Café Assistant

The Café Assistant is key to making sure our café and catering operations are a great success. Working with the Head Chef you will ensure our café / restaurant becomes well known for providing great food and great service.

Prior to service you will support the Head Chef with food preparation as required such as preparing vegetables and dishes as directed by them. You will proactively help to keep the kitchen and café clean by cleaning down workstations, walls and floors as needed.

The role has responsibility for our café service and front of house. This involves ensuring that the café counter is setup correctly with great displays of food and drinks. You will maintain stock levels for refreshments, packaged items, and disposables. You will ensure that the front of house is kept clean and tidy and that tables and chairs are arranged correctly with condiments and cutlery is fully stocked, clean and available.

Providing great customer service is vital at all times and especially when you are serving customers at the counter and at the table when needed. You will serve customers and take payment using our till and POS systems. You will pass order to the chef and prepare drinks and small items.

You will be responsible for keeping table and chairs clean and tidy, clearing tables, and sanitising them after each use. You will clear all plates, crockery and dishes into the washing area and clean them through the dishwasher. At the end of service, you will help to clean down the café counter and restaurant areas and refill stock items ready for the next service.

Working on a licensed premises your role includes ensuring all licensed activities are carried out in line with legal and AUKES requirements, paying particular attention to the correct display and sale of alcohol products - full training will be given.

Kitchen Assistance

1. Work with the head chef as directed in preparing food and dishes prior to service. This will involve preparing vegetables and other food, weighing / measuring and following a recipe.

2. Use kitchen equipment safely and following all correct procedures

3. Always wear the correct catering uniform including aprons and correct footwear

4. Help to maintain food safety by taking temperature checks, rotating stock and receiving deliveries under the supervision of the Head Chef.

Café counter setup

5. Setup the café counter following the agreed counter layout

6. Monitor stock levels of disposables, drinks and refreshments, condiments and small packaged items such as biscuits to ensure minimum stock levels are always on hand. Raise stock orders with the Head Chef.

7. Keep the counter clean and presentable at all times

8. Operate the coffee machine, water boiler and other café equipment in line with all correct procedures.

9. Keep café equipment clean, carrying our daily and weekly cleaning tasks and ensuring equipment is correctly shut down and next service ready at the end of the shift.

10. Setup till and Card payment systems each day. Cash in float and check both are working correctly.

11. Fill drinks, cakes and multideck fridges in line with agreed stock levels. Merchandise following plans with forward facing labels and ensure all glass is clean and products are correctly labelled and priced

12. Fill condiments, cutlery, trays, and disposables ready for serve

13. Update daily specials board, external A board and putout table menus

Service

14. Serve customers in a friendly and positive manner ensuring all orders are written down correctly and passed to the chef for preparation

15. Serve hot drinks following correct procedures for making teas, coffees, and hot beverages

16. Serve ready to serve items such as sandwiches, cakes, and snacks and present nicely for the customer

17. Process all payments correctly through the till and following AUKES cash handling and finance procedures

18. Take customer payment, thank them and ensure they receive a receipt. For members check their membership and process member discount before asking for payment

19. Serve food and drinks to customers both across the counter and to the table if required. Where hot food is being served deliver it to the customer in a timely and safe manner

20. Keep the seating areas clean and tidy by clearing tables, wiping clean, sanitising, and moving chairs and tables back into the correct layout

21. Sweep seating area floors, empty bins, and keep the area clean and tidy, report any major issues or damage to the duty manager / centre manager in a timely manner

22. Clear plates, dishes, crockery, and pans into the wash area and remove any leftover food into food waste bins. Rinse dishes and then process through dishwasher. Once washed check for cleanliness and if dirty re-wash. Once clean store and stack correctly in designated area.

23. Support the Chef during service if needed

End of Day

24. Clear down seating area and clean all tables and chairs ready for next service

25. Clear down the café counter, clean all equipment and the counter areas as required following daily and weekly cleaning schedule

26. Sanitise the café counter areas

27. Cash up the till, removing float and banking all monies in the safe correctly

28. Complete the daily sales sheet and pass to the duty manager / centre manager for processing

29. Re-stock and refill all café and counter items ready for next service, check minimum stock levels and notify chef of any required orders.

30. Bring in menus, A boards and lock up and fridges / units within the public areas

31. Support the chef with any kitchen cleaning as required.

Other

32. Where possible help to maximise the opportunities for Gift Aid and raising funds through donations

33. To work within the policies, procedures and quality frameworks adopted by Age UK East Sussex with particular attention to equal opportunities, data protection/confidentiality, safeguarding and health and safety requirements.

34. To undertake relevant training as required by the organisation and agreed with your line manager.

35. To be an Ambassador for the Charity, positively promoting the organisation and its services at all times.

36. To undertake other such responsibilities and duties as may be reasonably required by your line manager within the level and grading of the post and to work flexibly as required.

Equal opportunities

Age UK East Sussex is committed to anti-discriminatory policies and practices and it is essential that the post holder is willing to make a positive contribution to their promotion and implementation.

Scope of job description

This job description reflects the immediate requirements and responsibilities of the post. It is not an exhaustive list of the duties but gives a general indication of work undertaken which may vary in detail in the light of changing demands and priorities. Substantial changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

Applicants must be aged 18 or above due to alcohol sales on premises

Hours: 20 Hours per week with flexible evening and weekend work