How To Become A Kitchen Hand In Australia: Explained

Do you want to pursue a career as a professional kitchen hand but need help figuring out where to start? You have come to the right place.

The kitchen hand job is considered one of the most prized positions in the modern commercial kitchen. Kitchen hand duties in Australia involve cleaning dishes and utensils, restocking and maintaining hygiene in commercial kitchens. They also help Chefs in the preparation and storage of food.

The article covers all you need to know about becoming a kitchen hand in Australia. It includes the duties and responsibilities of a kitchen hand, what they do, qualifications, responsibilities, jobs, work conditions, future career prospects, and much more.

1. Who Is A Kitchen Hand?

Kitchen hands assist chefs, line cooks, and food service staff with food preparation, cleaning, stacking and washing kitchen utensils and dishes. They ensure everything in the kitchen remains clean and sanitised.

Kitchen hands work either in the kitchen or in the serving location of commercial/non-commercial eating venues such as a canteen, café, or restaurant.

2. Who Are The Desirable Candidates For This Career?

Kitchen hand is an ideal career for those who want to work in the Food industry and gain valuable industry experience. This is a great career option for hard-working and reliable candidates. 

They should know the hospitality industry, food production, safety, and hygiene and have good English language skills.

3. Ways To Become A Kitchenhand In Australia

There are two ways to start your career as a Kitchenhand in Australia:

Option 1: No Formal Qualification

You do not need any formal qualifications to work as a kitchen hand. The on-the-job training you get will help you gain knowledge and learn much-needed skills at the workplace. 

Just like any other job role, your capabilities and work ethic will determine your success.

Option 2: Entry Through A Traineeship

This is another way to become a kitchen hand. You need to enrol in vocational courses and get hired through a traineeship. 

Those who want to make their career via training should complete the following courses:

• A Certificate II in Hospitality

• A Certificate II in Kitchen Operations

Both these courses can teach you the knowledge and essential kitchen hand skills in safe kitchen practices.

4. Qualification To Become A Kitchen Hand

To become a kitchen hand, you must meet educational and personal requirements.

Educational Requirements

• An applicant must have a junior secondary school certificate to get an entry-level kitchen role.

Personal Kitchen Hand Qualifications

• Good hand-eye coordination

• Ability to work fast and safely with nominal supervision

• Should have no skin-related allergies to detergents and foods

• Effective communication skills

• Ability to work under strict timelines

• Should be a team player

• Should be physically healthy 

• Can stand for prolonged periods

• Exhibit a high level of hygiene and cleanliness

• Should be a multitasker

• Kind and friendly nature

• Should be flexible enough to work in shifts or overtime

5. Why Is It Important To Get Certified?

Getting the nationally recognised Certificate II in Kitchen Operations has many benefits.

The aged care kitchen hand course helps develop the technical skills as well as industry knowledge of a candidate. It prepares you to perform several roles in a commercial kitchen effectively.

This certification course involves a combination of practical and theoretical coursework that helps an aspiring kitchen hand in the following ways:

• Prepare basic varieties of dishes

• Implement hygienic practices

• Manage consumable items

• Keep kitchen premises clean

An aged care kitchen hand course comprises numerous exercises and workshops to develop your attributes.

• Partnership

• Teamwork

• Impressive communication

• Time management 

• Problem-solving

• Attention to detail

Completing this certification opens the door for other advanced certifications, such as Certificate III in Commercial Cookery and Certificate III in Patisserie. In this way, it will help you expand your career.

6. What Are The Different Job Positions Available For A Kitchen Hand?

A lot of public and private sector organisations recruit talented kitchen hands for the following positions:

• Takeaway cook

• Breakfast cook

• Catering Assistant

• Sandwich hand

Get certified by a reputed institution to increase your chances of being selected.

After getting hired, you must leverage your position by building and expanding your skill set. Stay updated with the latest tips and news from industry professionals. Identify opportunities to grab new skills and learn about different hospitality roles. 

Be a constant learner and make continuous efforts to expand your knowledge. You can further enhance your experience by completing Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.

7. What Are The Kitchen Hand Duties In Australia?

A kitchen hand must know the location of every kitchen item, handle, fetch, clean and store deliveries and assist with food preparation. 

They must act fast and make independent decisions by knowing what requires to be performed and at what time.

Here is a complete list of kitchen hand duties and responsibilities in aged care:

• Handle and store food items appropriately.

• Wash, peel, cut, chop and cook food items.

