Start your search to find your closest local or specialist agency
Our specialist hospitality recruiters will help you find the perfect addition to your company, whether you are looking for cleaners, head chefs or front-of-house managers. Each of our recruiters specialise in a specific sector discipline, so you will be working with a knowledgeable consultant who understands local and national sector trends.
First Floor, One Derby Square, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2 9QR
+ 62 other offices
Tech Trade Recruitment is one of the leading recruitment agencies in Belfast and one of the fastest growing across Northern Ireland. The company was founded in 2002 and the directors have over 50 years of combined recruiting experience. They cover a multitude of technical and industrial sectors, including manufacturing, warehousing and construction.
13-15 Wilsons Court, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 4DQ
Alchemy Recruitment Solutions is a specialist agency that aims to help the Hospitality and Logistics sectors meet their staffing needs. Established in 2004, they search for temporary and permanent candidates across Northern Ireland, Greater Manchester and the North West.
Peter House Oxford Street, Manchester, Lancashire, M1 5AN
+ 2 other offices
Founded in 2014, Sure Recruitment covers different sectors such as Logistics & Driving, Warehouse & Industrial, Office & Support, Trades & Labour, and Food & Drink. With 7 years of recruitment experience, they fill full-time, part-time, weekends, and permanent vacancies across Scotland and Northern Ireland.
1a Jennymount Business Park, North Derby Street, York Road, Belfast, County Antrim, BT15 3HN
+ 4 other offices
Blue Arrow connects job seekers with employers seeking permanent, temporary and contract personnel in driving, manufacturing, office and more. Theyve worked with employers such as Royal Mail, Hovis Bakery, Sodexo and Lloyds Banking Group. With the help of their London team, previous successes include 1,500 remote workers in 15 days. They are members of the Association of Labour Providers and are a Crown Commercial Service Supplier.
Office 4.06, Merchants Court, 2-12 Lord Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2 1TS
+ 41 other offices
Catering recruiters in Antrim work across hourly and salaried roles, so conversations often start with pay rates and agency costs. Kitchen porters and catering assistants in Northern Ireland commonly sit around £11 to £13 per hour, rising to £14 to £17 for relief chefs on short notice cover, head chefs in the Belfast and Ballymena catchment often command £38,000 to £42,000, with executive chef packages higher in flagship venues, recruitment fees vary by brief and volume, contingency placements are usually a percentage of starting salary, temp agencies quote an hourly charge that covers pay, holiday pay, National Insurance, and margin, many firms share a simple rate card so employers can forecast costs, candidates can expect weekly pay for temp work and clear payslips that show holiday accrual.
Most front and back of house roles ask for a Level 2 Food Safety in Catering certificate, many employers refresh this on induction, allergen awareness and HACCP basics matter in kitchens and café settings, alcohol service training helps bar and banqueting teams, silver service and barista courses strengthen CVs for hotel dining and resort outlets, recruiters often partner with local training providers, so new starters can book short courses and return with proof for onboarding, jobseekers should keep certificates current and upload them when they register with recruitment consultants.
County Antrim spans busy tourist spots and commuter towns, with hotels and restaurants spread from Antrim town to Ballymena and the North Antrim coast, Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove supports steady catering demand for lounges and concessions, the M2 and A26 link chefs and front of house staff to sites across the county, rail links into Belfast widen candidate reach for split shifts and events, staffing agencies understand these commuter patterns and plan rotas around last trains and rural journeys.
Weekend peaks, early breakfast service for airport traffic, and seasonal tourism bring pinch points for local employers, retention improves when rotas are posted early and travel is considered, many businesses use temp agencies to backfill sickness and holidays, executive search comes into play for head chef and restaurant management briefs where leadership and menu development are key, recruiters screen for knife skills, volume service, and cashing up or stock control, then match to kitchens that fit a candidate’s pace and style.
Agencies place kitchen porters, catering assistants, commis, chef de partie, sous, head and executive chefs, on the service side they recruit waiting staff, bartenders, supervisors, duty managers, and events teams, contract catering adds unit managers, deli staff, and baristas, many candidates start in temporary work, move into permanent posts, then step into multi-site roles, recruiters often map progression with hiring managers, so applicants can see a path from line cook to sous, or from bar staff to assistant manager.
Spring weddings, summer tourism on the coast, and festive party season drive booking spikes, temp agencies ramp up relief chef pools from May to September and again from November into December, local businesses that lock in availability early see fewer rota gaps, candidates who state weekend and evening flexibility gain more shifts, airport schedules and major events in Belfast add short-notice demand that suits experienced temps.
Northern Ireland uses the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, displaying the sticker at customer entrances is mandatory, recruiters will ask for right to work, references, and recent food safety training for kitchen roles, many employers request Basic or Enhanced DBS checks for school and healthcare catering, alcohol service roles follow local licensing rules, employment firms brief candidates on uniform, knives policy, and safe temperature control, then gather sign-off during registration.
Staffing agencies handle temporary, permanent, and contract work across hotels, restaurants, visitor attractions, and airport sites, temp agencies cover last-minute gaps and large events, permanent recruiters manage full selections for senior chefs and restaurant leaders, contract assignments suit banqueting seasons and project kitchens, local employers use a mix of models to hire staff, find employees fast, and keep service consistent, jobseekers who register with an agency can move between shifts and secure a long term post when the right team opens up.
Hospitality in Antrim blends destination hotels, golf and spa resorts, restaurants in market towns, cafés serving commuter routes, and airport catering, resort properties near Ballymena draw candidates with live-in or staff transport, tourist draws on the coast create summer roles around Bushmills and visitor sites, city-edge venues tap the Belfast talent pool, recruitment agencies know these pockets well and guide both businesses and candidates to the right shift patterns and menus.
Do agencies cover trial shifts for chefs and front of house in Antrim,
yes, most staffing agencies arrange paid trials and gather feedback the same day.
What checks do I need before a school catering shift,
expect ID, right to work, references, and a DBS if required.
Can a small café use executive search,
search is usually for senior hires, cafés often brief recruitment consultants for experienced supervisors or head chefs instead.
How do temp charge rates work,
the hourly charge includes base pay, holiday pay, employment costs, and the agency margin.
Can I register for weekend-only work,
yes, recruiters welcome candidates who want Friday to Sunday shifts, especially during wedding season.