Kitchen assistant

How to find a kitchen assistant for a restaurant or canteen kitchen

Updated 31 October 2026

What a kitchen assistant does

A kitchen assistant is the first link in production: peels and chops vegetables, prepares ingredients, washes and arranges produce, helps at the serving counter. They free the cook from routine work, so the place serves dishes faster. If you write this specifically in the request, the people who want exactly this work will reply.

Such jobs often suit people without experience. But be honest that physical work on your feet needs stamina.

Job details

• Duties — prep and peeling vegetables, chopping, receiving goods, cleaning the kitchen.
• Type of place — canteen, restaurant, cafe, school kitchen.
• Place of work — city and area, for example Johannesburg.
• Schedule — 5-on-2-off, 2-on-2-off, evening or early shifts.
• Salary — fixed pay, for example R 120 per shift.
• Employment — formal contract, side job.
• Experience — none, or from six months.
• Meals — whether staff are fed, how many times per shift.

Example request

“A canteen in Johannesburg, needs a kitchen assistant. Vegetable prep, chopping, help at the serving counter, keeping the kitchen clean. 5-on-2-off schedule, R 120 per shift, meals provided by the place, formal contract. No experience needed, we will train.”

What to watch for when selecting

Discipline and neatness matter more here than a diploma. Ask whether the candidate is ready for early starts, long standing and working with sharp tools. Show the kitchen and introduce the head chef: this is the person they will work with every day.

Explain the safety rules: how to use a knife, slippery floors, hot oil. Check whether a medical fitness certificate is needed and who arranges it. If the assistant has a chance to grow into a cook, say so: such a prospect clearly raises interest.

Describe a typical day: when goods are received, when prep is done, when the peak hours are. Then the candidate sees the real rhythm, not an abstract “help in the kitchen”. Also say what to wear on the first shift and whether you provide a uniform and an apron. Agree on breaks too: in a kitchen they depend on the flow of guests.

How the search works on BlaBlaPrice

You describe the job once, and the site checks it and tells you what is missing. Candidates reply in the chat, tell you about themselves and agree a start date. You open contacts only for the one you choose. A request stays active for 30 days. Also see How it works, and if you need a more experienced worker, open the cook listing.

For those looking for a kitchen assistant job

Register on BlaBlaPrice as a service provider, choose the category and your area, and reply to listings. It is a good start for getting into a kitchen.