How To Hire Kitchen Staff + FREE Job Descriptions 

Finding talent can be tough, especially in the kitchen. This guide will help you build a strong back-of-house team by sharing the best places to post jobs, free job descriptions and effective retention strategies.

Where To Find Kitchen Staff

Job growth in restaurants has steadily increased since 2020. In fact, by the end of 2023, the restaurant industry became the second-largest private sector in the U.S., with 1.5 million jobs or 10% of the total workforce.

With many other dining establishments vying for the same talent, you need to be strategic in your hiring process. Below, we’ve listed various places where you can start posting a job.

Job platforms

While general job boards such as ZipRecruiter, Indeed and Monster offer a wider reach than industry-specific ones, they often attract unqualified candidates which can prolong your recruitment process, increase your hiring costs and cause employment delays.

To help you access a suitable talent base, it’s worth using hospitality-focused job platforms which we will discuss below.

OysterLink

OysterLink helps employers find talent in the restaurant, hotel and events industries. One of its defining features is its user-friendly design and intuitive navigation. Restaurant Managers looking to create a back-of-house team can access more than 150,000 resumes of hospitality professionals FOR FREE. Not only can you post job ads free of charge on OysterLink, but you can post as many as you need since there’s no set limit. In addition, OysterLink offers a wealth of resources for employers to improve their hiring process. 

Poached Jobs

Poached Jobs offers different ways to help restaurant and hospitality employers increase their job ad visibility. One way is through promoting the jobs posted on their website to other platforms, such as Indeed, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter. However, Poached Jobs isn’t free since they charge $59 per full-time role.

Harri

Harri is a recruitment software specifically built for the hospitality industry. Aside from helping Hiring Managers find talent, Harri also has features that help them manage and engage their team members. Given the platform’s sophisticated services, its pricing plan is only ideal for bigger businesses as a single job post costs $78. 

Culinary Agents

Probably the most popular among all the hospitality-focused job boards mentioned in this list, Culinary Agents has a strong database of service industry workers, having been in the business since 2012. Similar to OysterLink, Culinary Agents has an intuitive interface to help employers easily find talent. They offer companies flexible pricing which starts at $69 per job ad. 

Which job platform should you use?

OysterLink is the only service industry-focused job search platform that allows employers to find qualified candidates at no cost. 

It prioritizes speed and efficiency through its no-fuss job posting process, so Hiring Managers can focus on what truly matters, which is selecting the best candidates and ensuring their business runs smoothly without being bogged down by a lengthy recruitment process.

On-demand staffing agencies

On-demand staffing agencies like Qwick and Snagajob help employers quickly fill shifts. These platforms focus on connecting employers with a pool of hourly or shift workers to address the labor shortage problem. Snagajob, for example, emphasizes on-demand shift work job ads.

They also provide flexibility, allowing companies to adapt to changing demands while maintaining operational efficiency. For example, employers can easily hire more workers during busy seasons or downsize their workforce when business is slow.  

On-demand staffing agencies work by having an employer share details about their staffing needs, and the agency recommends candidates based on those requirements. From the pool provided by the agency, the company can select a worker to fill the shift for the day. 

If you’re thinking of reaching out to on-demand staffing agencies, consider the pros and cons of their services below.

Pros and Cons of On-Demand Staffing Agencies

Pros	Cons
Quick access to qualified candidates	Can be expensive
Faster hiring process	Less control over the recruitment process, potentially resulting in a candidate mismatch
Allows employers to quickly scale or reduce workforce as needed	Limited interaction with the candidate during the hiring process can lead to a culture gap once they’re onboard
	Can lead to a high turnover rate

Social media

Using your company’s social media accounts to advertise job openings isn’t new. According to a survey, 94% of recruiters say they use social media for hiring. 

With so many people using social media for everyday activities, such as staying connected with friends, shopping or reading news, it only makes sense for employers to use these platforms to reach potential candidates.

But while social media allows you to meet job seekers on a platform they’re already registered on, increasing the chances of attracting top talent quickly and effectively, it also has its drawbacks.

