Catering Assistant
Support Caterers and Chefs in the kitchen.
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Jobs on SEEK right now
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Projected job growth in 5 years
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Typical salary
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What's it like to be a Catering Assistant?
Catering Assistants support Caterers and Chefs to prepare food for customers and keep the kitchen operating smoothly. Catering Assistants may be required to work outside of standard business hours, including on weekends or during the evening.
Tasks and duties
- Carrying out basic food preparation, such as washing, peeling and dicing.
- Cutting up meat, fish, vegetables and breads.
- Simple grilling, roasting, broiling and baking.
- Receiving deliveries from suppliers.
- Clearing waste and cleaning the kitchen surfaces according to hygiene standards.
- Operating machinery, such as mixers and blenders.
- Managing and organising the store room and fridge.
- Ensuring Caterers and Chefs have the tools, food and equipment they need.
Salary lookup
What can I earn as a Catering Assistant?
Find out the average salary for a Catering Assistant across Australia
Latest Catering Assistant jobs on SEEK
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How to become a Catering Assistant
While you don’t need formal qualifications to become a Catering Assistant, there are courses that may help you to get your foot in the door.
- Obtain work experience in a kitchen to boost your CV and ensure you enjoy the environment.
- Undertake a catering-specific course with the Certificate III in Catering Operations (SIT30916), at a TAFE or other registered training organisation.
- You can also enrol in a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (SIT30813) or complete an apprenticeship in order to gain broader cooking experience and skills.
- If you’d like to work up into management one day, gain an undergraduate qualification by completing a Bachelor degree in Culinary Management.
Explore related qualifications
SEEK users who have worked as a Catering Assistant have studied these qualifications.
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Certificate III in Commercial Cookery
This certificate gives you the skills to prepare food and menu items and may provide a pathway into roles in cafes and restaurants.
Certificate III in Catering Operations
In this qualification you will learn to prepare food items using cookery skills and knowledge of kitchen operations.
Skills and experience employers are looking for
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Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Profile data
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Is Catering Assistant the right role for me?
Working hours for Catering Assistants
Overtime
Weekends
Shift work
Late nights
Often
Sometimes
Never
Job market trends for Catering Assistants
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Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Role Reviews
Latest Catering Assistant reviews
Latest reviews from 31 Catering Assistants surveyed on SEEK
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Positive
Negative
Not worth the remuneration but it gives me the school holidays I need to spend with my kids.
Reviewer's Qualification
Certificate III in Hospitality (Restaurant Front of House)
Experience
5 – 9 years
Organisation size
Large (200+ employees)
Specialisation
Independent school
The good things
Ability to work early morning/school hours and be able to spend school holidays with my children as I am not required to work.
The challenges
The role is quite physically demanding as you are on your feet all day. Manual labour includes receiving and putting away deliveries, restocking fridges, cleaning, sweeping and mopping the kitchen, di...
Read more
Catering assistant can be both rewarding and difficult
Reviewer's Qualification
Diploma of Business
Experience
1 – 4 years
Organisation size
Small (1-19 employees)
Specialisation
Catering for events
The good things
The advantages of working as a catering assistant are that the hours are flexible, it’s a fast paced work environment and you can work with the chefs but also be in charge of working with the floor st...
The challenges
Some of the challenges are having to deal with rude customers. It can make it a difficult shift but in the end when a customer comes and compliments the chefs and gushes over what an enjoyable meal th...
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Source: SEEK Role Reviews
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