Kitchen Steward (KST) - Back Of House, 3 Openings, 1 To 2 Years Experience

Job Description - MELD - Kitchen Steward (KST) - Back of House

An Overview:

We are seeking a reliable, hardworking, and detail-oriented Kitchen Steward (KST) to join our Back of House team at MELD, our hyper traceable bakehouse & restaurant. In this essential role, you will keep the kitchen and bakehouse clean, sanitized, and fully equipped, ensuring chefs and bakers always have the clean tools, cookware, and workspaces they need. You will play a key role in upholding our food safety and hygiene standards, supporting our waste reduction and composting practices, and keeping kitchen operations running smoothly in a fast-paced environment.

Core Responsibilities

Dishwashing & Utensil Care

●    Wash, sanitize, and dry all cookware, utensils, chinaware, glassware, and bakehouse equipment promptly and thoroughly throughout service.

●    Operate and maintain commercial dishwashing machines, monitoring water temperature and detergent and sanitizer levels as per operating guidelines.

●    Return clean pots, pans, sheet trays, proofing baskets, and small equipment to their designated stations so chefs and bakers are never waiting on tools.

Kitchen & Bakehouse Hygiene

●    Clean and sanitize kitchen floors, walls, drains, work surfaces, and storage areas according to daily, weekly, and deep-cleaning schedules.

●    Support station breakdowns at shift close, including cleaning of hoods, ovens, mixers, and fryers as directed by the Sous Chef or Head Baker.

●    Adhere to health, hygiene, and FSSAI sanitation standards, including mandatory handwashing protocols, strict grooming, and the correct, safe use of cleaning chemicals.

Waste Management & Composting

●    Segregate kitchen and bakehouse waste into organic, recyclable, and general streams in line with MELD's waste reduction and composting practices.

●    Log organic waste and compost volumes at shift close to support our circular food system and hyper-traceability records.

●    Keep waste bins, compost areas, and back-of-house disposal zones clean, odor-free, and pest-free.

Storage & Inventory Support

●    Assist with receiving deliveries from farm partners and suppliers, moving goods promptly to the correct cold, dry, or bakehouse storage.

●    Maintain stock of cleaning supplies, dish chemicals, and consumables, and report low stock to the Sous Chef.

●    Assist with regular counts of utensils, chinaware, and glassware, and report breakages or missing items to management.

Additional Operational Responsibilities

●    Complete opening and closing kitchen cleaning checklists, including sanitation sign-offs and dishwasher temperature logs.

●    Immediately address spills and hazards, keeping kitchen and bakehouse floors safe and dry throughout service.

●    Promptly report equipment faults, plumbing issues, or pest sightings to the Sous Chef or Restaurant Manager.

●    Flex across kitchen and bakehouse areas as needed to support team momentum during heavy service hours.

Required Qualifications

●    1-2 years of experience as a kitchen steward, dishwasher, or kitchen helper in a restaurant, hotel, or bakery environment.

●    Working knowledge of basic hygiene, sanitation practices, and the safe handling of cleaning chemicals.

●    Reliability, punctuality, and a team-first attitude, with a willingness to learn and take direction.

●    Physical stamina to stand, lift, and move heavy equipment over long shifts in a hot, fast-paced kitchen.

●    High attention to detail and pride in keeping a spotless, well-organized kitchen.