Importance of back-of-house staff

The back-of-house definition is everyone who works in the behind-the-scenes areas of your restaurant, which is primarily the kitchen area. They might not interact directly with the diners, but they largely shape the dining experience. Food that’s delicious, consistent and timely satisfies customers and increases the chances of them coming back or telling others about their restaurant experience.

If you don’t have enough back-of-house staff, your kitchen will get backed up quickly. Customers who have to wait longer than expected for their food may start to get crabby. Being short-staffed can also increase mistakes with orders, increase injuries to your employees or decrease the quality of the food.

You also want back-of-house staff who can reproduce your menu items consistently, so returning customers know what to expect and can have the same experience each time they visit.

Creating back-of-house job descriptions

In a competitive job market when it’s tough to find a lot of candidates, having a strong job description can help you stand out. Start with the values, company culture and other details that make your restaurant unique.

Maybe your signature style is a modern, upscale twist on comfort food, or one of your company’s missions is to reduce food waste and help feed the homeless in your city. Let candidates know what makes your restaurant unique in your job description to attract people who can get behind those things.

Instead of following a boring template, get creative with your job description. It should include all the key details, including the job duties, qualifications and benefits, and you should shake up your wording to reflect your restaurant’s personality. If your restaurant is loud, fast-paced and vivacious, incorporate that feeling into your description.

Include extras that job seekers want to know, such as detailed benefits and the salary range. This information helps them decide whether your opportunity is a good match for their skill set and needs.

Where to find back-of-house employees

Now that you have your job description, it’s time to seek out candidates. A popular and effective option is posting your back-of-house positions on Indeed to reach a large number of job seekers. Expanding to other options can increase the number of applicants you get. Some ideas include:

• Employee referral programs: If you already have competent kitchen staff, they might know other chefs who would make a good addition to the team. Establish an employee referral program to encourage your staff to recommend people for your vacancies.
• Culinary programs: Partner with a local culinary school or vocational school that has culinary programs to find suitable applicants. You might offer internships through the school, which allows you to test out new chefs. Posting your vacancies on campus can also help you get more applicants.
• Online chef groups: Spend time on social media where chefs hang out. Joining related forums or social media groups can help you meet potential employees.
• Your social media: Post about your openings on your social media profiles, where people who already like your business can see them. One of your followers might know someone who’s a good fit for your restaurant, since they’re already familiar with your style.
• Industry connections: Your suppliers and other people in the hospitality industry might have referrals for chefs who would make a good addition to your team. Let everyone you talk to know about your openings.

Attracting strong back-of-house candidates

Knowing where to look for candidates is a good start, but you also need to position your restaurant as an attractive employer. You have a lot of competition for back-of-house employees, especially if your restaurant is in a large metro area. Many activities that help attract new employees can also help you keep your current employees longer.

Some ways to attract strong candidates include:

• Offer competitive wages that match or beat other local restaurants.
• Add extra employee perks, such as free meals, stipends for transportation and after-hours employee events.
• Provide a sign-on bonus if you’re struggling to hire staff.
• Include employee testimonials in your marketing when you need new staff.

Keeping back-of-house employees

Hiring a strong kitchen staff doesn’t mean much if you can’t get them to stay. Offering them competitive wages and benefits decreases the chances of them leaving for another restaurant that offers more. Create a positive work environment that values all staff to retain employees longer.

Providing the support they need through adequate staffing, quality culinary tools and ongoing training, as well as listening to employee feedback and avoiding micromanagement, can help. When you listen to your back-of-house staff and make changes based on the feedback, they learn that you’re receptive, which increases employee satisfaction.

Giving them some freedom in things like menu creation or specials for the day builds trust and provides a creative outlet for their culinary expertise.

FAQs about hiring for back-of-house positions

How do you choose the best back-of-house candidates?

Set your criteria before you start interviewing to determine what type of culinary training and experience you expect. Consider temperament and how well each candidate will be able to work with other employees and stay calm under pressure. You can also incorporate tasks, such as asking each candidate to create a sample menu or prepare a meal for you, to see their skills in action.

What are common back-of-house positions?

The most common back-of-house positions are kitchen staff jobs, which include chefs and dishwashers. Not all restaurants have multiple levels of cooks or chefs. Smaller restaurants might have only one or two cooks per shift, while larger restaurants might have multiple chefs during every meal. Common chef positions include:

• Prep cook: Usually the lowest rank in the kitchen, this person does basic food prep work and usually doesn’t need formal culinary training.
• Line chef or cook: Also called a station chef, this position has a specific cooking task, such as making pizza or pasta.
• Sous chef: This is a higher back-of-house position, usually just below the top chef in the restaurant. They often have additional responsibilities, such as ordering for the kitchen and supervising other cooks.
• Executive chef: At the top of the chef hierarchy is the executive chef. This person manages the entire kitchen and handles things like creating the menu, training staff and managing the inventory.

How do you onboard back-of-house employees?

Having a strong onboarding process can help your new back-of-house employees stay longer. Onboarding should include an introduction to the staff to make new candidates feel like part of the team. Give them plenty of on-the-job training, even if they have extensive restaurant experience, to make them feel comfortable with your processes. Assign a work buddy, so new staff members have a go-to person if they have questions.