Kitchen Hand

**Love the buzz of a busy kitchen? Come be the heartbeat that keeps ours running.**

We’re on the lookout for an enthusiastic Kitchen Hand to join our team at Black Star Pastry

In this role, you’ll be the backbone of our kitchen, supporting our chefs and keeping production running smoothly. From washing dishes, equipment and utensils to helping with ingredient preparation, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring our kitchen stays clean, organised and ready for action.

Day to day, your role will look like this:

- Keeping the kitchen sparkling clean, safe and organised;
- Washing and preparing equipment, dishes and utensils for re-use;
- Assisting chefs with basic ingredient preparation ;
- Following food safety and hygiene protocols at all times;
- Staying calm and efficient in a fast-paced environment.

This is an ideal role for someone starting their journey in a kitchen environment, keen to feel the buzz of the kitchen and wanting to play a key role in contributing to the Black Star Pastry galaxy.

**Key Responsibilities** (the role in detail):
In supporting the kitchen teams to meet their production requirements, your day-to-day role will include (but not be limited to) the following:

- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness and sanitation of kitchen equipment, benches, floors, and utensils, ensuring all production teams always have the tools and equipment necessary.
- Properly dispose of kitchen waste and recycling, ensuring bins are emptied regularly.
- Wash and organise dishes, trays, and tools in accordance with food safety standards.
- Support the pastry team with basic prep tasks such as fruit cutting, portioning, and labelling.
- Participate in strawberry preparation and cutting with precision and care, as required.
- Assist with packing, organising stock, and waste disposal.
- Follow all hygiene, health, and safety procedures, including correct PPE use.
- Work as part of a team to meet production and service deadlines.

**What we need from you** (the selection criteria):

- Passion for Patisserie and Baking - with some prior hospitality experience or exposure to a kitchen environment is highly regarded
- Eagerness to maintain high standards and quality products.
- Availability across a 7-day week (our kitchen operates 7-days a week
- Have completed the Food Handler Basics certification - or willing to do so
- Ability to work on your feet, pivoting frequently, and moving and carrying heavy product and equipment
- Exceptional teamwork skills, following instructions and staying focused in a fast-paced setting
- A positive attitude and willingness to contribute to team success
- Demonstrate attention to detail, time management, and effective communication skills.

**What we have to offer** (the perks):

- A competitive salary in a high achieving environment
- Work and life balance with non-typical hospitality hours
- Enjoy your birthday off - take a day on the week of your birthday to celebrate you
- Treat yourself a complimentary 4-portion cake of your choice for your birthday
- Access an additional day of wellbeing leave - to help you balance your mental health and well-being
- Great employee discounts, even across our sister brands
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program - free, confidential counselling, support and advice.

**A bit about us**

Black Star Pastry started as a boutique patisserie in Newtown in 2008 and has since grown into an established and loved brand. Our claim to fame is the Strawberry Watermelon Cake, a dessert that has taken social media by storm and earned recognition from the New York Times as "the world's most Instagrammed cake".

At Black Star Pastry, we foster a progressive and inclusive culture. Our diverse team consists of highly engaged and collaborative individuals who thrive in a fun, hands-on environment. We're passionate about our brand and dedicated to what we do.