• Prepare desserts and salads.

• Cook, toast, and heat food items 

• Discard kitchen waste 

• Organise cleaning of pantry linen

• Clean cooking utensils, pots, equipment and dishes

• Gather and prepare ingredients for salads, sandwiches, and savouries.

• Pack food and trays for serving.

• Clean and sanitise kitchen appliances and the entire kitchen, including areas of food preparation, benchtops, ovens, ranges, walls, floors, and sculleries

• Move, weigh and check food supplies and tools.

• Collect, lift, and store food deliveries

• Stack cutlery, pots, and crockery onto shelves

8. How Are The Working Conditions For A Kitchen Hand?

Before applying for this position, getting a fair idea of a kitchen hand's work-life and working conditions is vital.

A kitchen hand may work full-time, seasonal, casual, or part-time. The job profile generally involves shifts. 

If you desire to become a kitchen hand, you must be ready to stand for a prolonged duration and work irregular hours.

Kitchen Environment

Now let us talk about the working conditions. The kitchen environment at a commercial facility is hot, steamy, and quick-paced, especially around mealtime. 

You may spend most of your time working on commercial dishwashing machines or near a sink of hot water.

Entry and Exit Timing

Out of many, one of the prime kitchen hand duties is to keep the kitchen clean, systematic, and hygienic. 

Due to this, he must come before anyone comes and leave after everyone leaves to keep the kitchen ready for the coming shift.

Work Shifts

Kitchen hand is a physically demanding job, where you must ensure that you are physically healthy and active. 

Ensure you can work several shifts that may even go beyond eight hours.

It is common for a kitchen hand to work irregular hours such as early mornings, late nights, weekends, national holidays, etc.

Possible Dangers

You could even encounter dangerous situations such as slips, cuts, splash hazards, and falls in your day-to-day job.

A kitchen hand must keep this in mind and follow safe work practices to avoid injuries.

Wearables

Moreover, a kitchen hand must wear a uniform and protective clothing that includes hairnets, a hat, and gloves during their work.

9. Tips To Work As A Kitchen Hand

Suppose you are a beginner who has just started as a kitchen hand. You should focus on learning new skills and enhancing your kitchen tools and operations knowledge.

Don't worry about money. It will automatically come as you become more and more skilled and experienced.

We have compiled a few kitchen hand tips to help starters prove their value as kitchen hands.

Stay Calm Under Pressure

The work environment and daily work schedules of kitchen hands could be very stressful. This makes it very important to learn the skill of staying calm under pressure.

Following are some simple practices that will keep you peaceful and cantered:

• Make a daily routine

• Focus on your day-to-day tasks

• Divide a large job into easily manageable smaller ones

• Refrain from negativity

• Ask for assistance whenever you need it

• Try to help others

• Take periodic breaks

• Reduce caffeine consumption

• Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily

Incorporating the above strategies into your daily life will make you calmer and more focused on every task.

Relax And Work on Yourself

Feeling of discontentment at the workplace is quite common nowadays. Instead of playing a blame game within the organisation, it is beneficial to identify the reason behind it. 

It could be your inability to maintain a work-life balance. When things get tedious, remind yourself to relax and recuperate.

Focus on the Present

• Just be in the present. Don't think about what you are going to do tomorrow. 

• Find out ways to assist others. 

• Do your bit to remove negativity in the workplace

• Don't bring your issues to the workplace

• Don't overexert yourself

• Stay physically active 

• Build your social groups and pursue your hobbies

• Make others feel good

• Lastly, get a good sleep

10. What Is The Future Of A Kitchen Hand Job?

This is one of the common questions that every candidate has in his mind before he plans to enter this field. 

There are projections that the employment of kitchen hand professionals will grow rapidly in Australia. The number of job openings will nearly match the average growth rate for all occupations in the country.

Population growth and income expansion will lead to more cafes, catering services, restaurants, and non-traditional foodservice services like petrol pumps.

The surge in this demand will, in turn, increase demand for food service professionals, including kitchen hands. 

High staff turnover will also lead to a consistent demand for experienced kitchen hands in the future. This shows that a career in kitchen hands has a promising future.

11. How To Get A Job As A Kitchen Hand?

Many career opportunities await you if you have qualified as a kitchen hand. Food service professionals have had a significant skill shortage, especially in Australia.

Candidates who have just graduated can apply for kitchen hand positions at the restaurant where they have received training.

