6 free templates for the kitchen porter, the role US kitchens call dishwasher or kitchen helper, with the pay ranges, FLSA non-exempt guidance, and youth-employment rules the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
If you are writing a kitchen porter job description, the first thing worth knowing is that kitchen porter is a British and Irish term. In the United States, the same role is almost always called a dishwasher, and sometimes a kitchen helper or kitchen assistant. The work is identical, washing dishes and equipment, keeping the kitchen clean, handling waste, and supporting the cooks, but the title you post changes which candidates find you. This page gives you the role under both names so you can hire well wherever you are.
At FirstHR, we build for the independent restaurants, hotels, and caterers that make this hire directly, where an owner or kitchen manager writes the posting. The six templates below cover the kitchen porter, the US dishwasher, kitchen helper, steward, a part-time and teen-friendly version, and a small-restaurant version, and they add the pay ranges, FLSA non-exempt guidance, and youth-employment rules the generic templates skip. The guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
A kitchen porter keeps a kitchen clean and running: dishwashing, cleaning, waste, and kitchen support. It is the British and Irish term for the role US kitchens call a dishwasher or kitchen helper. The role is entry-level, non-exempt, and hourly, with a pay anchor near $14.92/hour (BLS food-and-beverage-serving median, May 2024) and roughly $15 to $17 in practice. Download six templates as DOCX.
What Is a Kitchen Porter?
A kitchen porter keeps a kitchen clean, stocked, and running: washing dishes and equipment, cleaning and sanitizing the kitchen, handling waste, and supporting the cooks. It is an entry-level, hands-on, physical role, usually worked on evening, weekend, and holiday shifts, and it is essential to a smooth service.
The key thing for a US employer is the terminology. Kitchen porter is the British and Irish term; in the United States the same work is called a dishwasher (35-9021), and related roles fall under dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers (35-9011). When you post in the US, lead with the American title, which is how the templates here are set up.
Kitchen Porter Duties and Responsibilities
Kitchen porter duties cluster into four areas: washing and the dish station, cleaning and sanitation, waste and deliveries, and kitchen support. A strong job description picks the responsibilities from each area that match your kitchen rather than listing every possible task.
Washing and dish station
Wash dishes, pots, pans, and utensils
Operate and maintain the dish machine
Restock clean ware for service
Cleaning and sanitation
Keep the dish area and kitchen clean
Sanitize surfaces and equipment
Follow food-safety and health-code standards
Waste and deliveries
Take out trash and recycling
Clean bins and handle grease disposal
Receive, store, and rotate deliveries
Kitchen support
Help with basic food prep as directed
Support cooks and chefs during service
Keep walkways and work areas clear
The emphasis shifts by setting: a dishwasher leans into the dish station, a kitchen helper into prep and stocking, and a steward into high-volume event ware. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your venue and the title your candidates search. The core structure is the same across all six, but each emphasizes the duties and scheduling that fit a specific kind of kitchen-porter role. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Kitchen Porter (Standard)
The UK-term version
Dishwashing, kitchen cleaning, waste, and stocking. The standard version for any kitchen, with the US-equivalent titles noted so candidates recognize the role.
Dishwasher (US Equivalent)
The US-term version
The same role under the title most US candidates search and recognize: run the dish station, keep the kitchen sanitary, and support the team.
Kitchen Helper / Assistant
Cleaning plus prep
Mixes dishwashing and cleaning with basic food prep and stocking, with a path toward a prep or cook role. For a broader kitchen-support hire.
Kitchen Steward
Hotel and catering
The high-volume version for a hotel, banquet, or catering kitchen: commercial dish machines, event ware, and sanitation at scale.
Part-Time / Teen-Friendly
First job, flexible hours
A flexible version for part-time and first-job hires, with the youth-employment note built in since kitchen porter is a classic teen role.
Small Independent Restaurant
Owner-run, do-it-all
The all-around version for a small, owner-run kitchen where the porter does a bit of everything, with the first-hire compliance basics built in.
Match the Template to the Kitchen
Hiring in the UK or Ireland: Kitchen Porter. Hiring in the US: Dishwasher or Kitchen Helper. Cleaning plus prep with a growth path: Kitchen Helper. Hotel, banquet, or catering: Kitchen Steward. A first job or part-time hire: Part-Time / Teen-Friendly. A small owner-run kitchen: Small Independent Restaurant. Every version is non-exempt and hourly; put a pay range in the posting.
