Kitchen Assistant

Location: Sunderland
Full-time | On-site

Do you love keeping things organised, working at pace, and being part of a small but mighty team that fuels the rest of the business? Our kitchen team plays a huge role in daily life at tombola, keeping colleagues happy and energised with fresh, delicious food and barista-quality coffee every day—and we’re on the lookout for a new Kitchen Assistant to join us.

Whether you’ve worked as a Kitchen Assistant, Catering Assistant, or even a Barista, if you’ve got strong organisational skills, a great eye for cleanliness, and you thrive in a fast-paced environment—we’d love to hear from you.

In this hands-on, varied role, you’ll support the day-to-day operations of our in-house café and kitchen team. You’ll help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes and front-of-house, whether it’s preparing coffee, serving lunch, or making sure everything is spotless.

Replenish food and supplies throughout the café
Serve fresh, barista-style hot drinks
Prepare and present food with a keen eye on dietary and allergen information
Keep the kitchen clean, safe, and organised
Maintain correct food prep and delivery timings
Communicate clearly and professionally with colleagues and visitors

Strong time management and organisation—you’ll juggle multiple tasks in a fast-paced setting
Confidence in food preparation and understanding of basic hygiene requirements
Great communication skills and a friendly, approachable attitude
A reliable, trustworthy team player who understands the importance of discretion and cleanliness
Awareness of Health & Safety and COSHH standards
Ability to interpret written instructions and chemical labels, and use the correct PPE

Up-to-date Food Hygiene certification
Previous experience working in a commercial kitchen
Ability to use a barista-style coffee machine
Basic IT skills (you’ll order stock online and use Teams occasionally)
Understanding of dietary and allergen requirements

At tombola, we do things a bit differently—from our in-house development teams to our legendary lunch offering, we’re proud to create a workplace where people are happy, healthy, and well-fed. Our café isn’t just a perk—it’s a vital part of how we support colleagues every day.

Competitive salary
Free breakfast and lunch, every day
tombola merch & perks
Private healthcare
Bonus opportunities
A friendly, down-to-earth kitchen team

If you’re practical, people-focused and enjoy working where no two days are the same, this could be a great opportunity to join a close-knit team that keeps our whole business moving.

We’d love to hear from you.