How to hire a kitchen aide

How to hire a kitchen aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step kitchen aide hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a kitchen aide job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new kitchen aide
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a kitchen aide job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a kitchen aide, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect kitchen aide also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents kitchen aide salaries for various positions.

   Type of Kitchen Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Kitchen Aide	Food preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. Food preparation workers prepare cold foods, slice meat, peel and cut vegetables, brew coffee or tea, and perform many other food service tasks.	$10-16
   Deli Worker	A deli worker specializes in handling deli products and providing customer service in retail stores. They are primarily responsible for packaging and labeling products according to their weight and type, assigning prices, sorting out quality, and arranging them on display, all while following food safety and health guidelines... Show more	$10-17
   Deli Clerk	A deli clerk is responsible for providing healthy food recommendations to the customers, assisting them with their inquiries, and providing special offers. Deli clerks' duties include maintaining the highest sanitation procedures within the working area, updating the customers with the products' promotions, updating displays regularly, researching the latest market trends for product recommendations, and adhering to the company's safety standards and regulations... Show more	$11-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Meal Preparation
   • Cleanliness
   • Patients
   • Food Handling
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Food Orders
   • Tray Line
   • Meal Service
   • Steamers
   • Food Trays
   • Food Safety
   • Clean Kitchen
   • Allergies
   • Food Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist the catering manager to manage, prepare, cook and deliver each day s caterings.
   • Prepare any specific directions for children with food allergies or on medications that might interact with food.
   • Ask them for their drinks, if they need certain requests for allergies or guests arriving with them.
   • Maintain adequate kitchen cleanliness and order through communication with chef and other staff
   • Work collaboratively with WIC center nutritionist to conduct/obtain require nutritional measures for WIC participants.
   • Operate massive dishwasher and maintain food inventory.

   More kitchen aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your kitchen aide job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A kitchen aide can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, kitchen aides' average salary in louisiana is 52% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level kitchen aides 37% less than senior-level kitchen aides.
   • Certifications. A kitchen aide with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a kitchen aide's salary.

   Average kitchen aide salary

   $13.74hourly

   $28,572 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level kitchen aide salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average kitchen aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$35,341	$17
   2	Rhode Island	$33,534	$16
   3	New York	$33,015	$16
   4	Massachusetts	$32,609	$16
   5	Colorado	$31,091	$15
   6	Connecticut	$30,661	$15
   7	North Dakota	$30,648	$15
   8	Utah	$30,022	$14
   9	Illinois	$29,222	$14
   10	Wisconsin	$28,006	$13
   11	Ohio	$27,029	$13
   12	Idaho	$26,535	$13
   13	Florida	$24,836	$12
   14	New Mexico	$24,166	$12
   15	Alabama	$19,163	$9

   Average kitchen aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University Settlement	$37,855	$18.20	4
   2	The Philadelphia Coalition	$32,862	$15.80
   3	San Ysidro Health Center	$32,373	$15.56	3
   4	BronxWorks	$31,341	$15.07
   5	Care New England Health System	$30,477	$14.65
   6	Universal Health Services	$30,468	$14.65	93
   7	ACTION-Bridgeport Community	$30,280	$14.56	3
   8	The Center for Health Care Services	$30,198	$14.52
   9	Huntsville Hospital	$30,131	$14.49	30
   10	Catholic Health East	$29,779	$14.32
   11	Dynamic Workforce Solutions	$29,415	$14.14	1
   12	Remedy Intelligent Staffing	$29,410	$14.14
   13	City of Farmington	$29,304	$14.09	3
   14	NORTHERN MONTANA HOSPITAL	$29,275	$14.07	6
   15	Metropolitan	$29,210	$14.04
   16	RWJBarnabas Health	$28,888	$13.89	44
   17	NCR At Home Health and Wellness	$28,885	$13.89	4
   18	Notre Dame Health Care	$28,877	$13.88	2
   19	Sound	$28,813	$13.85
   20	Encompass Health	$28,498	$13.70	245

4. Writing a kitchen aide job description

   A kitchen aide job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a kitchen aide job description:

   Kitchen aide job description example

   Children s Specialized Hospital is the nation s leading provider of inpatient and outpatient care for children from birth to 21 years of age facing special health challenges from chronic illnesses and complex physical disabilities like brain and spinal cord injuries, to developmental and behavioral issues like autism and mental health.
   
   Children's Specialized Hospital is now in its third century of caring for those in need. Our Boards of Trustees, physicians, therapists, nurses, staff, volunteers, and donors remain dedicated to the very ideals of the Hospital's founders and committed to providing the best care possible so that every child who seeks our help reaches their fullest potential.
   
   At 16 different New Jersey locations, our pediatric specialists partner with families to make our many innovative therapies and medical treatments more personalized and effective...so children can achieve more of their goals.
   
   Performs a variety of routine duties in the kitchen area, scrubbing, cleaning and the like, to maintain a safe, sanitary environment in the dietary department.
   Essential Job Functions Washes dishes in dish machine and manually cleans, sanitizes pots and pans using established departmental policies and procedures.
   Cleans all kitchen equipment following assigned cleaning routines using established departmental policies and procedures.
   Delivers and picks up patient trays and coffees at assigned times.
   Sets up employee cafeteria.
   Collects trash and recyclable material at assigned intervals throughout the day. Follows established safety procedures for removal to, and operation of trash compactor.
   Performs other duties as assigned. Formal Education and Job-Related Experience * High school/GED Certification
   * n/a License
   * n/a Education and Experience - Additional Comments
   * Previous food service experience preferred. Job Specific Contacts
   * Contacts with Dietary Department employees, nursing, housekeeping, other hospital personnel, patients and families. Physical Demands
   * Subject to temperature change throughout the day. Working Environment - Additional Comments
   * Physical stamina for stooping, walking, standing, lifting and carrying food and equipment. Ability to read and write English in order to write out requisitions and read cleaning assignments, policies and procedures. Job Provides Direction To
   * None

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right kitchen aide for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your kitchen aide job on Zippia to find and recruit kitchen aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit kitchen aides, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new kitchen aide

   Once you've decided on a perfect kitchen aide candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a kitchen aide?