6 Free Kitchen Porter Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company summary, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement and a pay range built in. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Kitchen porter, dishwasher, kitchen helper, steward, part-time/teen, and small restaurant. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Kitchen Porter (Standard)
The standard version for any kitchen, with the US-equivalent titles noted so candidates recognize the role: dishwashing, cleaning, waste, and stocking.
Kitchen Porter Job Description (Standard)
KITCHEN PORTER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Head Chef / Kitchen Manager / Owner)
[Restaurant Name] is a small, owner-run [restaurant / cafe / bistro] in
[City, State] with [number] staff. We are hiring a Kitchen Porter to keep our
kitchen clean and running so the team can focus on great food.
JOB SUMMARY
In a small kitchen, the kitchen porter does a bit of everything: dishwashing,
cleaning, taking out waste, restocking, basic prep, and helping wherever the
shift needs it. This is a hands-on, all-around role in a close-knit team where
reliability matters more than experience.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Wash dishes, pots, pans, and equipment
•Keep the kitchen, dish area, and restrooms clean
•Take out trash and recycling
•Restock clean dishes, utensils, and supplies
•Help with basic prep and receiving deliveries
•Pitch in wherever the kitchen needs during service
•Follow food-safety and sanitation standards
•Keep walkways and work areas clear and safe
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Reliable, hard-working, and flexible
•Able to stand, bend, and lift [up to 50] lbs for full shifts
•Comfortable in a small, busy kitchen
•Available [evenings / weekends]
•No experience required; we train
COMPLIANCE NOTE (small-restaurant essentials)
For each hire, set up the basics: classify as non-exempt (hourly), pay overtime
over 40 hours in a workweek, and complete I-9 and tax forms. If you hire workers
under 16, confirm federal child-labor hour and equipment rules first. This is
general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour [+ meals if offered]
To apply, [apply in person at / email] __.
[Restaurant Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Pay, FLSA, and Youth Employment
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for a kitchen porter it is where the real value is: the role is non-exempt and hourly, the pay belongs in the posting, and because it is a classic teen job, child-labor rules often apply.
Non-Exempt, Hourly, and Often a Teen Job
A kitchen porter is non-exempt and owed overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek; kitchens run long evening and weekend shifts, so track hours. Restaurants with at least $500,000 in annual sales are covered by federal wage and hour rules. If you hire workers under 16, federal child-labor rules cap their hours and times of day and bar them from certain power-driven kitchen equipment. Check state law too. Confirm specifics with an advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
Kitchen porter roles start from reliability, stamina, and a willingness to keep pace, with experience as a plus rather than a requirement. Keep the requirements honest about the physical demands.
Requirement
What to look for
Experience
None required; on-the-job training provided
Education
No formal education requirement
Physical
Able to stand, bend, and lift around 50 lbs for full shifts
Environment
Comfortable in a hot, wet, fast-paced kitchen
Availability
Evenings, weekends, holidays; part-time and seasonal common
Age and classification
Often 16+; non-exempt and hourly; verify minor-hour and equipment rules
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Kitchen Porter Pay
Kitchen porters and dishwashers are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, venue, and experience. Set your range using federal data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market and put it in the posting.
Around $15 to $17 an Hour (BLS)
The federal food and beverage serving group that includes dishwashers had a median hourly wage of $14.92 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $10.88 and the highest 10 percent over $19.65 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The related dining room and cafeteria attendants occupation had a mean hourly wage of about $16.46 across roughly 542,750 workers.
Putting those together, most kitchen porter and dishwasher roles land in a roughly 15 to 17 dollar an hour range, higher in higher-cost areas and states with higher minimum wages. Because the role is high-turnover, a clear, competitive pay range in the posting helps you attract reliable workers. National compensation surveys are a useful reference for regional detail.
Hiring a Kitchen Porter for a Small Restaurant
For an independent restaurant, hotel, or caterer, the kitchen porter hire raises three things the generic templates ignore: which title to post in the US, how to classify and pay the role, and how to handle the youth-employment rules that come with a classic teen job. Here is what actually matters.
If you are hiring in the US, lead with dishwasher or kitchen helper, not kitchen porter
Kitchen porter is a British and Irish term: the Cambridge, Oxford, and Macmillan dictionaries all tag it British English, and it covers the same work US kitchens call dishwasher, kitchen helper, or kitchen assistant. That matters for hiring, because a US job seeker searching for this kind of work almost always searches dishwasher or kitchen helper, not kitchen porter. If you post a US opening, lead with the title your candidates actually use and note kitchen porter as an alternate name, which is exactly how the templates here are written. The work is identical across all of these titles, washing dishes and equipment, keeping the kitchen clean, handling waste, and supporting the cooks, so pick the title that matches how people in your area search and apply.
