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The UK's Trusted Catering & Hospitality Staffing Agency
Staff Direct is a specialist hospitality and catering recruitment agency with an extensive network across the United Kingdom. We connect hotels, restaurants, contract caterers, event organisers, schools, healthcare facilities and corporate clients with highly skilled, thoroughly vetted catering professionals — from executive chefs to kitchen porters, and everything in between.
Whether you are searching for temporary catering staff to cover a busy weekend service, a permanent head chef for your growing restaurant, or a full front-of-house team for a large corporate event, our hospitality recruitment specialists are ready to deliver the right candidates — fast, compliantly, and cost-effectively.
Our mission is simple: to remove the stress from hospitality staffing by providing businesses across the UK with access to a pre-screened, immediately available pool of catering talent. We understand that in the food service industry, every shift matters — which is why we operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ensuring your kitchen and front-of-house are always properly staffed.
With deep expertise in hospitality staffing, rigorous compliance processes and a reputation for fast turnaround, Staff Direct is the catering recruitment agency that hospitality businesses across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Reading and beyond rely on.
Why Choose Staff Direct?
- ✓ 24/7 emergency catering staff cover
- ✓ Fully vetted, food hygiene certified staff
- ✓ Nationwide coverage — 40+ UK cities
- ✓ Temporary, contract & permanent roles
- ✓ Replacement guarantee on every placement
- ✓ Dedicated hospitality account manager
What is a Catering Staffing Agency?
A catering staffing agency is a specialist recruitment firm that sources, screens and places catering and hospitality workers — including chefs, kitchen porters, waiters, and catering event staff — with hotels, restaurants, caterers, and food service employers on a temporary, contract or permanent basis.
Staff Direct is a UK-wide catering staffing agency that maintains a pre-vetted talent pool of catering professionals, handling all compliance checks, food hygiene verification, and payroll administration, so businesses can focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences without the burden of time-consuming recruitment.
Catering & Hospitality Staffing Services
Staff Direct provides end-to-end hospitality staffing solutions across the full spectrum of catering roles. Whether you need a single kitchen porter for an overnight event or a full brigade for a hotel's new restaurant launch, our team delivers precisely matched candidates at speed.
Chefs & Kitchen Brigade
From Head Chefs and Sous Chefs to Pastry Chefs, Commis Chefs and CDP (Chef de Partie), we supply the full kitchen brigade for restaurants, hotels, contract catering companies and events across the UK.
- ➤ Head Chef & Executive Chef
- ➤ Sous Chef & Junior Sous Chef
- ➤ Chef de Partie (CDP)
- ➤ Pastry Chef & Pastissier
- ➤ Commis Chef & Trainee Chef
Kitchen Assistants & Porters
Our kitchen porters and kitchen assistants keep commercial kitchens running smoothly. We supply vetted KPs, kitchen hands and prep cooks ready for immediate deployment in Birmingham, London, Leeds and across the UK.
- ➤ Kitchen Porter (KP)
- ➤ Kitchen Assistant & Kitchen Hand
- ➤ Preparation Cook & Prep Chef
- ➤ Pot Wash & Dishwasher Operative
- ➤ Catering Supervisor
Front of House & Hospitality Staff
Our front-of-house hospitality staff are trained, professional and guest-ready. We place waiters, bar staff, restaurant managers, hosts and event hospitality teams for the UK's leading venues and catering operations.
- ➤ Waiter & Waitress
- ➤ Bar Staff & Bartender
- ➤ Restaurant Manager & Floor Manager
- ➤ Event Hospitality Staff
- ➤ Host & Greeter
Event & Contract Catering Staff
Staff Direct supplies fully briefed event catering staff for weddings, corporate functions, outdoor festivals, sports events and hospitality suites. Our event teams are experienced in high-volume service delivery across the UK.
Permanent Catering Recruitment
Looking to build a long-term kitchen team? Our permanent hospitality recruitment service identifies and places career-focused catering professionals across all levels, from kitchen porter to executive chef.
Temp-to-Perm Hospitality Placements
Our flexible temp-to-perm model allows you to trial catering staff on a temporary basis before converting to a permanent position — the ideal low-risk solution for growing hospitality operations.