Pros and Cons of Social Media

Pros	Cons
Quick to post jobs	Can introduce bias by viewing the social media profiles of those who have engaged with your post
No payment required unless you’re boosting your post	Limited character count on platforms like TikTok and X restricts details about your company and the job
Easy to share, speeding up referrals	Sifting through candidates takes a lot of work as anyone can apply
	Job seekers who experienced scams on recruitment via social media may be hesitant to apply

Recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies operate the same way as on-demand staffing agencies, except they vary in the types of workers they hire. They generally focus on filling full-time positions, and their process tends to take longer and follow a more thorough approach. 

There’s a lot of debate going on about whether recruitment agencies have become obsolete, given the rise of social media, recruitment software and industry-specific job search engines. If you’re on the fence about whether using a recruitment agency is the right choice for hiring kitchen staff, we’ve outlined the pros and cons below. 

Pros and Cons of Recruitment Agencies

Pros	Cons
Saves time and effort	High cost
Higher chances of getting skilled candidates	Limited employer branding
	Agencies tend to focus too much on job fit and may overlook company culture, leading to potential mismatches in hires

Word of mouth

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most powerful ways to find talented kitchen staff. Recommendations from trusted friends and families significantly reduce the time, effort and money needed to properly vet candidates.

Word of mouth is especially valuable in the kitchen, where recommendations from people you know provide more than just a sense of technical skill. They also offer assurance that the candidates have the right work ethic and personality to fit seamlessly into your team.

Pros and Cons of Word of Mouth

Pros	Cons
Higher chances of getting candidates who are both culturally fit and skilled	Limited candidate pool
Cost-effective	Potential bias
Speeds up the hiring process

Kitchen Workers and Job Descriptions for Each

Hiring good kitchen workers starts with writing clear job descriptions. We’ll explore the key back-of-house roles below to help you identify which ones you’ll need for your business. 

Baker

A Baker produces a variety of baked goods. Their responsibilities can vary widely depending on where they work. Bakers in cafes, restaurants and bakeries generally need to be able to follow recipes, have good customer service skills and possess knowledge of food safety. 

Download our FREE Baker job description.

Chef

A Chef is a professional cook in charge of leading the kitchen. Aside from culinary skills, they also need to be proficient in managing people and ensuring food quality and safety. 

To find a Chef for your restaurant, you need to have a clear understanding of what type you need as there are many different types within the French kitchen brigade system which we’ll discuss below. 

Download our FREE Chef job description.

Sous Chef

Sous Chefs work as second in command in the kitchen. Depending on the size of the restaurant, they may work alongside the Head Chef or Executive Chef. 

When considering how to find a Chef, particularly for the Sous Chef position, it’s important to look for qualities such as proven leadership experience and extensive knowledge of food preparation and cooking techniques. 

Download our FREE Sous Chef job description.

Pastry Chef

Hiring Chefs for the pastry department requires proficiency in baking, creativity and attention to detail. Since visually appealing pastries contribute to the restaurant’s reputation, Hiring Managers must be careful in writing job descriptions to filter out candidates who lack baking skills and experience in cake decorating, using professional kitchen equipment and flavor pairing. 

Download our FREE Pastry Chef job description.

Sushi Chef

Like Pastry Chefs, Sushi Chefs need to have a strong emphasis on attention and aesthetic appeal. Preparing sushi is considered an art form. Therefore, if you’re looking to understand how to find a Chef for your restaurant, your job description should highlight the ability to work with different types of fish, ensure ingredient quality and previous experience. 

Download our FREE Sushi Chef job description.

Head Chef

A Head Chef, also known as Chef de Cuisine, is often confused with an Executive Chef. However, the two have distinct sets of responsibilities. While Head Chefs are more hands-on with day-to-day operations, Executive Chefs focus on establishing company culture and managing finances. Large corporations typically hire both Head Chefs and Executive Chefs, but for independent restaurants, a Head Chef usually suffices.

It’s crucial to understand these differences when you’re planning for steps on how to hire a Chef.

Download our FREE Head Chef job description.

Executive Chef

The Executive Chef is the head of the kitchen, or multiple kitchens in many instances. To find Chefs looking for work at this level, it’s essential to recognize that reaching this role requires years or even decades of experience, as it demands skills and knowledge not only in cooking but also in business management. This leadership position involves collaborating with the Restaurant Manager to set dish prices, training the kitchen staff and preparing financial reports. 

