Food Service & Hospitality

Inspiring our guests to discover great food every day is what being a Cafe and Food Counter Assistant is all about.

Have you ever dreamt of being a Butcher or Baker, spending your day selling delicious products, carefully crafted by you, for customers?

Do you have a passion for micro-foam, texturing milk to serve the perfect latte?  Can you warm customer’s hearts, engage their minds, delight their stomachs and let your passion shine through?

From a brilliant breakfast to a delicious dinner, you’ll be comfortable putting yourself in our customers’ shoes while thinking on your feet to ensure their experience when shopping with Waitrose & Partners is wonderful. Working across one of our food counters or in our cafes or wine bars, you will serve and prepare anything from Olives to Oysters, Stilton to Steaks and Lattes to Lasagnes.

All we ask is that you’re open to giving things a go and support your teammates to make sure our guests are provided with a personal experience they love. Your energy, pace, and love of food will shine through every minute of every day.

Cafe and Food Counter Assistant

As a Cafe and Food Counter Assistant at Waitrose & Partners, you would work across our Food Service and Hospitality offer, which includes the following areas (areas available will vary per shop): 

  • Cafe
  • Wine bar
  • Meat and Fish counter
  • Cheese and Deli counter
  • PatisserieBakery
  • Partner dining room (employee dining room)

What will I do as a Partner working in a Food Service & Hospitality area?

As part of this role, you will:

  • Love helping your colleagues, creating amazing customer experiences and positive memories. Leaving them wanting to return again.
  • You’ll love making it, buying it, cooking it, sharing it, tasting it, serving it, describing it, Instagramming it, critiquing it, falling in love with it and, most of all, eating it.
  • Whatever it is, you do it with great gusto, with dedication, with energy, with rigour, with flair and determination. 
  • You are fast thinking and hard working. You’re not just on time, you’re one step ahead. 
  • You believe that together we can do more. When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.

Will I suit this role?

People who suit this role will;

  • Take pride in product quality and standards.
  • Spot and resolve issues, taking note of the detail. 
  • Describe the food that you really love and how you feel when you are eating it.
  • Be passionate about total guest satisfaction.
  • Open and adaptable to change. 
  • Understand and relate to all of our guests.
  • Create a relaxing atmosphere where they can feel special.
  • Convince customers to make a purchase and return regularly.
  • Describe to our customers simple-to-cook-dishes using ingredients they have bought. 

Who do we look for?

As well as the above, we look for individuals who thrive at finding and solving customers’ problems with a proven track record of product ownership in an ever-changing environment. If you’re energetic, thrive on working in a collaborative team and enjoy a fast-paced environment, then this could be the perfect role for you.

We also work hard to support and encourage all Partners through their career development, with an array of possibilities open for all, through our Passion For Food pathway. We encourage flexibility, allowing all Partners to work in different areas of the shop to serve our customers and enhance their experience, as well as create variety in your day.

And if all that doesn’t tickle your taste buds, we offer a total reward package that will make your mouth water. Find out more about our Partner Benefits here. 

Hungry to learn more? Apply or register your interest today.

See our current Food Service and Hospitality vacancies by searching here.

Hospitality roles in our Hotels

We also have 5 stunning hotels across the UK that look for hospitality and catering positions. Find out more about where are hotels are and the opportunities on offer here.