Barback/Kitchen Assistant

Barback / Kitchen Assistant

Company: The Twisted Diner LLCPosition: Barback / Kitchen AssistantEmployment Type: Part-TimeReports To: Management / Kitchen Lead

Position Summary

The Barback / Kitchen Assistant is a cross-functional support position responsible for helping both the beverage and kitchen teams operate efficiently. This employee keeps workstations stocked, clean, organized, and prepared while assisting with basic food preparation, order assembly, dishwashing, cleaning, and restocking.

This position is ideal for someone who is dependable, fast-moving, organized, and willing to step into whichever area needs assistance during service.

Primary Responsibilities

Kitchen Support

• Assist kitchen staff with food preparation and basic prep assignments.
• Prepare and portion ingredients according to established recipes and procedures.
• Assist with assembling and finishing food orders.
• Stock food stations, packaging, utensils, sauces, and supplies.
• Assist with preparing ingredients for breakfast and lunch service.
• Maintain proper labeling, dating, storage, and FIFO rotation of food products.
• Monitor supplies and communicate low-stock items to the kitchen lead or management.
• Assist with dishwashing and maintain clean dishes, utensils, pans, and equipment.
• Clean and sanitize food-preparation surfaces and equipment.
• Sweep, mop, remove trash, and maintain clean back-of-house areas.
• Follow all food-safety, sanitation, and cross-contamination procedures.

Bar & Beverage Support

• Keep bar and beverage stations stocked throughout service.
• Refill cups, lids, straws, napkins, syrups, mixers, ice, and other supplies.
• Retrieve products from storage and refrigeration as needed.
• Wash and properly store beverage equipment and glassware.
• Assist with preparation of approved syrups, garnishes, mixes, and other beverage components.
• Maintain clean and organized beverage workstations.
• Notify baristas, bartenders, or management when inventory is running low.

Restaurant Support

• Assist with bussing, cleaning, and resetting tables when needed.
• Maintain clean dining and customer-facing areas.
• Assist with receiving, organizing, and putting away deliveries.
• Help maintain organized dry storage, refrigeration, and back-of-house areas.
• Complete opening, shift-change, and closing checklists.
• Respond quickly to spills, trash, broken glass, or other cleanliness and safety concerns.
• Assist other team members when necessary to keep service moving.
• Perform additional duties assigned by management based on operational needs.

Guest Service Standards

Although this position primarily supports back-of-house operations, every employee contributes to the guest experience.

The Barback / Kitchen Assistant is expected to greet and acknowledge guests when appropriate, communicate respectfully, maintain a professional appearance, and immediately find the appropriate team member when a guest needs assistance.

No guest should be ignored simply because their request falls outside an employee’s primary position.

Teamwork Expectations

The Twisted Diner operates with a team-first mentality. Employees are expected to communicate, assist one another, and work outside their primary station when business needs require it.

See it. Own it. Handle it—or communicate it.

The Barback / Kitchen Assistant should continuously monitor the operation and ask:

What needs to be stocked? What needs to be cleaned? What needs to be prepped? Who needs help?

Qualifications

• Restaurant, kitchen, café, or hospitality experience preferred but not required.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Dependable and punctual.
• Strong organizational and cleanliness standards.
• Ability to follow recipes, portioning standards, checklists, and instructions.
• Ability to work independently while remaining part of a team.
• Good communication skills.
• Willingness to be cross-trained in multiple areas of restaurant operations.
• Food-handler certification or other required certifications must be obtained as required by applicable regulations.

Physical Requirements

This position requires prolonged standing and walking and frequent bending, reaching, lifting, carrying, and repetitive movement. The employee must be able to safely move food products, ice, dishes, supplies, and restaurant equipment and perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Performance Standards

Performance will be evaluated based on:

• Attendance and punctuality
• Speed and sense of urgency
• Food-safety and sanitation compliance
• Cleanliness and organization
• Prep and portioning accuracy
• Stocking and inventory awareness
• Ability to follow procedures
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Guest service
• Initiative and reliability

The goal of the Barback / Kitchen Assistant is to keep the kitchen and beverage teams prepared, organized, and moving so that guests receive fast, accurate, and exceptional service.

Pay: $15.00 - $17.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Paid training

Work Location: In person