Volunteering in the Kitchen: What to Bring & Daily Tasks

PLEASE REMEMBER TO:

Wash your hands before you start and regularly throughout the day

Wear gloves when preparing salad 

Wear chef's clothes and chef's shoes and aprons when in the kitchen ( theses are provided)

Remember to take off your kitchen clothes when taking breaks or smoking 

BRING WITH YOU IF YOU CAN

Face masks

Aprons or chef clothes

Knives if you are a chef (please take care of them yourself)

Appropriate shoes to wear in the kitchen ( wellies and flip flops are not appropriate)

Hair ties

Personal hand wash

Latex gloves in your size

SELF CARE

Kitchen work is hard work remember to pace yourselves to your ability, ask for help lifting and carrying, let someone know if you're feeling overwhelmed or upset and take regular breaks and days off.

TIMES

Refugee Community Kitchen in Calais opens at 9am. As a general kitchen volunteer you will be expected to arrive by 9am. Unlike other departments on the same site, we ask that you come directly to the kitchen when you arrive.

We are currently cooking for approx. 1ooo people plus volunteers and the food goes out at approximately 4pm. 

Kitchen closes between 5 and 7pm 

AREAS

There are three main kitchen areas: the warehouse and tea area, the vegetable prep area and the hot food kitchen.

Please help where you can and if you have more previous kitchen experience or are volunteering for over a week please let the prep manager or head chef know.

DRIVERS

If you’re 21 or over and have a clean license and would be able to drive RCK vehicles please bring your licence with you and let us know when you arrive.

DAILY JOBS

Preparing vegetables 

Making salads

Washing and cooking rice

Making cakes

Preparing condiments for condiment table, chilli flakes, salt, pepper etc

Cold food packs sorting

Driving

Distributing hot food 

Washing-up

Prepping plates and bread for distribution

Sorting stock 

Organising/cleaning spice shelves and fridges

Washing, drying and folding chefs clothes/aprons/tea towels 

Deep cleaning all kitchen areas and work tops

Washing, scrubbing and rinsing floor in prep and kitchen area

Clearing and cleaning sink area

Washing relief matting from sink area

Washing compost buckets

Clearing and sweeping the yard

Organising pallets in the yard

Taking all metal cans to metal recycling

Flattening cardboard and putting in large cardboard recycling bins

Washing drying folding tea towels and aprons

Cleaning vans

Washing crates

Flattening wooden crates for burning

Things To remember - we are all volunteers with different skill and challenges - take breaks when you need to and kitchen work is hard but fun- and you can ask to put the music down - its there as a bonus not essential!