What does a Catering Assistant do?
Catering Assistants are employed to prepare food, stock supplies and clean kitchens and service work areas. They assist Caterers at social and corporate events such as weddings, conferences and galas. Catering Assistants work with Event Managers, Servers and Chefs to ensure that guests at events are satisfied. Typical work weeks can require up to 40 hours, depending on whether the role is full or part-time. Catering Assistants regularly work weekends, late nights, early mornings and holidays.
With experience and training, a Catering Assistant can become a Catering Manager or Catering Coordinator. They can also progress into the role of Trainee or Junior Chef, depending on their industry.
Catering Assistant skills and qualifications
A successful Catering Assistant candidate has prerequisite skills and qualifications needed to do their work effectively. These include:
- Preparations of various types of cookery
- Application of food health and safety regulations
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Excellent customer service skills
- Effective organisational skills
- Manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination to prepare food properly
Catering Assistant experience requirements
A foundation in food handling, cooking, health regulations and events management are vital requirements for Catering Assistants. Previous experience in foodservice, baking, billing, customer service and sales is also beneficial. Other experience requirements depend on the employer, role and location. Catering Assistant jobs are often entry-level, so most employers require less than two years of experience for their candidates. Sometimes, education and training can be substituted for experience.
Catering Assistant education and training requirements
Catering Assistants need courses such as the Level 2 Award in Food Safety, Level 1 Certificate in General Cookery or Level 1 Award in Introduction to Employment in the Hospitality Industry. Some employers recruit candidates with a Commis Chef or Hospitality Team Member Intermediate Apprenticeship. Experienced General Kitchen Hands and Dish Washers can be promoted to the role of Catering Assistant if they have relevant GCSEs.
Catering Assistant salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Catering Assistant in the UK is £9.14 per hour. Actual pay may depend on the employer, location, experience and education.
Job description samples for similar positions
Here are job description samples for related positions if you are not looking to recruit a Catering Assistant:
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
