A private kitchen porter is the person who keeps a wealthy household’s kitchen clean, stocked, and ready for the chef to cook. The role covers dishwashing, food prep, and general kitchen upkeep.
In homes where meals happen daily for family and guests, the kitchen porter lets the chef focus on the food.
What does a private kitchen porter do day to day?
Most of the job is cleaning. The porter cleans during service, between courses, and after the last plate goes out. In a private home, the standard is higher than in a restaurant. Every surface needs to be spotless before the kitchen closes for the night.
Prep work is the other half. Peeling, chopping, portioning, weighing ingredients, organizing the fridge. Some porters also handle grocery deliveries, checking items against orders and storing them properly.
Waste and recycling fall to the porter too. In larger estates, that can mean coordinating with external waste services and keeping a schedule.
When the household entertains, the workload jumps. The porter might help plate canapes, ferry dishes to a side station, or reset the kitchen mid-event so the chef can start the next course clean.
What skills does a private kitchen porter need?
The job means long stretches on your feet, working in heat and humidity. Things pick up fast when the family has guests.
The kitchen connects with every other part of the household. Employers want someone willing to help the chef plate a last-minute dish or wipe down a side station when the butler is busy.
Food hygiene training gives candidates an edge. Some employers require it before the porter starts. Others cover the cost once hired.
Employers expect clear communication. The porter talks to the chef about prep lists, to the housekeeper about shared spaces, and sometimes to the family directly.
In interviews, employers look for two things. Can the candidate take direction without being told twice? And can they anticipate what the chef needs next?
What are the working conditions like?
Most private kitchen porter roles are live-in. The household provides a private room and meals. Hours follow the family’s schedule, with early starts and late finishes when guests stay or events take place.
Kitchens in large private homes usually have professional-grade equipment and good ventilation. The porter still spends most of the day standing, lifting, and cleaning in heat.
The atmosphere is calmer than a restaurant kitchen. Teams are smaller, menus are more predictable, and working relationships are closer.
Kitchen porters usually get one or two days off per week, agreed with the employer. Some households rotate schedules around travel plans. When the family is away, the porter may have lighter duties or extra time off.
How much does a private kitchen porter earn?
Private kitchen porters in the US earn between $30,000 and $42,000 per year. Kitchen porter is the starting point on the culinary side of private staffing.
Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet International, puts the average at around $2,500 to $3,000 a month based on the agency’s placement data over the past five years.
What affects pay:
- Location. Kitchen porters in New York, Los Angeles, or Palm Beach earn toward the higher end. Smaller markets sit lower.
- Household size. A property with a full culinary team and ten-plus staff pays more than a single-chef household.
- Live-in perks. Accommodation and meals on top of salary add real value, even if the base number looks lower on paper.
- Experience. Any previous work in a professional kitchen or another private household pushes the salary up.
How do kitchen porters move into other roles?
The role gives hands-on exposure to how a private kitchen works. Porters see dishes come together, develop knife skills, learn food hygiene routines, and get used to the rhythm of service without carrying the pressure of cooking.
Time spent as a kitchen porter builds the kind of references and household experience that make candidates stand out.
Some porters take formal culinary training after a year or two, then come back to private households as prep cooks or junior chefs. Others shift toward housekeeping or support roles, where the same organization and work ethic apply.
Sample private kitchen porter job description
Below is a template employers can adapt when writing a job listing for a private kitchen porter.
Job title: Private Kitchen Porter
Location: [City, State]
Live-in/Live-out: Live-in (private room and meals provided)
Reports to: Private Chef / Head Chef
Schedule: [e.g., Monday to Friday, with flexibility for evening events and weekends when the family entertains]
Salary: $30,000 to $42,000 per year depending on location, household size, and experience
Summary: We are looking for a reliable kitchen porter to support our private chef in a [size of household, e.g., fully staffed 12-person estate / single-chef household]. The kitchen porter will keep the kitchen clean and organized, assist with food prep, and help maintain hygiene standards throughout service.
Responsibilities:
- Wash and sanitize all pots, pans, plates, utensils, and kitchen equipment during and after service
- Prep ingredients as directed by the chef: peeling, chopping, portioning, weighing
- Keep all kitchen surfaces, floors, and storage areas clean and organized
- Receive, check, and store grocery and supply deliveries
- Manage waste disposal and recycling schedules
- Assist with plating and service during events and dinner parties
- Maintain kitchen inventory and flag low stock to the chef
- Follow all food safety and hygiene procedures
Requirements:
- Previous experience in a professional kitchen, hotel, restaurant, or catering company preferred but not required
- Food hygiene certification (or willingness to obtain one upon hire)
- Physically fit and comfortable standing for extended periods in a warm environment
- Clear spoken English
- Reliable, punctual, and discreet
- Team player comfortable working alongside household staff including chef, housekeeper, and butler
Preferred:
Familiarity with dietary restrictions and allergen management
Experience in a private household
Valid driver’s license
Hire a Kitchen Porter for Your Home
If you want to hire a kitchen porter for your household, Morgan & Mallet International can help. Our recruiters know what a private kitchen demands because several trained in professional kitchens themselves.
Call the US office at +1 (646) 965-2308 to start the search.
Find a Kitchen Porter Position
If you are looking for a kitchen porter role in a private household, check the Morgan & Mallet International job board. Browse open positions, fill out the application, and a recruiter will be in touch.