Download our FREE Executive Chef job description.

Private Chef

Private Chefs are usually employed by individuals to cook and prepare meals for households, but they can also be hired by senior care facilities, schools and companies. It’s important to know the difference between a Private Chef and a Restaurant Chef because their skill sets and work environments vary significantly. 

If you’re considering how to find a Chef for your restaurant, it’s better to focus on highlighting requirements regarding experience cooking in dining establishments as Private Chefs may lack the high-volume cooking skills necessary for a restaurant setting. 

Download our FREE Private Chef job description.

Cook

A Cook’s responsibilities can depend on the size of the kitchen. In larger ones, there may be several specialized Cooks, such as Line and Prep Cooks. Regardless, they’re all managed by a Chef and require good knowledge of different kitchen equipment, proficiency in various cooking techniques and attention to detail. 

If you’re looking for Cooks to hire, it’s important to be clear about their main tasks. Will they be solely in charge of preparing ingredients for Chefs or will they be assigned to a specific station? Knowing this will allow you to be as specific as possible in the skills and experience you require.

For those hiring Cooks who are going to be all-arounders, be sure to reflect this in their job description to manage their expectations. 

Download our FREE Cook job description.

Line Cook

Line Cooks are often assigned to specific stations (think fry, grill and sauté). Given this, they must excel in different cooking techniques in order to do different dishes efficiently and consistently. They must also have strong multitasking skills and the ability to stay calm under pressure in order to manage high order volumes. 

If you’re looking into how to find a Cook for your restaurant, it’s essential to emphasize these skills in your job description to attract qualified candidates who can thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Download our FREE Line Cook job description.

Prep Cook

As its title suggests, Prep Cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients for cooking. This includes cutting vegetables, slicing meat and storing items properly. They sit at the bottom of the kitchen hierarchy but their role is important to ensure seamless kitchen operations. 

When looking for Cooks in charge of assisting Chefs with making sure all ingredients are ready, make sure to include excellent organizational skills, knowledge of food preparation techniques and the ability to work well with others in the job description.

Download our FREE Prep Cook job description.

Dishwasher

A lot of Chefs and Kitchen Managers started in the hospitality industry as a Dishwasher. A Dishwasher’s task may sound simple, but they’re crucial in maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of the kitchen, as well as securing the health of the customers. As this is an entry-level role, there’s no minimum education or experience required, making it a role that’s relatively easy for Hiring Managers to fill. 

Download our FREE Dishwasher job description.

Fast-Food Worker

Also known as a Crew Member, a Fast-Food Worker is a popular part-time job among high school students or 16-year-olds looking for a job. Similar to Dishwashers, Fast-Food Workers aren’t generally required to have a formal education or previous experience to get started. Training to perform duties such as taking orders, handling cash and preparing food can be done while on the job. 

Download our FREE Fast-Food Worker job description.

Kitchen Manager

Kitchen Managers usually work in dining establishments that are part of a chain. For example, McDonald’s, Olive Garden and Chili’s are all places where strict adherence to operational procedures, company branding and standardized recipes is a must.

A Kitchen Manager’s role is important in creating a consistent dining experience across all locations. In addition, they also hire kitchen staff. Therefore, a Kitchen Manager’s job description should highlight strong leadership skills, experience in managing kitchen operations and the ability to uphold company standards.

Download our FREE Kitchen Manager job description.

Conducting Interviews With Applicants

Now that you know where to post your jobs and your job descriptions are ready, let’s discuss how you can conduct your interviews to determine if the candidate meets the required skills to do their job effectively and aligns well with your restaurant’s culture.

Have the right questions

A good set of interview questions reveals a candidate’s personality, abilities and cultural fit within the organization. To save you time, OysterLink expertly created interview questions for all kitchen, hotel and events roles. 

Under kitchen positions, we’ve prepared the top 50 interview questions for a Chef that you can choose from to see if your candidate has excellent culinary and customer service skills, as well as technical expertise. 

We’ve also researched the best interview questions you can ask a Cook, organized into two categories: skills and experience and situational and behavioral, so that you can assess both their cooking skills and how they might handle real-life scenarios in the kitchen. 

