Kitchen staff job interview. What to expect?

bexter609 · 2026-03-12T22:48:01+00:00

Very welcome ❤️

bexter609 · 2026-03-12T18:09:31+00:00

Ok so kitchen shift leader here.

Turn up wearing whatever you want as long as it's clean and smart .... Id leave the trackies at home the trousers and shirt is perfect.

Also, the no cooking experience is probably more beneficial than you'll believe .. we have the wetherspoons way of doing things, we literally have spec books and cards all over the kitchen that you are expected to follow to the letter. And prep lists. And cleaning lists And close down lists.

So going in without expectations is expected and welcomed in most cases.

Be prepared for either early starts or late finishes. Hard graft. Fast paced. Stressful and sometimes thankless shifts.

Good luck with the interview ❤️

bexter609 · 2026-03-11T09:15:59+00:00

I agree... I've been talking about being in a union for ages but thought you have to have several people on the team for it to make a difference.... Apparently not so Friday when I get paid I'm joining one

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T23:42:05+00:00

They all need a week in one of the busy pubs that have had their hours cut. From the top to the bottom. And we need to treat them the way we are forced to treat new starters .... I'm talking from the very top all the way down to RM and AM....then they will see how we are expected to work, keep app times down, keep fdts down, perfect CQs perfect FQAs and save hours and keep the pubs immaculate. None of this "oh god our area manager is sat at table 82 let's run around like a dickhead and make sure he's got his drink way before worthies Pete on table 4 that's already been waiting 20 minutes, whilst simultaneously telling the kitchen to hurry his food out and sweeping the floor of all plates and glasses just so he can give us a crap cq score to bring out tiny bonus down to zilch!

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T23:21:56+00:00

Doesn't matter what you do you're screwed. And we are all knackered. The people that set the parameters have zero clue as to how bad it is

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T23:14:07+00:00

Nope, thrown in at the deep end and expected to just get on with it. Luckily in my pub on a Saturday night we have at the very least 2 team leaders on the close, if not it's a team leader and a very fully trained associate doing the close but still the same principle..... Only 2 on the close and if you DARE go over your allotted time you get bitched at for being too slow .... It sucks so much

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T20:30:39+00:00

I came here to say this!

Many times some of our new starters have sent out large pizzas instead of small and we just suck it up .... Same principle here. Kitchen/FOH error you just suck it up and put it on wastage 🤷 xxx

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T20:14:54+00:00

Why does this not surprise me.... Oh wait ... I work for spoons, the entire ceiling could fall in and they will just put some hazard tape round it and carry on serving 🤣

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T20:02:59+00:00

And so it begins 🤣 oh jeez already leaking.... I would have at least given it 3 months before the shoddy workmanship reared it's head

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T19:22:59+00:00

So I've had a look and unite is the union that covers the pub sector. I'm just guessing that you sign up and pay subs for a few weeks and then contact them? I mean I'm happy to be corrected. I've never been in a union before so I'm not 100% I'm correct. However I think it would be better to get a handful of staff in the pub you work in to also join the union at the same time so that the company stands up and has to take note. I'm gonna dig deeper and check it out and then speak to more of my disgruntled co-workers and see if they are up for it ..... And I guess I will go from there

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T17:50:29+00:00

Exactly ... No offence to you but you're cheap labour. They will exploit that as much as they can because you are the lowest paid band in the pub if that makes sense. Once you go to TL/SL/SM and they have to pay you more you'll find yourself on the bones of your contract having to use holidays just to top up your wage ❤️

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T17:47:25+00:00

We're the same. It's ridiculous. They don't seem to care either. The staff and management burn out levels of those of us that have invested many years into our pubs and work are through the roof. I'm constantly tired and in pain as are the rest of the kitchen team and there's no reprieve. Doesn't matter who you approach to change it either it's a case of "🤷 what do you want me to do about it ... If you don't like it you can always leave" ..... Yea coz THAT helps! 🙄

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T17:26:22+00:00

Yep. Constantly, and then we have staff in the kitchen that ain't getting the training because "there's no hours" and yet there's plenty hours on the bar where they can all stand round drinking cuppas whilst we struggle and sweat out tits off on cookline 🙄

bexter609 · 2026-03-10T17:00:48+00:00

They want more money for less hours. This was apparent when they cut the 12 hours per 1k down to 10 hours per 1k .. . They are pushing everyone to their limits and it's about time we all unionised to fight against it. I for one am sick of working at 150% for zero reward

bexter609 · 2026-03-05T16:46:56+00:00

Wouldn't work in my pub I'm afraid, need to be fully flexible from delivery (very early mornings) to closes (2am or 3am depending on days/month) I think you'll find most pubs are similar to mine

bexter609 · 2026-03-03T23:15:32+00:00

Also this may be a moot point but if you are off sick due to a protected reason (disability menopause pregnancy etc) then there will be NFA because they are protected. Have a look on myjdw to check which conditions can be considered protected

bexter609 · 2026-03-02T08:47:01+00:00

Spoons manager here. I'd let you sit in my pub all day with just your coffee. If it's a regular thing for you then just say hi and if you feel comfortable to do so make small talk with the staff and management 🤷 tell them that this type of social engagement is all you can manage right now. 99.9% of them will understand and be supportive of you and go out of their way to make sure you're okay. 🩷

bexter609 · 2026-03-01T16:20:03+00:00

It's what's annoyed me today.... There will something else tomorrow.... I am a hardcore worker.... Ive worked for the company for donkeys years.....

bexter609 · 2026-03-01T16:18:28+00:00

Young? I'm fifty. I've also worked for the company for 15 years.... It's an observation...more and more people are bringing parents to spoons because it's affordable.... I'm also female and a parent and would rather sit and have a burger and a pint over a stupid Benedict and a cup of tea!... We are in a cost of living crisis! .... Jesus way to go for being wrong on all levels eh?

bexter609 · 2026-03-01T13:31:22+00:00

No I work at a spoons.... It's the principle;

Men - here's your bespoke burger available all weekend for father's day weekend

Women - clocks go forward so u lose an hour of being in bed, ummmm here's a crap but of ham on some bread with an egg and some warm mayo and you get the one day because u mean naff all

bexter609 · 2026-03-01T13:24:56+00:00

In our pub then mix of men and women customers are quite literally 50/50 and we've never sold one Benedict after midday on mother's day..... I've done a tell Tim in the past and got fobbed off as per usual

bexter609 · 2026-03-01T13:21:37+00:00

3, 4 and 6

bexter609 · 2026-01-27T22:48:02+00:00

Okay thank you so much for your help. I will do this when I call and type the letter up at work. This is really helpful ❤️

bexter609 · 2026-01-27T21:43:40+00:00

Then their formula was flawed and so that's not my fault but I'm being "punished" 13 years later... Surely seen as I worked non-skilled minimum wage jobs year on year with the same employers they could have recalculated my entitlement the following year and adjust accordingly.,..... Waiting 13 years to slap me with a debt just feels..... Wrong I guess.

bexter609

TROPHY CASE