service and prep time
• Follow food hygiene, allergen, and health & safety procedures at all times
• Stick to Lounge kitchen processes and equipment guides
• Work as part of one team to help deliver a brilliant customer experience

Skills

Positive attitude

Punctual

Teamwork

Communication

Reliability

Job description

We’re hiring a Kitchen Assistant to join Maritimo Lounge – part of Loungers, proudly named Casual Dining Group of the Year 2026. Offering up to £12.71/hr + tips, paid breaks, staff food every shift, and 50% off food & drinks from day one. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who loves being part of a busy kitchen team and takes pride in keeping standards high.

About the Kitchen Assistant Role

Lounges are pretty special places, and what makes them so special is the brilliant people who work in them.

We’re looking for a Kitchen Assistant to join our busy, friendly, supportive kitchen team. In this role, you’ll help keep the kitchen clean, safe, organised, and ready for service while also supporting our chefs with food prep when needed. It’s a simple but vital role. Without you, the kitchen doesn’t run properly. You’ll play a huge part in making sure the team can deliver freshly cooked food on spec, on time, every time.

We’re a growing brand with 300+ sites across England and Wales. Whether you’re looking for your next hospitality role or want flexible work in a fast-moving kitchen, there’s a place for you here.

What’s in it For You?

• Hourly pay + tips. Tips are shared equally across the team, based on hours worked
• Hourly paid flexible contract. Ideal for part-time, full-time, or flexible work seekers. This role is likely to include evening and weekend work
• Free meal on every shift no matter the length
• Christmas and Boxing Day off
• Genuine career development with our career pathways and bitesize training courses
• 50% discount on food and drinks from day one. Including alcohol across all our brands (Lounge, Cosy Club, & Brightside) from day one
• The most talked-about staff party in hospitality — Loungefest!
• Long service awards – Vouchers/Extra money
• Early access to your pay with Stream
• Emotional and practical support via the Licensed Trade Charity

What You’ll Do

• Keep the kitchen clean, tidy, and well organised throughout the day
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness across kitchen areas, equipment, and washing up
• Support the chefs with food prep during service and prep time
• Follow food hygiene, allergen, and health & safety procedures at all times
• Stick to Lounge kitchen processes and equipment guides
• Work as part of one team to help deliver a brilliant customer experience

What You’ll Bring

• A positive attitude and a willingness to get stuck in
• Someone the team can count on — you show up, you're on time, and you give it everything when you're there
• Pride in doing things properly and not cutting corners
• A strong work ethic and the ability to work at pace
• Good communication and a team-first mindset
• A real understanding of the importance of cleanliness, safety, and consistency in the kitchen
• Experience in a kitchen or hospitality environment is helpful, but just as important is the right attitude and reliability