Sectors We Supply Catering & Hospitality Staff For
Staff Direct places catering and hospitality workers across every segment of the UK food service industry — from fine dining establishments to large-scale contract catering operations. Our sector depth and specialist knowledge means we understand exactly the skills and temperament each role demands.
🏪 Hotels & Resorts
Full kitchen brigades, room service staff, banqueting teams and F&B managers for UK hotels and resorts of all sizes.
🍽 Restaurants & Bistros
Skilled chefs and front-of-house teams for independent restaurants, chains, gastro pubs and fine dining establishments nationwide.
🎗 Contract Catering
Temporary and permanent catering staff for workplace canteens, hospital catering, education catering and large-scale contract operations.
🎊 Events & Hospitality
Event catering teams for weddings, corporate events, festivals, sporting hospitality, and conference catering across the UK.
🏙 Care Homes & Healthcare
Specialist catering staff for care homes, NHS facilities and private healthcare, including dietary-aware cooks and kitchen assistants.
🏫 Schools & Education
DBS-checked catering assistants, school cooks and kitchen staff for primary, secondary and further education establishments.
Understanding Catering Recruitment: Key Terms
Hospitality Staffing Agency: A specialist firm that recruits, screens and places catering and hospitality professionals for food service businesses on a temporary or permanent basis.
Catering Temporary Staff: Hospitality workers engaged on a short-term or flexible basis to cover peak periods, staff absence or event-based catering requirements.
Kitchen Porter Recruitment: The process of sourcing and vetting KPs — the essential support workers who maintain cleanliness and operational flow in a commercial kitchen.
Front of House Recruitment: Placing guest-facing hospitality staff including waiters, bar staff, hosts and restaurant managers who deliver the customer experience.
Catering & Hospitality Jobs Available Now
Browse our current catering and hospitality vacancies across the UK. All positions are available for immediate placement. Rates shown are approximate and reflect competitive pay above the UK National Living Wage.
| # | Job Title | Role Description | Approx. Pay Rate | Apply / View |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kitchen Porter — Birmingham City Centre | Temporary KP role in a busy Birmingham city centre restaurant. Pot wash, cleaning and kitchen support duties. Immediate start available. | £11.50 – £13.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 02 | Temporary Catering Staff — Croydon | Multiple temporary catering roles in Croydon including kitchen assistants, prep cooks and catering support for contract catering site. | £12.00 – £14.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 03 | Housekeeper / Catering Assistant — Basingstoke | Housekeeper and catering support role at a hospitality venue in Basingstoke. Food preparation and guest service experience preferred. | £11.50 – £13.50 / hr | Apply Now |
| 04 | Temporary Catering Staff — Reading | Temporary kitchen and catering positions in Reading. Roles include kitchen porter, catering assistant and front-of-house support. Flexible hours. | £12.00 – £14.50 / hr | Apply Now |
| 05 | Warehouse / Catering Support — Southampton | Warehouse and catering support operative roles in Southampton. Suitable for candidates with food storage, logistics and catering background. | £11.50 – £13.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 06 | Admin Assistant — Canary Wharf (Hospitality Sector) | Admin assistant supporting a hospitality and catering group in Canary Wharf, London. Scheduling, supplier coordination and booking management. | £13.00 – £16.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 07 | Catering & Cleaning Support — London (School) | School catering and cleaning support staff needed across London. DBS check required. Experience in school meals or educational catering preferred. | £11.50 – £13.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 08 | Catering Support Staff — Bristol | Catering and food service support roles in Bristol. Suitable for KPs, kitchen hands and catering assistants looking for regular shifts in the Bristol area. | £12.00 – £14.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 09 | Hospitality & Warehouse Operative — Wembley | Versatile operative roles in Wembley combining hospitality support and warehouse functions for a large events and catering operation. | £12.50 – £14.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 10 | Admin Assistant — Leeds (Hospitality) | Administration support role within a Leeds-based hospitality group. Coordinating chef and catering team rotas, supplier orders, and event scheduling. | £13.00 – £15.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 11 | Admin Assistant — Reading (Food Service) | Admin and coordinator role for a Reading-based food service company. Experienced in hospitality scheduling or catering operations preferred. | £13.50 – £15.00 / hr | Apply Now |
| 12 | Temp Catering / Cleaning Staff — Birmingham | Temporary cleaning and catering support in Birmingham. Suitable for candidates with food hygiene awareness and kitchen environment experience. | £11.44 – £12.50 / hr | Apply Now |
ⓘ All pay rates are approximate and exceed the UK National Living Wage. Exact rates confirmed at point of placement. New catering vacancies added daily — view all current openings at staff-direct.co.uk.