This is a non-exempt, hourly role, so the pay range and overtime belong in the posting
A kitchen porter is an entry-level, non-exempt, hourly position entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, and there is rarely an education requirement. Most competitor templates leave the pay off the posting entirely, which is a missed opportunity, because being upfront about an hourly range attracts more candidates for a high-turnover role. The closest national benchmark sits around fifteen to seventeen dollars an hour, so set a range that fits your local market and put it in the posting. Two practical points: classify the role as non-exempt and track hours, since kitchens run long evening and weekend shifts that push past 40, and remember that restaurants with at least 500,000 dollars in annual sales are covered by the federal wage and hour rules. State minimum wages may be higher. This is general information, not legal advice.
Kitchen porter is a high-turnover, often-teenage hire, so the process has to be fast and repeatable
Dish and kitchen-porter roles turn over often, and many are first jobs for teenagers, which makes two things matter: a fast, repeatable hiring process, and attention to youth-employment rules. If you hire workers under 16, federal child-labor rules cap their hours and times of day and keep them away from certain kitchen equipment, so build those limits into the schedule from the start. Beyond that, the people side is ordinary restaurant operations made repeatable: a quick offer, the I-9 and tax forms, a signed food-safety and sanitation acknowledgment, and a short first-shift checklist. FirstHR fits this for an independent restaurant, hotel, or caterer: e-signature for the offer and policy sign-off, task workflows for the onboarding checklist, training modules for food safety and sanitation, and document management for signed forms. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a payroll or scheduling system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, and for a kitchen porter a fast, repeatable process matters because the role is high-turnover and often filled by teens who need age verification and food-safety orientation before the first shift.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, hourly pay, schedule, and the non-exempt classification in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast for an hourly kitchen role.
Cover food safety and sanitation
Orient the new porter on food-safety, sanitation, and equipment procedures, with a signed acknowledgment kept on file.
Run a first-shift checklist
The I-9 and tax forms, a kitchen tour, the dish station and chemicals, and age verification for any worker under 18.
Make it repeatable
Save the posting, offer, and checklist as a reusable flow, since kitchen porters are a frequent, high-turnover hire.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured first shift. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, food-safety acknowledgments, and the onboarding workflow in one place, so an independent restaurant or hotel can run the same fast process every time it hires a kitchen porter. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a payroll or scheduling tool, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Kitchen porter is the British and Irish term for the role US kitchens call a dishwasher or kitchen helper; lead with the US title when hiring in the US.
The role is entry-level, non-exempt, and hourly, with overtime owed for hours over 40, including for part-time and teen porters.
The pay anchor is the BLS food-and-beverage-serving median of $14.92 an hour (May 2024); most roles run roughly $15 to $17.
Most competitor templates omit the pay range; putting an honest hourly range in the posting attracts more candidates for a high-turnover role.
Kitchen porter is a classic teen job, so if you hire workers under 16, build the child-labor hour and equipment limits into the schedule.
These are core hires for independent restaurants, hotels, and caterers, so a fast, repeatable hiring and onboarding process pays off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a kitchen porter do?
A kitchen porter keeps a kitchen clean, stocked, and running. The core work is dishwashing and the dish station (washing dishes, pots, pans, and equipment by hand and machine), cleaning and sanitation (keeping the kitchen and dish area clean to food-safety standards), waste and deliveries (taking out trash and recycling and helping receive stock), and kitchen support (basic food prep and helping the cooks during service). It is an entry-level, hands-on, physical role worked on a fast pace, often during evenings, weekends, and holidays. In the United States the same role is usually called a dishwasher, kitchen helper, or kitchen assistant; kitchen porter is the British and Irish term for it. Whatever the title, the job is the backbone of a smooth kitchen, and this page includes kitchen porter, dishwasher, kitchen helper, steward, part-time, and small-restaurant versions so you can pick the one that fits your kitchen and your candidates.
Is kitchen porter a US or UK term?
Kitchen porter is primarily a British and Irish term. The Cambridge, Oxford, and Macmillan dictionaries all tag it as British English, defining it as someone whose job is to wash dishes and do general cleaning in a hotel or restaurant kitchen. In the United States, the same role is almost always called a dishwasher, and sometimes a kitchen helper or kitchen assistant. This matters when you write a job posting: a US job seeker looking for this kind of work will usually search dishwasher or kitchen helper, not kitchen porter, so a US opening will reach more candidates if it leads with the American title and notes kitchen porter as an alternate name. The work itself is identical regardless of the label. The templates on this page give you both the kitchen porter version and the US dishwasher and kitchen helper versions so you can match the title to where you are hiring.
