Kitchen supervisor

What's in a day?

As kitchen supervisor, you'll be leading a small army of kitchen porters and overseeing the day to day running of the kitchen, including cleaning the equipment, checking supplies and rotating food stock. You'll be in demand in restaurants, hotels, pubs and the catering departments of schools, hospitals and ships. Note that part of the day may be spent working in an office, ordering supplies and so on.

Key responsibilities:

Managing the kitchen porters
Making sure the kitchen is a safe and hygienic place to work
Organising the inventory, storage, and distribution of foodstuffs and supplies
Helping to plan menus, apportion ingredients and use food surpluses
Control portion costs by working out the number of portions per food batch
In some jobs you will be required to cook

What sort of hours will I work?

Hey, you're running a kitchen, so like the rest of the brigade you'll have to work split shifts and at least 40 hours a week, including some weekends. As with any kitchen job, you may find yourself working longer hours to meet the needs of the business.

What's the best bit about being a kitchen supervisor?

You are at the heart of kitchen operations, so you'll know everyone and everything.

And the worst?

The job may involve heavy lifting of food supplies and standing for a long time.

What skills do I need?

Experience of working in a kitchen, perhaps as a kitchen porter or commis chef
Some management experience will help
Ability to multitask

What qualifications do I need?

Health and safety or food hygiene qualifications are crucial
Some employers look for level 2 NVQs, SVQs, a BTEC or a diploma in a catering subject

Who would it suit?

Someone who likes to be hands on and is a stickler for detail. You're going to have to get down to the nitty gritty because it's your job to help maintain high standards of health and safety and to make sure the kitchen never runs out of ingredients.