Back-of-House Heroes: Hiring Restaurant Kitchen Support Staff

The unsung heroes of any food service operation, each back-of-house (BOH) position in a kitchen is an essential ingredient, with every element working together to create a seamless dining experience. No role can be overlooked, as each plays a critical part in ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly and efficiently.

From expeditor to steward, every member of the BOH staff is integral to a restaurant’s success, crucial to delivering quality dishes and ensuring efficient operations. When it comes to hiring the right kitchen crew, it’s not just about finding people who can cook or clean; it’s about selecting individuals who can handle pressure, collaborate effectively with others, and contribute to a positive kitchen culture.

Defining the Roles

Before you begin the hiring process, it’s essential to clearly define the roles you need to fill. Whether you're hiring prep cooks, line cooks, dishwashers, or food runners, it’s important to outline specific duties and expectations in the job description. This ensures you're attracting candidates who are fully prepared for the tasks at hand. For example, line cooks must thrive in a fast-paced environment, while dishwashers should focus on maintaining cleanliness and organization throughout the kitchen.

Beyond the head chef and sous chefs, these back-of-house support roles are the backbone of your kitchen team, helping everything flow smoothly and contributing to a positive overall operation.

Common Back-of-House Support Roles:

• Dishwasher: Responsible for cleaning dishes, utensils, cookware, and kitchen equipment, ensuring the kitchen remains organized and operational.

• Prep Cook: Prepares ingredients and assists with the initial steps of cooking, such as chopping vegetables, marinating meats, and organizing ingredients for the kitchen.

• Line Cook: Prepares and cooks food according to the menu, following instructions from the head chef or line station supervisor.

• Porter: Assists with general kitchen maintenance, stocking supplies, and cleaning. They often help prep and ensure the kitchen runs smoothly.

• Food Runner: Delivers finished dishes from the kitchen to the dining area, ensuring they are presented well and timely.

• Expeditor: Ensures that all orders from the kitchen are correctly prepared and sent out to the front of house, managing communication between kitchen staff and servers.

• Steward: Maintains cleanliness and organization of the kitchen, assists with storage of supplies, and may perform basic prep work.

• Butcher: Prepares and cuts meat, poultry, or fish for use in various dishes.

• Baker/Pasrty Chef: Prepares breads, pastries, and desserts, often working in a separate section of the kitchen from savory food preparation.

• Cleaner: Keeps the kitchen environment clean, wiping surfaces, taking out trash, and ensuring all areas comply with health and safety regulations.

Key Experience and Skills

While passion for cooking is important, experience in the kitchen is essential, especially for positions like line cooks or sous chefs. 

Look for candidates who have worked in similar kitchens or who have completed culinary training. For entry-level positions, a willingness to learn and a strong work ethic can be just as valuable as experience. 

For senior roles, make sure candidates have experience managing kitchen operations, supervising teams, and maintaining food quality under pressure.

• Assess Work Ethic and Ability to Handle Stress

A kitchen environment is fast-paced, demanding, and often stressful. During the hiring process, assess how candidates handle pressure. Ask them about situations where they’ve worked in high-stress environments and how they managed to stay organized and focused. This will give you insight into their ability to perform under pressure. A strong work ethic and the ability to stay calm and composed in the kitchen are essential traits for any back-of-house team member.

• Evaluate Teamwork and Communication Skills

In the kitchen, effective communication and teamwork are key to ensuring that everything runs smoothly. A prep cook needs to communicate effectively with the line cooks, and the line cooks need to work in sync with the head chef to ensure the orders are executed perfectly. During interviews, pay attention to how candidates talk about their experiences working in teams. Look for signs of collaboration and strong communication skills, as these are crucial to a harmonious and efficient kitchen environment.

• Provide a Trial Period

Before making a final decision, consider offering a trial period for your new hires. This allows you to see firsthand how they work in the kitchen, how they interact with other staff members, and how well they adapt to your restaurant’s specific processes. A trial period also gives the candidate the chance to decide if the job is a good fit for them.

• Foster a Positive Kitchen Culture

The work environment in the kitchen can often be high-stress and demanding. That’s why it’s important to foster a positive and supportive kitchen culture. During the hiring process, assess whether candidates will fit into the dynamic of your existing team. Look for individuals who are respectful, willing to learn, and contribute to creating a positive atmosphere in the kitchen. A positive work culture will result in happier employees and better overall performance.

Take Away

Hiring the right back-of-house kitchen staff is vital to your restaurant’s success. By clearly defining roles, looking for the right skills, assessing stress management abilities, and focusing on teamwork and communication, you can build a strong kitchen team that will thrive under pressure. Taking the time to find candidates who align with your restaurant’s culture and values will help you create an efficient and positive environment in the back of the house, ensuring that your guests enjoy a great dining experience every time.

FAQs

What should I look for when hiring a dishwasher?

When hiring a dishwasher, look for candidates who are reliable, detail-oriented, and able to work efficiently under pressure. Dishwashers play a key role in maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen, so it's important they can stay organized, handle large volumes of dishes, and keep up with the fast pace of a busy kitchen. Strong teamwork skills are also important, as they’ll need to communicate effectively with other kitchen staff.

How do I hire a prep cook who fits into my kitchen culture?

A good prep cook should have strong knife skills, attention to detail, and the ability to follow recipes and instructions. Beyond technical skills, it's important to assess their ability to work as part of a team. During interviews, ask about their experience working in similar kitchen environments and their ability to handle busy times. Look for someone who can stay organized and work independently, as well as someone who can adapt to the needs of the kitchen.

What is the best way to find entry-level kitchen staff?

Entry-level kitchen staff can be found through culinary schools, job boards, and local networking events. Offering internships or externships can also provide a great opportunity to assess potential future employees. Another effective way to find talent is by promoting from within—encouraging experienced front-of-house staff or current kitchen workers to take on new roles or grow into leadership positions.

How can I ensure my back-of-house staff works well together?

Fostering a positive and collaborative work environment is key to a smooth-running kitchen. During interviews, look for candidates who have demonstrated strong teamwork skills in past roles. Offer a trial period to observe how new hires fit into the existing team. Encourage open communication and provide regular training to help staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Regular team-building activities can also help strengthen relationships between back-of-house staff.

What qualities should I prioritize when hiring a food runner or expeditor?

For a food runner or expeditor, look for candidates with strong communication skills, the ability to stay organized, and the capability to work well under pressure. These roles require individuals who can quickly and accurately deliver dishes to customers while coordinating with both the kitchen and front-of-house staff. They should be quick thinkers and able to stay calm during busy service periods.

By Eileen Strauss