A trade, not just a shift
You do not need catering college or a polished CV. You need four days, a willingness to work hard in a hot room, and someone to get you through the door properly. That is the part we do.
From first email to first shift
Typically three to five weeks, depending on when the next training block runs and how quickly the right placement comes up in your city.
- 1
Have a conversation
Email the Dublin desk and we will book you in for a fifteen-minute chat, no interview panel. We want to know which city you can work in, what hours suit you, and whether you have worked in a kitchen before — the answer being "no" is fine.
- 2
Come to the training block
Four days at our Smithfield training kitchen, or the monthly Cork or Galway block. It is free. You get whites, a knife roll to use, and lunch each day. You leave with a food safety certificate and a trainer sign-off.
- 3
Get matched to a kitchen
We put you forward to employers who suit your hours and your travel. You meet the head chef, do a paid trial shift, and decide together. If it is not right, we match you again — that is not a black mark.
- 4
Start, with someone checking in
Contract, PPS number and Revenue registration completed with a coordinator sitting beside you. We check in after week one and again after month one. If something is wrong in the kitchen, we deal with the employer, not you.
Support that does not stop at the placement
Plenty of agencies get paid the moment you start and never call again. Our employer partners pay us on retention, so it is in our interest that you are still there in six months.
Paperwork we do with you
PPS number application, Revenue MyAccount and tax credits, contract review, bank details, and right-to-work documentation. We sit down and complete it together rather than emailing you a checklist.
Paid properly, on the books
Every placement is PAYE with payslips, holiday accrual and Sunday premium where it applies. Never cash in hand. If an employer tries to shortcut that, they lose access to our candidates.
Training that keeps going
After six months we fund HACCP Level 2. After twelve, we put people forward for supervisor modules. Most of our pot wash supervisors started as kitchen porters with us.
Someone in your corner
Your coordinator is a named person with a direct number. Rota disputes, late payslips, a section that is not teaching you anything — you tell us and we handle the conversation.
What kitchen work actually pays in Ireland
Indicative hourly rates on our current placements, before Sunday and public holiday premiums. All figures are gross and above the national minimum wage.
| Role | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Kitchen porter | €13.50 – €14.50 |
| Kitchen assistant | €13.80 – €15.20 |
| Catering assistant | €14.20 – €15.50 |
| Commis chef | €15.50 – €17.00 |
| Breakfast chef | €16.00 – €18.00 |
| Supervisor roles | €16.50 – €19.00 |
The questions people actually ask us
- Do I need experience or a CV?
- No. Most people we place have never worked in a professional kitchen. We ask about reliability, willingness and availability, and the training block covers everything else. If you do not have a CV we will build a one-page profile with you.
- Does the training cost anything?
- Nothing. The four-day block is funded by the employers who hire from us. There is no fee, no deduction from your first wages and no contract tying you to a placement.
- What if English is not my first language?
- That is common in Irish kitchens and it is not a barrier for most roles. You need enough English to follow a safety instruction and read a temperature log. Our trainers work with mixed-language groups every intake, and we place accordingly.
- I am not an EU citizen — can I still be placed?
- For most of our season placements, yes. Ireland issues employment permits to non-EEA nationals, and because we train and certify you before we put you forward, the venue is signing a permit application for someone already documented and assessed. We build the file with you and the employer sponsors it. Each vacancy on the board states whether it is permit-sponsored or needs an existing EU/EEA right to work — apply eight to ten weeks before the season starts so the decision lands in time.
- What hours will I actually work?
- It depends on the role. Kitchen assistants usually work 39 hours across five days including a weekend. Porters are often four evenings. Breakfast chefs start at 06:00 and are finished by 14:00. We tell you the real pattern before you accept, not after.
- What if the placement does not work out?
- You tell your coordinator and we start matching you again. There is no penalty and it does not affect future placements. Kitchens vary enormously and a bad fit is information, not a failure.
Ready to start?
Browse what is open, or just write to us. If nothing on the board suits you today, register your interest and your coordinator will be in touch when something in your city comes in.