The other possible way to get a job is to apply for positions in hotels, café, restaurants, motels, hotels, schools, etc.

Here Are a Few Tips That Will Help In Your Job Search as a Kitchen Hand:

• Identify a kitchen job that fits with your career objectives.

• Prepare your resume and cover letter wherein you showcase your skills, certifications, training, and work experience in this field.

• Attend as many interviews as you can. The more you practice, the more knowledgeable and confident you will become. It will make it easier for you to get hired soon.

To apply for a kitchen hand job in Australia, you can search on Australia's most popular job search websites.

The Below Tips Will Help Increase Your Likelihood of Getting Hired as a Kitchen Hand:

• Identify a trustworthy chef that can guide you on this path

• Stay updated with the recent trends in the food industry

• Try different styles and cooking methods, ingredients, and techniques for cooking

• Undergo training with different kinds of food service professionals in other kitchens

• Travel to new places and learn distinct flavour profiles from across the globe.

• Be receptive and get inspiration from your surroundings.

12. What Career Prospects Are Available For A Kitchen Hand?

Career prospects as a kitchen hand are strong in Australia and worldwide. Many workplaces and industries need well-trained, certified, and experienced kitchen hands.

In addition to restaurants and cafes, you can find positions in public and private sector organisations such as hospitals, boarding schools, hotels, motels, motels, hospitals, boarding schools, takeaway food bars, offices, factories, canteens, and research and development facilities.

13. FAQs On How To Become A Kitchen Hand In Australia

Is Kitchenhand an Entry-Level Job?

Yes. The kitchen hand is an entry-level role. It offers a valuable opportunity to learn the way commercial kitchen functions.

What Qualifications Are Needed To Become A Safe Kitchen Operator?

If you are serious about making a career in this field, then vocational training will be beneficial. When you undergo this training, you will learn the basic and safe practices of working as a kitchen hand.

A Certificate II in Kitchen Operations and Hospitality are the two main certifications that will help you develop a solid base in safe kitchen and food practices.

What Are The Advantages and Drawbacks of Becoming A Kitchen Hand In Australia?

A career as a kitchen hand may require a good amount of effort initially but will prove rewarding in the future. 

Aged Care is one of the good things about this job. You will feel great contentment when you assist old or disabled people in preparing their meals. Remembering the names and food preferences of people is a matter of pride.

Suppose you enjoy assisting the residents by preparing their meals, such as sandwiches, porridge, smoothies, beverages, etc. In that case, this career can bring you immense joy and satisfaction.

However, there are some challenges that you should be prepared for well in advance. A kitchen hand must finish every task within the given timeframe. 

This makes the job physically demanding. You may find yourself hopping from one task to another. It can make you so busy and occupied that you hardly have any time to spare.

Things can get complicated if the equipment breaks down. In addition to preparing meals, you may need to spend quality with the residents.

Irregular work hours can be another challenge you may face while on this job.

How Much Does A Kitchen Hand Earn?

In general, kitchen hands often work over 37.5 hours per week. With so much effort, a kitchenhand deserves a good salary. 

The exact earning capabilities depend on the day and time of your work, place of work, the value you offer, and how much you are valued. 

As seen in Australia, a kitchen hand's average earning can be between $45k and $60k.

What Are The Skills Employers Are Looking For In A Kitchen Hand?

Employers look for specific skills and experience to recruit one as a kitchen hand.

Equip yourself with those skillsets and work experience, as they will enhance your chances of getting the right job.

Here are a few kitchen hand job skills:

• Food Handling

• Washing Dishes

• Restocking

• Food Preparation

• Food Provenance

• Cooking

• Food Hygiene

• Aged Care

• Food Safety Certificate

What Are The Reasons To Join A Kitchen Hand Course Online In Australia?

The most important reason people choose Australia to become a kitchen hand is the superior quality products and industry standards that Australian food professionals use.

This is a great country that gives immense opportunities to aspiring students to:

• Learn how to inspire and lead teams, 

• Recognise and evaluate operative and service issues, 

• Plan production of food, 

• Schedule workflow, 

• Understand legal compliance problems, and 

• Plan the cost of their menu

14. Conclusion

How a kitchen hand handles the daily responsibilities and issues plays a crucial role in determining the success of a restaurant. 

To become a successful kitchen hand, you should be able to cope with stress, absorb knowledge, and withstand the quick pace of the kitchen.

We hope the above information and tips will help you plan and make a beautiful start in your career.

Useful Links to Explore:

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