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Kitchen Workers

THE JOB

KITCHEN WORKERS do many things to keep kitchen work areas clean and 
orderly. They may work in restaurants, hotels, fast-food places, cafes, 
schools, hospitals, and cafeterias in factories and office buildings.  
They may also work on ships, in airline food service kitchens, and in 
military dining halls.  Kitchen Workers keep restaurant equipment and 
utensils clean and orderly, sweep and scrub floors, remove garbage, and 
separate trash.  They move supplies and equipment from storage to work 
areas and wash dishes, trays, pots, and pans used in cooking and serving.  
In some places they help dining room staff by scraping food from plates and 
stacking them in the dishwasher, cleaning silverware, and removing water 
spots from glassware.  Other duties include washing worktables, walls, 
refrigerators, and meat blocks.  They also sort and remove trash and garbage 
and place it in containers; they steam clean or hose out garbage cans, and 
they sort bottles, breaking disposable ones in bottle-crushing machines.

Kitchen Workers may have specialized duties and job titles, such as hand 
dishwasher, machine dishwasher, garbage porter, pot washer, or silverware 
washer.


WORKING CONDITIONS

Kitchen Workers may work alone or with others, depending on the job duties. 
Most of them work indoors in well-lit areas with good fresh air, but some 
older eating places may not have modern air-conditioning and roomy work 
spaces.  Some of the work is hot and humid, like when washing dishes, pots, 
or pans.  Sometimes work is done outside, like when unloading food from 
trucks or taking out garbage.

Kitchen Workers do a lot of standing and walking, often on wet floors that 
can be slippery.  They may have to carry heavy kettles and pots, lift 
cartons of food, and move garbage cans.  Workers should be able to work for 
hours under pressure and stress in crowded areas, around hot stoves and 
burners and on wet floors.

Workers in restaurants and hospitals may be put on shifts on weekends, 
holidays, or at night.  Those who work for school, factory, and office 
building cafeterias usually work more regular hours.

Some Kitchen Workers belong to the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees 
International Union and other labor organizations.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

Kitchen Workers are a part of the bigger occupational group of Food 
Preparation Workers.

The California Projections of Employment, published by the Labor Market 
Information Division of the Employment Development Department, estimates 
that the number of Food Preparation Workers in California will reach 218,500 
by 2005, an increase in new jobs of 55,960 over the number there was in 1993.

There will also be an estimated 25,220 job openings due to people retiring 
or leaving the occupation.  Added to the 55,960 new jobs expected, this 
makes for an estimated total of 81,180 job opportunities through 2005.

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.) 

Employment in the food service industry has been growing and is expected to 
continue to grow faster than the average for other jobs because of a better 
economy and a growing population which is eating out more.  A lot of this 
growth will be in fast-food restaurants.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Kitchen Workers just starting out can expect to make between minimum wage 
and $7.75 per hour.  With some experience they can make up to $8.50 an hour, 
and fully experienced make up to $10.00 per hour.

Kitchen Workers are usually given one free meal during a work shift.

The work week is 35-40 hours, five days a week and can start as early as 4 
a.m.  Some Kitchen Workers work split shifts (8 hours in a 12-hour period).  
Employees may work evening, night, or rotating shifts.  Work clothing is 
often provided.

Full-time employees may be provided paid vacations, sick leave, and health 
insurance.  Part-time workers seldom receive such benefits.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

Dependability, good health, and high standards of cleanliness are a must.  
No training is needed to go into this work, but for those who want to go 
above the lowest level, a high-school education is preferred.  Workers who 
handle food have to have a Food Handler's Certificate from the County 
Health Department.


ADVANCEMENT

Kitchen Workers promote to more responsible jobs such as making sandwiches 
or working in the pantry.  Their chances for better jobs are improved as 
they get experience and prove that they are reliable and want to learn.  
Employers look for workers who work well as part of a team.  A kitchen 
worker with ambition, ability, drive, and a good sense of smell and taste 
can get to be a short-order cook, fry cook, pantry cook, dinner cook, and, 
finally, a chef.


FINDING THE JOB

A job may be found by applying directly to employers, through the Job 
Services offices of the California Employment Development Department, or by 
contacting the local office of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees 
International Union.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union
1219 28th Street NW
Washington DC 20007 
(202) 393-4373

California Restaurant Association
980 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-5793

RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Waiters/Waitresses                         No.  42
Cooks and Chefs                            No.  93
Dining Room Attendants (Bus Persons)       No. 523

OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1)
Kitchen Helper                         318.687-010

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Food Preparation Workers                    650380


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department,
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916) 262-2162.