What is the difference between a kitchen porter, a dishwasher, and a kitchen helper?
They are largely the same job under different names, with small differences of emphasis. A dishwasher is the US term and leans most heavily on the dish station: washing dishes, glassware, and equipment and keeping the dish area clean. A kitchen porter is the British and Irish term for the same role, often with slightly broader cleaning and portering duties across the kitchen. A kitchen helper or kitchen assistant usually adds more food-prep and stocking support alongside the cleaning, and often comes with a clearer path toward a prep or cook role. A kitchen steward is the hotel and catering version, focused on high-volume dishwashing and event ware. All of these are entry-level, non-exempt, hourly roles, and the core skills, reliability, stamina, and a willingness to keep pace, are the same. Pick the title and template that match your kitchen and how your candidates search.
Is a kitchen porter exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A kitchen porter, dishwasher, or kitchen helper is non-exempt and paid hourly, meaning entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. This is manual, entry-level work that does not meet any of the white-collar exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, so the classification is clear. The practical points for an employer are to classify the role as non-exempt, track hours carefully since kitchens run long evening and weekend shifts that can push past 40, and pay overtime when it applies. Restaurants with at least 500,000 dollars in annual gross sales are covered by the federal wage and hour rules, and many smaller establishments are covered too through interstate commerce. Part-time and teen kitchen porters are also non-exempt and owed overtime if they cross 40 hours. Some states set higher minimum wages. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a kitchen porter or dishwasher make?
Kitchen porters and dishwashers are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, venue, and experience. The closest national benchmark is the federal food and beverage serving group that includes dishwashers, which had a median hourly wage of 14.92 dollars in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under 10.88 dollars and the highest 10 percent over 19.65 dollars. A closely related federal occupation, dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, had a mean hourly wage of about 16.46 dollars across roughly 542,750 workers. Putting those together, most kitchen porter and dishwasher roles land in a roughly 15 to 17 dollar an hour range, with higher pay in higher-cost areas and states with higher minimum wages. For a posting, benchmark to your local market and put a clear hourly range in the listing, since being upfront about pay attracts more candidates for a high-turnover role.
What are the child-labor rules for hiring teen kitchen porters?
Kitchen porter and dishwasher roles are common first jobs for teens, so federal child-labor rules matter. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the minimum age for most non-agricultural work is 14. Fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds face strict limits: they may work at most 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, only outside school hours, and only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., extended to 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. They are also barred from operating or cleaning certain power-driven kitchen equipment, such as commercial mixers and some slicers. Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds have no federal hour limits but still cannot operate equipment deemed hazardous. Many states impose their own rules on top of the federal ones, so check state law too. If you hire teens, build these limits into the schedule and the equipment they use. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small restaurants hire kitchen porters, and is FirstHR a fit?
Yes. Kitchen porters and dishwashers are core hires for independent restaurants, cafes, hotels, caterers, and care facilities, exactly the small-business hospitality employers that make the hire directly, usually through an owner or kitchen manager rather than a recruiting team. The role is high-turnover and often part-time or seasonal, which makes a fast, repeatable hiring and onboarding process worth setting up once. FirstHR fits there: e-signature for the offer and the food-safety and sanitation policy acknowledgments, task workflows to run a consistent first-shift checklist (I-9, tax forms, age verification, policy sign-off), training modules for food safety and equipment safety, document management to store signed forms, and a simple HRIS as the team grows. Because pricing is flat rather than per employee, a small restaurant pays one rate even through heavy seasonal turnover. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with a payroll provider, and applicant tracking is coming soon.
What should a kitchen porter job description include?
A strong kitchen porter job description names the venue and the title your candidates actually use (dishwasher or kitchen helper in the US, with kitchen porter as an alternate), includes a short summary, and groups responsibilities into washing and the dish station, cleaning and sanitation, waste and deliveries, and kitchen support. State the physical demands honestly, the lifting, standing, and the hot, fast-paced environment, and the shift, evening, and weekend expectations, since these are central to the role. Be clear about the FLSA classification, non-exempt and hourly with overtime, and include an honest hourly pay range, which most competitor templates omit. Note that no experience is required if you train, which widens your candidate pool, and if the role is open to teens, build in the youth-employment limits. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
