What do you do Working in a Pub?
The tasks you’ll do depend on the part of the pub you find yourself working in–and this might change day to day. Broadly speaking, the kitchen staff will be involved with preparing the meals, the waiting staff take and serve orders and the bar staff serve drinks but there is much more to it than that!
Let’s take a look at each of the areas of the pub in more detail…
👉What you’ll do working a kitchen
👉What you’ll do working behind a bar
👉What you’ll do if you’re waiting staff
What you’ll do working a kitchen
Although you can’t expect to walk into a kitchen and take your place as the next Gordon Ramsey with no experience, one of the good things about working in a pub is that there are plenty of jobs in the kitchen that can be done by someone new to the industry.
A Kitchen Porter–known as a KP–is critical to the smooth running of the kitchen and carries out tasks including washing up, making sure the kitchen is clean and basic food preparations tasks.
If you’re interested in launching a career based in a kitchen, many pub companies (including Greene King!) offer an apprenticeship that can help you do just this. As an Apprentice Chef, your job will include preparing, cooking and presenting food, keeping the kitchen clean and tidy, learning how to use all the kitchen equipment safely, keeping up to date with new menus, products and promotions, and getting involved with team meetings. Alongside this you will have off-the-job training such as workshops and catch ups with a learning coach. There’s a qualification in it for you at the end!
As you build up more kitchen experience, you could progress on to a Kitchen Manager role which includes leading the kitchen team and making sure every dish that leaves the kitchen is up to the high standards expected.
What you’ll do working behind a bar
If you’re working behind the bar in a pub, you’ll find yourself carrying out a range of tasks which include taking customers’ drinks orders, preparing and serving the drinks, collecting their glasses and washing them up.
You’ll also be handling cash as you take the money for the drinks and bring the customers their change. This also involves working out the till and using it to take orders as well as making payments.
There’s a lot of communication involved, from greeting the customer, to having information and advice at the ready if they ask any questions about the drinks you have on offer and making conversation if they choose to sit at the bar. This can be one of the most fun aspects of working in a pub, you never know who’s going to walk through the door during any given shift and what conversations you’ll have.
What you’ll do if you’re waiting staff
You’ll lay the tables with all the right linen, silverware and glasses and make sure everything looks clean and smart for the customers.
A customers’ experience of the pub may begin with being greeted by the wait staff and escorted to their table so this is an important part of the role. It also involves handing out menus and explaining any changes such as daily specials or any dishes that have run out. You’ll need a thorough understanding of all the dishes in case you’re asked for recommendations or for information about allergies or ingredients, for example.
You’ll take the orders and communicate them to the kitchen staff and serve the food and drink when they’re ready. Once the customers have finished, you’ll take the dirty plates and glasses and silverware back to the kitchen. At their end of their meal, you’ll bring them the bill when they ask for it and sort the payment.
It can be a challenging role, especially if the restaurant is busy, but you’ll develop skills such as keeping calm under pressure that you’ll value for the rest of your career.
Are you interested in finding out about the benefits of working in a pub? Check out our overview for the full rundown.
From Apprenticeships to management, from the north of Scotland to the far west of Cornwall, if you’re looking for a role in a hospitality, the huge range of opportunities that Greene King have are definitely worth a look.👀
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