Kitchen helper, prep and dishwasher jobs

Every restaurant, hotel, hospital cafeteria, and catering company needs people in the kitchen. Kitchen helper, prep, and dishwasher jobs are often open to people with no experience. You learn by doing, and many cooks start this way.

The work is fast and physical. It can also be very satisfying when a busy service goes well because your team was ready.

Our guide to food service and barista jobs covers front-of-house jobs and tips. This guide is about working in the kitchen itself.

We checked the facts in this guide on October 12, 2026. Rules change, so follow the links to the official pages for the latest details.

The jobs

Dishwasher. You run the dish machine, wash pots and pans by hand, and put clean dishes and tools back where the cooks need them. You also take out garbage and recycling, clean floors, and help keep the kitchen clean. A good dishwasher keeps the whole kitchen moving.

Kitchen helper or prep cook. You wash, peel, chop, and portion food before service. You follow recipes, label and date containers, and put deliveries away so older food is used first. During service, you may restock the cooks' stations or plate simple items.

Line cook. After you learn the basics, you may get the chance to cook on the line during service.

What a shift is like

Most shifts have three parts:

1. Before service: prep, set up stations, and receive deliveries
2. Service: the rush, when orders come in fast and everyone works together
3. Closing: wash everything, put food away safely, and clean the kitchen

Expect evenings, weekends, and holidays. Kitchens are hot and loud. You stand for your whole shift.

Staying safe in the kitchen

Kitchens have real hazards. WorkSafeBC says more than 60 per cent of injuries in the food service industry involve kitchen workers (WorkSafeBC). For young workers, it lists cuts from knives and food slicers, and burns from hot substances and objects, among the top hazards (Know the hazards).

Knives and slicers

• Use a cutting board on a flat, steady surface.
• Never try to catch a falling knife. Step back and let it fall.
• Don't leave knives in a sink full of water, where someone could reach in and get cut.
• Never use a slicer, mixer, or other machine until you have been trained and your supervisor says you can.

Heat and burns

• Say "behind" or "hot" when you walk behind someone or carry something hot.
• Use dry oven mitts or cloths. Wet cloths let heat through.
• Open the dish machine and steamers slowly, and stand back from the steam.
• Lower food into hot oil gently, and keep water away from the fryer.

Slips and lifting

• Wear closed, non-slip shoes. Ask your employer if a certain type is required.
• Clean up spills right away, or put out a warning sign.
• Get help with heavy pots, boxes, and garbage bags. Don't twist while you carry.

Dish and cleaning chemicals

Dishwashers and kitchen helpers use strong cleaning and sanitizing products. These are covered by WHMIS, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System:

• Hazardous products must have a label and a safety data sheet (SDS) with more detailed information (WorkSafeBC).
• In Ontario, your employer must train you on hazardous products before you use them (ontario.ca).
• In BC, your employer must provide WHMIS training, and you must tell your employer if a label is missing or can't be read (WorkSafeBC).

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) says never mix cleaning products. Products containing bleach and ammonia must never be mixed, because hazardous gases may be released (CCOHS). Wear the gloves and eye protection the label calls for. Read more in our WHMIS training guide.

Your rights

In both provinces, you have the right to know about hazards, the right to take part in health and safety, and the right to refuse unsafe work (WorkSafeBC, Ontario).

• In BC, WorkSafeBC says employers must give workers proper orientation, training, and supervision, and can't punish a worker for raising a safety concern.
• In Ontario, all employers must make sure workers complete basic health and safety awareness training (ontario.ca).

Tell your supervisor about any injury right away, even a small burn or cut. Read more in Refusing unsafe work in BC and Ontario.

Certificates by province

You can get many kitchen jobs without a certificate. But a food safety certificate can help you get hired, and it can help you move up.

Sources: FOODSAFE and ontario.ca. In both provinces, the law does not require every kitchen worker to be certified, but some employers ask for it.

First aid training can also help in a kitchen. See First aid certificates in BC and Ontario.

How old do you have to be?

• Ontario: The minimum age to work in a restaurant kitchen is 15. For the serving area of a restaurant, it is 14.
• BC: From 16, the regular rules apply. At 14 or 15, you can do "light work" with written permission from a parent or guardian (Hiring young people). BC's light work list includes preparing food and dishwashing. It does not include using machinery or tools that could cause harm, entering a walk-in freezer or cooler except to get an item, or working with hazardous substances.

How to get hired

• Apply in person, too. Bring a resume to the restaurant between the lunch and dinner rush, often mid-afternoon. Ask for the kitchen manager or chef.
• Show you are reliable. Kitchens depend on every person showing up. Say that you are on time and ready to work hard.
• Offer evenings and weekends. These are busy times in most kitchens.
• Be ready for a trial shift. Some kitchens ask you to work a short shift before hiring you. In both provinces, work you do on a trial shift counts as work, so it must be paid (BC, Ontario). Our interview guide has more tips.
• Show you want to learn. Say you are happy to start with dishes and learn prep. Chefs value people who listen and ask questions.

Next steps

• Kitchen and dishwasher jobs in Metro Vancouver and the GTA
• Food service jobs in Metro Vancouver and the GTA
• Get certified: FOODSAFE in BC or food handler certification in Ontario
• Know your rights: BC and Ontario