As the unsung heroes of the catering industry, commercial kitchen engineers don’t often receive the recognition they deserve for keeping the country’s hospitality venues running at their best.
We thought we’d take a closer look at what it takes to excel in this challenging role – and what you, as a client, should expect from the repair and maintenance professionals here at TWO Services.
To make it in this field, you’ve got to:
Be very organised
Naturally, the team at TWO help our engineers manage the logistical demands of getting between appointments, especially if they are covering a larger region – and we will be on hand to help them overcome any challenges that might crop up along the way.
But generally speaking, if you want to become a successful commercial kitchen engineer, you need to be very good at making the most of your hours. Clients expect their repair and maintenance engineers to be reliable, because without them, they’re losing valuable time and money!
For TWO, being organised also means being able to move efficiently between appointments in order to reduce journey times and save fuel. This is just a small part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, but it’s essential to ensuring we can operate with our eco commitments in mind.
Have great communication skills
As one of the people our clients come into contact with the most, part of your role is leaving a fantastic impression on the people you deal with. This means you’ve got to be comfortable talking to people of all ages, from all walks of life.
You’ll need to be able to clearly explain what you’re doing, why it’s important, and what the next steps are once the repair or maintenance work has been carried out. Your warm, friendly nature will help to reassure the client that their needs are being taken care of, and you genuinely care about their business.
Have undertaken specialist training
Whether you’re starting out from scratch or transitioning into the catering space from another engineering role, you will need to learn the ropes, which will often involve shadowing a more experienced engineer and undertaking specific manufacturer training or working towards nationally recognised accreditation, such as Gas Safe, F Gas and/or ComCat certification.
If you want to, you can decide to specialise in installing fire suppression systems or gas interlock systems, both of which are in high demand. Or, you could niche into refrigeration engineering, which requires a great deal of specialist knowledge.
Have a broader understanding of the hospitality sector and how it operates
You don’t need to have a background in cooking, catering or general hospitality – but it helps! Being aware of the operational challenges that hospitality businesses are facing will help you get to grips with their requirements and understand why your work is so crucial to their bottom line. You’ll also need a keen awareness of how commercial kitchens come together, so you can confidently recommend products and systems that will suit each client’s space.
Be able to travel!
The very nature of working as a kitchen engineer means you’re going to be moving between sites all day, every day. You’ll need a full, clean driver’s licence and a willingness to travel to wherever you’re needed, including Central London.
Think you’ve got what it takes to become a commercial catering engineer? Or are you keen to switch focus and apply your engineering skills to a different industry?
In either case, TWO Services would love to hear from you. We’re actively recruiting repair and maintenance engineers in London and the South East, including the M25 corridor and its surrounding counties. Our salaries are competitive, we pay door to door, and paid overtime is available. All tools and resources are provided and you won’t need to sign up for any on call or weekend work. We are also open to taking on apprentices who want to cut their teeth at a nationally recognised, award-winning maintenance company.
Please email your CV to hq@two-services.com. No agencies please.
