Behind the scenes in every kitchen, or out behind the counter, a mission-critical set of skills are required to keep every kitchen, canteen and eatery operating. This crew of people handles food preparation & service, cleaning up as the shift goes on, making sure dishes and shelves are kept stocked and operating both tills and coffee machines to ensure everyone is able to be fed and watered.

Probably our largest team in this category is devoted to food service and preparation in the Aged & Health sector. Tight budgets mean that a balance between menu design & cooking and cost-effective service and delivery of the food prepared needs to be maintained. In a sector as budget-constrained as Health & Aged, we’re kept very busy making sure that both Clients and their residents are kept happy, and well fed.

Interestingly, though, the domain experts at many of the Sites we supply are the Kitchen Hands and Canteen Assistants. They are the ones who tend to have the knowledge of their kitchens and their customers – and without their knowledge, many of our Chefs would struggle to serve food the way people expect it. We’ve spent quite a lot of time educating Chefs to this ‘new world’ where although they may be the senior person in the kitchen while they are there, their ability to work in with – and consult – site kitchen & catering personnel is often the difference between doing a good job – and a great one!

As with all members of our Brigade, it is critical for us to understand both the skills and experience of each and every one of this team. Familiarity with different types of food, different equipment and completely different kitchens can make a big difference to their ability to enjoy the work they do each day. Our Aged-Care Training Course is extended to all kitchen and catering personnel working in this sector, as its specific requirements are often critical to the health of residents – and their overall happiness!

Catering Assistants / Food Service Assistants

Service assistant to the chef, basic food preparation, reheating of food, customer service and general cleaning

Kitchen Hands

Basic wash up, using commercial dishwasher and general cleanup