Senior Catering Assistant

Wshgroup; West of England; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 30 days

Pension contributions

Life assurance

Cycle scheme

Family leave

Free meals on shift

EAP / wellbeing resources

Christmas shutdown

Job summary

Wshgroup is seeking a flexible Catering Assistant to support food preparation, cooking, service, and delivery across our kitchen and front-of-house operations. You will help ensure high standards of quality, hygiene, and customer care while working closely with chefs and front-of-house staff.

The role involves preparing ingredients, serving customers, handling cashless payments, and assisting with deliveries and stock management.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a catering, kitchen, hospitality, or food service environment preferred.
• Basic food preparation and cooking skills.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene, and allergen management.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the preparation, cooking, and presentation of food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, hospitality, and buffet services.
• Prepare ingredients, sandwiches, salads, snacks, and hot meals in line with recipes, specifications, and customer requirements.
• Support chefs in all aspects of food production to ensure meals are delivered to agreed quality standards.
• Assist with portioning, packing, and labelling food items for service or delivery.
• Ensure all food is handled, stored, and prepared in accordance with food safety and allergen procedures.
• Provide a friendly, professional, and welcoming service to customers at all times.
• Serve food, beverages, and retail products while maintaining high standards of presentation.
• Operate tills, cashless payment systems, and EPOS equipment where required.
• Respond to customer enquiries and assist in resolving service issues promptly and professionally.
• Support catering operations across restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality events, retail outlets, and service counters.
• Assist with receiving, checking, and storing deliveries in accordance with company procedures.
• Support the preparation and loading of food orders for delivery to customers and service locations.
• Undertake delivery duties where required, ensuring food is transported safely and efficiently.
• Help maintain accurate stock rotation and storage practices, including adherence to FIFO principles.
• Report stock shortages, quality concerns, or delivery discrepancies to management.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organised kitchen and service environment.
• Clean equipment, utensils, workstations, food preparation areas, and dining spaces to required standards.
• Complete cleaning schedules, temperature checks, and food safety records accurately.
• Follow all Food Safety, HACCP, Health & Safety, COSHH, and company procedures.
• Support waste management and sustainability initiatives, ensuring waste is disposed of correctly.
• Work collaboratively with kitchen, delivery, and front-of-house teams to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Assist colleagues during busy periods and support other catering areas as required.
• Contribute to a positive working environment through professional communication and teamwork.
• Participate in training and development activities to enhance skills and knowledge.

Skills

Catering experience

Food safety knowledge

Customer service

Fast-paced environment

Attention to detail

Allergen management

Job description

Purpose of the Role

To support the efficient operation of the kitchen and catering service by assisting with food preparation, basic cooking, food service, customer care, and delivery activities. The role ensures that high standards of food quality, hygiene, safety, and customer service are consistently maintained while supporting colleagues across kitchen and front-of-house operations.

Key Responsibilities

Food Preparation & Production

• Assist with the preparation, cooking, and presentation of food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, hospitality, and buffet services.
• Prepare ingredients, sandwiches, salads, snacks, and hot meals in line with recipes, specifications, and customer requirements.
• Support chefs in all aspects of food production to ensure meals are delivered to agreed quality standards.
• Assist with portioning, packing, and labelling food items for service or delivery.
• Ensure all food is handled, stored, and prepared in accordance with food safety and allergen procedures.

Customer Service & Food Service

• Provide a friendly, professional, and welcoming service to customers at all times.
• Serve food, beverages, and retail products while maintaining high standards of presentation.
• Operate tills, cashless payment systems, and EPOS equipment where required.
• Respond to customer enquiries and assist in resolving service issues promptly and professionally.
• Support catering operations across restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality events, retail outlets, and service counters.

Delivery & Stock Support

• Assist with receiving, checking, and storing deliveries in accordance with company procedures.
• Support the preparation and loading of food orders for delivery to customers and service locations.
• Undertake delivery duties where required, ensuring food is transported safely and efficiently.
• Help maintain accurate stock rotation and storage practices, including adherence to FIFO principles.
• Report stock shortages, quality concerns, or delivery discrepancies to management.

Hygiene, Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a clean, safe, and organised kitchen and service environment.
• Clean equipment, utensils, workstations, food preparation areas, and dining spaces to required standards.
• Complete cleaning schedules, temperature checks, and food safety records accurately.
• Follow all Food Safety, HACCP, Health & Safety, COSHH, and company procedures.
• Support waste management and sustainability initiatives, ensuring waste is disposed of correctly.

Teamwork & General Duties

• Work collaboratively with kitchen, delivery, and front-of-house teams to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Assist colleagues during busy periods and support other catering areas as required.
• Contribute to a positive working environment through professional communication and teamwork.
• Participate in training and development activities to enhance skills and knowledge.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties appropriate to the role.

Food Safety 2 within 30 days of starting work

Health and Safety Qualification (desirable)

Relevant catering or hospitality qualification (desirable)

First Aid qualification (desirable)

Skills / Knowledge / Experience Required

• Previous experience in a catering, kitchen, hospitality, or food service environment preferred.
• Basic food preparation and cooking skills.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene, and allergen management.
• Reliable, flexible, and able to work independently or as part of a team.

Employee Benefits Menu

• Generous Time Off
  Savour a well-balanced blend of work and personal time with our generous annual leave allowance (30 days including bank holidays)
• Pension Contributions with Extra Spice
  Prepare for your future with a pension plan that goes beyond the basics - 5% from you, matched with a hearty 5% from us
• Life Assurance
  Our life assurance plan is here to provide peace of mind, so you can focus on serving up excellence
• Cycle Scheme
  Get a healthy and eco-friendly start to each day with our cycle scheme - perfect for working up an appetite!
• Comprehensive Family Leave Benefits
  When life serves up big changes, we're here to support you with a menu of family leave benefits designed so you can make memories as you care for your family.
• Free Food and Drink on Shift
  Enjoy a daily free meal/drink so you can fuel up and stay energised.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)/Mental Health First Aiders
  Tap into our 24/7, all-year round helpline and portal Wisdom, loaded with resources on health, finances, legal advice and lifestyle tips - a full menu of support options
• Christmas Shutdown
  Relax during the festive period whilst the operation is closed between Christmas and New Year - a rarity for the Hospitality industry (opt