Hospitality ReadyTraining & Certification

Kitchen guide

Back-of-house layout and roles

A free guide for beginners in kitchen: the key ideas, the routine step by step, common mistakes and how a professional handles a real situation on shift.

  • 2 min read
  • Updated
  • Part of 3 certificate courses

Back of house is every area guests don't see: deliveries, stores, prep, cooking and wash-up. A good layout keeps a one-way flow from dirty to clean. Knowing who does what, from the head chef to the kitchen porter, helps you fit in fast.

Why it matters

A clear layout keeps raw food, waste and dirty dishes away from ready-to-eat food. Knowing the roles means you ask the right person.

Key ideas

01

Kitchen roles

Chefs de partie run sections, a commis chef is a junior cook learning on one, and the kitchen porter keeps pots, equipment and floors clean.

02

Sections

Larger kitchens have sections such as larder (cold food), pastry, grill and sauce; small kitchens combine them.

03

Dirty-to-clean flow

Food moves one way: delivery, storage, prep, cooking, then the pass. Dirty dishes and waste return by a separate route where possible.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Walk the whole area on your first shift.

  2. 2

    Find the handwash sinks, first-aid kit, exits and chemical store.

  3. 3

    Learn who runs each section and who you report to.

  4. 4

    Use the correct routes for dishes, waste and deliveries.

  5. 5

    Keep doorways and walkways clear.

Do

  • Ask for a tour if nobody offers one.
  • Learn the area names, such as walk-in, dry store and pot wash.
  • Respect every role, porters included.

Common mistakes

  • Don't carry dirty dishes or bins through a clean prep area.
  • Don't leave deliveries blocking corridors.
  • Don't use another section's space without asking.
On shift

The situation

You're a new kitchen porter. Mid-lunch, a driver leaves vegetables and raw meat beside the wash-up area.

What a professional does

You tell the chef so the chilled items are checked and stored first. Then you help move everything, keeping the raw meat apart, and clear the space so wash-up keeps running.

Useful phrases

“Chef, the meat and veg delivery is here.”

“Which section needs these clean pans?”

Pro tip

Sketch a simple kitchen map on day one showing the stores, sinks and exits.

Quick check

What is a commis chef?

Think about it, then show the answer

A junior chef working on a section under a chef de partie.