All of OysterLink’s interview questions include essential things to discuss such as previous work experience, soft and hard skills. Here are a few examples:

• Can you walk me through your culinary background and experience?
• Can you share an example of a time when you had to handle a difficult customer complaint or request? How did you resolve it?
• How do you interact with front-of-house staff to ensure seamless coordination and communication in a busy restaurant environment?
• How often do you train new team members and how do you approach the training process?

Observe their answers and body language

Even if your candidate answers all your questions with the responses you want to hear, if their actions and behavior during the interview suggest otherwise, it can be a red flag. 

A candidate’s body language often reveals more than what they say. For example, if a person applying for an Executive Chef position is slouching, it can be a sign that they’re not confident. Since Executive Chefs interact with both customers and kitchen staff, they need to exude confidence and authority to effectively lead their team, foster loyalty and encourage repeat business. These are all general guidelines though, and you should still prioritize their skills, previous experience and what they say during the interview process.

Trust your gut

Sometimes, a candidate can tick all your boxes, but for some reason, you have a bad feeling about them. Don’t ignore this. The most successful people, including Albert Einstein, credited their success to trusting their gut instincts.

Studies have shown that people’s intuitive judgments can be more accurate than logical reasoning. If you feel that something is off about a candidate, take note of it. However, don’t dismiss them right away. Gather more information, such as feedback from other interviewees and character references, to confirm your hunch and guide your next steps. 

Advice From a Seasoned Restaurant Consultant

OysterLink recently interviewed Emily LaRuffa, a seasoned hospitality professional with over two decades of professional bar, restaurant and hotel experience.

We asked her how she manages to attract young people to start working in the hospitality industry. This was part of her response.

How to attract young people to start working in the hospitality industry?

Emily: “My first approach is getting to know where a person is at. Understanding the motivation and goals of every person can help us guide them towards a career path in hospitality.

A lot of people end up in hospitality to pay the bills but end up loving it. The important part is to showcase a potential career path to them, show them they don’t have to stay in a Server role for a long period of time. People can quickly grow from the hourly level positions to become Captains or Sommeliers and earn incredibly well. From there they can go into management and build on that.”

Emily LaRuffa, Restaurant Consultant and owner of Oracle Hospitality

How To Retain Kitchen Staff

When it comes to the hospitality industry, it’s not just hard to find kitchen staff, it’s equally challenging to retain them. 

High turnover rates hurt not just staff morale but also the financial health of the business. According to the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell, the average turnover cost is $5,864 per employee. 

To help you address this challenge, below are some ideas you can work on to enhance employee satisfaction.

Offer a competitive benefits and compensation package

This gives you a competitive edge over other restaurants. When identifying salaries for kitchen staff, make sure they’re within the market rate and consider offering slightly above it.

However, if the budget is fixed, you can always look into a comprehensive benefits program that makes employees feel appreciated for their hard work. Show that you’re genuinely invested not just in their careers but also in their personal lives by offering flexible schedules, generous paid time off and training opportunities for accelerated career paths. 

Do proper onboarding

Studies show that up to 20% of staff turnover happens within their first 45 days of employment. Yet, many companies still aren’t investing enough time and effort into the onboarding process. 

Instead of just allotting a week or two to familiarize new staff with the kitchen layout, safety protocols and team dynamics, why not consider extending the onboarding period? This could involve evaluating their performance in real-time and scheduling regular check-ins to ensure that the new hires are adjusting well.

Improve your business’ culture

Encourage your kitchen staff to share their concerns without worrying about negative consequences. Kitchen Managers or Head Chefs can meet with them individually on a regular basis to gather feedback and address any concerns right away.

Another impactful effort from a Restaurant Manager to improve business culture is to maintain a respectful environment. Customers can sometimes be rude, so protect your employees and ensure they’re treated with respect by implementing policies and providing training for both managers and staff on how to handle these situations to show that you support them.

Find Kitchen Workers on OysterLink

OysterLink stands out as the best platform for hiring kitchen staff. It streamlines restaurants’ recruitment process by connecting you to a pool of candidates with relevant skills and experience. Plus, it allows you to post unlimited job openings at no cost, making it easy to fill all your kitchen staffing needs quickly and efficiently.