How to hire a kitchen operator

How to hire a kitchen operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step kitchen operator 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 operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new kitchen operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the kitchen operator you need to hire. Certain kitchen operator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A kitchen operator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, kitchen operators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents kitchen operator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Kitchen Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Kitchen Operator	Cooks prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods, which may include soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.	$12-21
   Cook	Cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. They must be knowledgeable about the different recipes and ingredients needed... Show more	$12-19
   Fry Cook	Generally, a fry cook works in a kitchen specializing in fried foods and operating the deep fryer. Fry cooks or chefs cook food by submerging in boiling oil... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Quality Checks
   • CIP
   • Culinary
   • Product Quality
   • Computer System
   • GMP
   • Safety Standards
   • Kitchen Operations
   • Customer Service
   • RAN
   • Hand Trucks
   • Customer Orders
   • POS
   • Dishwashers

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
   • Monitor combat missions through satellite and computer global positioning systems in order to prepare accurate reports for unit commanders.
   • Monitor combat missions through satellite and computer global positioning systems in order to prepare accurate reports for unit commanders.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your kitchen operator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A kitchen operator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, kitchen operators' average salary in mississippi is 46% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level kitchen operators earn 43% less than senior-level kitchen operators.
   • Certifications. A kitchen operator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a kitchen operator's salary.

   Average kitchen operator salary

   $16.17hourly

   $33,634 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level kitchen operator salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

4. Writing a kitchen operator job description

   A good kitchen operator job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a kitchen operator job description:

   Kitchen operator job description example

   Range Min: $18.00
   
   Shift: Mornings
   
   Related Military Occupational Classification (MOC):CS, 92G, 92V, MS, 2A2X1, 04111, 2161, EO, MR, 2A333, 3E2X1, 681, 682, 683
   
   Already a Kwik Trip Coworker? Follow this link to apply: myapps.kwiktrip.com
   
   Our state-of-the-art Kitchens department located in La Crosse, WI produces over 40 different food products for our 800 retail stores. Kwik Trip customers are able to enjoy everything from our soups, salads, sandwiches to our Pothole Pizzas. With our expansion we are now able to offer a variety of Take Home Meals and finished fruit and vegetable products, all prepared daily by our Kitchens team.
   
   Join our team as a Kitchens Coworker. Your primary job responsibilities will be:
   
   * Prep work
   
   * Filling production lines with food ingredients
   
   * Operating food production lines and adjusting equipment as needed
   
   * Ensuring food production lines are operating appropriately to create a quality finished product
   
   Work Schedules:
   
   Pizza Line - Sunday through Wednesday working 5:30am to 3:30pm
   
   Produce and Commissary - Sunday through Wednesday OR Wednesday through Saturday working 5:30am to 3:30pm
   
   Qualifications: Accurate/detail orientated; adhere to sanitation/hygiene standards; basic math aptitude; work in a safety conscious environment; willing to learn/perform variety of job tasks; work in a fast paced production environment; work well alone/with others; knowledge of standard procedures in an automated food production line; ability to operate equipment at a necessary production rate; prior production and power pallet jack experience is a plus.
   
   Physical qualifications: perform repetitive reaching/wrist/hand movements constantly; stand/walk up to 10 hours per shift constantly; lift/carry up to 50 pounds to 36 inches occasionally; lift/carry up to 35 pounds to 72 inches frequently.
   
   Benefits:
   
   * Starting rate of pay: $18.00 per hour
   
   * Weekend Premium Pay: additional $3.00 an hour between the hours of 7:30pm Friday and 5:00am Monday
   
   * A year end cash bonus - 40% of profits shared with our coworkers
   
   * 2 Weeks Vacation within 1st year of employment
   
   * Paid sick time
   
   * Paid Holidays
   
   * Health/dental/vision/life insurance
   
   * Footwear allowance
   
   Kwik Trip, Inc. OVERVIEW:
   
   For over 50 years, Kwik Trip, Inc. has operated friendly, clean, trusted, family-owned, local convenience stores in communities throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. With a commitment to generosity, Kwik Trip, Inc. is dedicated to treating coworkers and guests like family. We continue to look for ways to improve our guest shopping experience and product offerings, as well as to ensure we provide a safe and fun work environment for our coworkers. We offer competitive wage and benefits and continue to invest in our family of coworkers and provide them with career advancement and growth opportunities.
   
   Kwik Trip, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
   
   Function: Manufacturing; Entry Level; Facilities; General Labor; QA - Quality Control; Restaurant - Food Service
   
   Nearest Major Market: La Crosse
   
   Nearest Secondary Market: Winona
   
   Job Segment: QA, Quality Assurance, QC, Food Service, Entry Level, Technology, Quality, Hospitality

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right kitchen operator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with kitchen operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit kitchen operators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your kitchen operator job on Zippia to find and recruit kitchen operator 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 operators, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 operator

   Once you've selected the best kitchen operator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new kitchen operator. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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.)

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