⏱ How Fast Can You Supply Catering Staff?
Staff Direct can supply vetted catering staff within 24 to 48 hours for standard requirements and on a same-day emergency basis for urgent kitchen coverage. Our 24/7 operations team means no shift is ever left understaffed.
📋 What Does a Catering Recruitment Agency Check?
Every Staff Direct catering candidate undergoes: Right to Work verification, Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate check, minimum two reference verifications, skills assessment for their specific catering role, and DBS check where the placement requires it.
💰 What Does Temporary Catering Staffing Cost?
Temporary catering staff rates through Staff Direct start from £11.50/hr for kitchen porters and rise based on skill level and location. There are no hidden fees — you receive a fully transparent quote before any commitment.
Catering Staffing Case Studies
What Our Clients Say About Our Catering Staff
Staff Direct saved our restaurant during the busiest week of the year. We needed a Sous Chef and two kitchen porters at less than 24 hours' notice. Every single person they sent was professional, hardworking and knew their station. I genuinely cannot recommend them enough.
We use Staff Direct as our primary supplier for temporary catering staff across our Birmingham sites. Their compliance process is rigorous and their account management is superb. Every KP and kitchen assistant they place knows exactly what's expected from day one.
As a wedding venue in the South, finding reliable front-of-house catering staff for peak season has always been a challenge — until we found Staff Direct. They understand events, they understand service standards, and they always deliver. Our guests never know the difference between our permanent team and the temporaries.
We transitioned from three different catering agencies to Staff Direct as a single-source supplier for all our temporary kitchen staffing in Reading and Bristol. The cost savings were immediate — around 12% reduction in agency spend in the first quarter — and the quality of staff has been consistently excellent.
Types of Catering & Hospitality Staff Explained
Understanding the structure of a professional kitchen brigade and hospitality team is essential when working with a catering recruitment agency. Here is a comprehensive guide to the key catering roles Staff Direct recruits for:
The most senior chef in a professional kitchen, responsible for overall kitchen management, menu development, food costs, and leading the brigade. Head Chefs typically earn £35,000–£60,000+ pa or £18–£30/hr for temporary placements.
Second-in-command in the kitchen hierarchy. The Sous Chef oversees daily kitchen operations, manages the brigade in the Head Chef's absence, and maintains food quality and consistency across all services.
A CDP (Chef de Partie) is responsible for a specific section of the kitchen — such as the sauce station, grill, pastry, or larder. An essential mid-level chef providing skilled, consistent output on their designated station throughout service.
Kitchen Porters are the essential backbone of any commercial kitchen. KPs handle pot washing, equipment cleaning, waste management, deliveries and general kitchen maintenance. Staff Direct holds one of the UK's largest pools of pre-vetted kitchen porters available for immediate kitchen porter jobs in Birmingham and other cities.
Front-of-house waiting staff provide direct table service in restaurants, hotels, events and catering settings. Our temporary and permanent waitstaff are experienced in both silver service and informal dining environments, trained to the standards your venue demands.
Trained bar staff and bartenders for hotels, restaurants, event bars, corporate hospitality and private functions. All Staff Direct bar staff hold up-to-date Personal Licence holder awareness and are experienced in compliance with the Licensing Act 2003.
Frequently Asked Questions — Catering Staff Recruitment
Explore More Staffing Solutions from Staff Direct
Staff Direct — Specialist Catering & Hospitality Recruitment Agency | Serving the UK
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