How to hire a kitchen worker

How to hire a kitchen worker, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your kitchen worker job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a kitchen worker for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A kitchen worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, kitchen workers 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.

   Here's a comparison of kitchen worker salaries for various roles:

   Type of Kitchen Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Kitchen Worker	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.	$10-17
   Food Prep	The primary duty of a food prep is to accomplish various food handling and preparation tasks according to the direction of supervisors, chefs, or cooks. One can work in different establishments or industry where there is food involved... Show more	$9-16
   Bakery Clerk	A bakery clerk is an employee who is responsible for running the bakery department of supermarkets, boutique bakeries, or baking facilities. Bakery clerks are usually tasked to manage the bakery's cash register, bagging baked goods and then taking customers' payments... Show more	$11-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Food Handling
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Food Service
   • Customer Service
   • Patients
   • Sanitation Standards
   • Safety Standards
   • Kitchen Floors
   • Safety Procedures
   • Food Carts
   • Clean Kitchen
   • Food Preparation
   • Washing Machines

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Ensure cleanliness of surroundings and sterilization/sanitation of kitchen prep area and food trays.
   • Clean floors, dishes, stoves and pots.
   • Prepare for opening the next morning by cleaning and shutting down fryers and broiler.
   • Work well with other employees-Maintain cleanliness of areas assigned-perform a variety of services-follow property policies and procedures-oversee own responsibilities
   • Remove wash dishware, flatware, and glassware from dishwasher and stack them according to size and likeness for future use.
   • Sanitize heavy equipment including dishwasher, mixer and slicer.

   More kitchen worker duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, kitchen workers' average salary in louisiana is 47% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level kitchen workers 39% less than senior-level kitchen workers.
   • Certifications. A kitchen worker 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 worker's salary.

   Average kitchen worker salary

   $13.81hourly

   $28,720 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level kitchen worker salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average kitchen worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$35,284	$17
   2	Massachusetts	$31,458	$15
   3	Connecticut	$30,020	$14
   4	Arizona	$27,167	$13
   5	Pennsylvania	$27,063	$13
   6	Ohio	$26,523	$13
   7	Nevada	$25,732	$12
   8	Idaho	$24,802	$12
   9	Florida	$24,055	$12
   10	Texas	$23,985	$12
   11	New Mexico	$23,331	$11
   12	Iowa	$23,162	$11
   13	Kansas	$23,107	$11
   14	Indiana	$22,832	$11
   15	Louisiana	$18,931	$9

   Average kitchen worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kemps	$35,553	$17.09
   2	Erickson Senior Living	$32,539	$15.64	21
   3	Kaiser Permanente	$32,473	$15.61	81
   4	Wegmans Food Markets	$31,543	$15.16	65
   5	Treasure Island, FL	$31,128	$14.97
   6	Harvard University	$30,930	$14.87
   7	The Osborn	$30,780	$14.80
   8	Salem Health	$30,608	$14.72
   9	Community Renewal Team Inc	$30,204	$14.52
   10	Mount Nittany Medical Center	$30,202	$14.52
   11	Northwell Health	$30,067	$14.46	5
   12	Emerson Hospital	$29,971	$14.41	1
   13	St Joseph Medical Group	$29,837	$14.34	10
   14	FHI 360	$29,814	$14.33
   15	TKC Holdings	$29,269	$14.07	93
   16	Safe Harbor Marinas	$29,233	$14.05
   17	WELL	$29,085	$13.98	11
   18	ManpowerGroup	$29,063	$13.97	31
   19	The GEO Group	$28,849	$13.87	4
   20	PorchLight Group	$28,719	$13.81

4. Writing a kitchen worker job description

   A kitchen worker 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 worker job description:

   Kitchen worker job description example

   OPENINGS FOR CLEANERS and FOOD SERVICE WORKERS AVAILABLE! ($17-19/HR)

   Large Hospital with opportunity for growth looking for CLEANERS/FOOD SERVICE WORKERs to join their team

   Cleaners

   1st Shift- 7am-3:30pm

   Mid Shift - 10:30am-7pm

   2nd Shift- 5pm-1:30am

   (Monday- Friday & every other weekend)

   Must be open to working overtime

   Food Service Workers

   2nd shift 11am-730pm (Monday- Friday & every other weekend)

   Must be open to working overtime

   Pay: $17-19/hr

   Location: Cooperstown, NY

   Job Description:

   - Experience with cleaning and sanitation

   Experience with Food service work

   - Garbage removal

   -Sweeping and mopping

   -Wiping down the table tops and equipment

   - Maintain the facility and equipment

   Position is a full time with OT required

   Company has great benefits and 401k plan

   You can start work after compliance as there is no interview

   PLEASE CALL KELLIE AT AND APPLY IMMEDIATELY TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ROLE!

   About Aerotek:

   We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at

   The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find kitchen workers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any kitchen workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level kitchen workers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with kitchen worker candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 worker

   Once you've found the kitchen worker candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new kitchen worker. 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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