Kitchen Porter

Role overview

Hickory’s Smokehouse is hiring a Kitchen Porter for its busy Leeds restaurant kitchen. The brand is a fast-expanding UK BBQ and restaurant business known for authentic American-style smokehouse food, and this role offers a practical route into hospitality with structured training and opportunities to progress.

As a Kitchen Porter, you will help the chefs keep service moving, maintain standards in the back-of-house area, and gain hands-on hospitality experience in a high-energy environment.

Key duties

• Keep the kitchen tidy, safe and well organised at all times.
• Wash dishes, tools, cookware and kitchen equipment.
• Help maintain consistently high standards of hygiene and food safety.
• Work effectively in a busy, high-volume kitchen setting.
• Support colleagues as part of a positive and motivated kitchen team.
• Build your hospitality skills through training and development opportunities.

What Hickory’s offers

• Pay of up to £15.71 per hour, which includes the Tip Jar contribution of up to £3.00 per hour.
• A purpose-built £250k kitchen fitted with smokers imported from the USA.
• Structured training with clear routes for career growth.
• Free team meal during shifts and a birthday meal provided by the company.
• Christmas Day off.
• Paid leave for important life events such as weddings, a child’s first day at school, or moving into a first home.
• Team discount of 25% across Hickory’s, increasing to 50% with long service.
• 24/7 wellbeing support and an emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
• Opportunities to support fundraising efforts for Cash For Kids.

About you

The ideal candidate brings a strong work ethic, a careful approach to cleanliness and a positive, team-focused attitude. Previous experience as a Kitchen Porter or in a similar fast-paced kitchen setting is helpful, but it is not essential. This role suits someone looking for stability, growth and a better work-life balance.

Additional information

This is a full-time, on-site role based in Leeds, England, United Kingdom. The role is intended for someone who is comfortable working in a high-energy hospitality kitchen and wants to develop within the sector.