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Salaries and Costs
Pay varies by setting and shift pattern, with city hotels, high street groups, contract caterers, and production kitchens setting slightly different benchmarks. Kitchen porters often sit around £11 to £13 per hour, commis chefs can be £12 to £14, and chef de partie roles usually land near £14 to £16 with premiums for nights and events. Sous chefs often command £15 to £18 per hour or £34,000 to £42,000 on salary, while head chefs in branded sites can reach £38,000 to £50,000 with bonuses in busy seasons. Food technologists, quality staff, and production supervisors in manufacturing around Edinburgh Park and the Gyle tend to run from £28,000 to £42,000 depending on shift and compliance exposure. Recruitment fees for permanent hires often range from 12 percent to 20 percent of basic salary, with senior placements higher in executive search. Temp agencies will quote an hourly charge rate that covers pay, holiday accrual, employer NI, and their margin, so a worker on £13 may charge at £18 to £22 once oncosts and recruitment fees are included. Always ask recruiters to break out pay rates, agency costs, and any transfer or temp to perm clauses so you can compare like for like.
Qualifications
Front and back of house teams usually need Level 2 Food Hygiene, allergen awareness, and basic HACCP knowledge, with supervisors and managers asked to evidence Level 3. Production sites often look for GMP awareness, COSHH, and safe manual handling. PVG checks via Disclosure Scotland may be required for roles in schools, care settings, and the NHS, and right to work checks are standard across recruiters and employment firms. Where alcohol service is part of the brief, managers often hold SCPLH, and multi site roles may request a driving licence for movement between venues.
Common Job Roles Agencies Recruit For
Staffing agencies and recruitment consultants cover kitchen porters, commis, chef de partie, sous, head chef, and pastry. On the floor you will see bar, waiting, supervisor, and F and B manager. Production and manufacturing briefs include operatives, team leaders, quality technicians, NPD assistants, warehouse and dispatch, and hygiene teams on nights. Executive search firms handle group chef, operations manager, and factory management posts where stakeholder scope and retention plans are central.
Hiring Challenges
Local employers face a tight labour market, with strong competition from hotels on Princes Street, Old Town venues, and high footfall sites near Waverley and Haymarket. The Fringe and big events spike demand for temporary, permanent, and contract work, which pushes up pay rates and short notice premiums. Evening transport and late finishes can limit candidate reach in some postcodes, so agencies that plan rotas around tram and rail links often fill shifts faster. Employers that publish clear shift patterns, fair tips, and progression paths tend to reduce churn and improve retention.
Regional or Geographic Variations
City centre and New Town restaurants often pay slightly higher to match service expectations, while Leith and the Shore benefit from commuter links and a strong local candidate pool. Edinburgh Park, the Gyle, and west corridor business parks suit production and distribution roles with parking and early starts. Sites serving universities, the Royal Infirmary, and large offices run steady daytime volumes, with peaks around graduation, Hogmanay, and festival periods.
Industry Specific Training and Licences
For kitchens, Food Hygiene Level 2 is the baseline, with refresher training requested by many recruiters when candidates register with an agency. HACCP and allergen control are central for both hospitality and manufacturing. Supervisors often hold Level 3 Food Safety and a recent first aid certificate. MHE or forklift tickets help in production and warehouse roles, and some factories ask for basic numeracy checks to support line changeovers.
Temporary, Permanent, and Contract Options
Temp agencies can cover holiday gaps, sickness, and events with short lead times, then build pools of regular workers for repeat shifts. Contract work suits festival catering, stadiums, and large banqueting runs. Permanent briefs help stabilise headcount for kitchens that need menu ownership and training. Recruiters will set service levels around fill speed, no show cover, and temp to perm options, so ask for clear SLAs and register with an agency that understands your rota pattern.
Key Sectors and Employers in the Region
Hotels, event caterers, and visitor attractions create steady demand, with busy kitchens across Old Town, the West End, and Leith. Food production and packaging near Edinburgh Park feed national supply chains, and contract caterers serve schools, healthcare sites, and offices. Breweries, distilleries within reach of the city, and specialist bakeries add roles in quality, hygiene, and dispatch. Local businesses value recruiters who know public transport patterns and can brief candidates on start times linked to tram stops and early rail services.
Rates, Fees, and How To Brief An Agency
Set out job titles, shift times, station coverage, menu complexity, expected covers, and any cleaning or prep duties, then talk about pay ranges that match the labour market. Agree recruitment fees or charge rates in writing, with clarity on overtime, bank holidays, and call out rules. Employers that share rota forecasts one week ahead help recruiters line up candidates and reduce late cancellations. Jobseekers who register with an agency and keep right to work, PVG, and certificates up to date will reach shifts and interviews faster.
Quick Facts and FAQs
Do food recruitment agencies in Edinburgh place both temp and perm roles?
Yes, most recruiters handle temporary shifts, contract work, and permanent vacancies across kitchens, front of house, and production.
What documents do candidates need to register with an agency?
Right to work, photo ID, proof of address, and Food Hygiene certificates are standard, with PVG for roles in regulated settings.
How can local employers speed up hiring for peak dates?
Confirm pay bands, release rota plans early, and allow agencies to pre book proven candidates for festival and Christmas periods.
What impacts recruitment fees and agency costs here?
Seniority, notice, volume, and compliance checks shape fees, and temp charge rates reflect pay, holiday, NI, and the recruiter margin.
Where do agencies find candidates in Edinburgh?
Jobseekers come from Leith, New Town, Gorgie, and west corridor commuter links, with strong supply near tram stops and major rail hubs.
Roles and Career Paths
Edinburgh offers clear steps from kitchen porter to commis and chef de partie, then to sous and head chef across hotels and groups. In manufacturing, operatives can move to line leader, quality technician, and supervisor roles, with training in HACCP and GMP opening progression. Front of house paths run from team member to supervisor and F and B manager, with multi site leadership for those who enjoy coaching and rota planning.
Entry Requirements
Most entry roles focus on attitude, punctuality, and basic food safety. Good spoken English for service roles helps with guests, and numeracy supports stock counts and line checks. For drivers or multi site roles a clean licence can help. Agencies and recruiters will test reliability through references and short trials, so jobseekers should keep referees current and be ready for short notice shifts.
This page focuses on food recruitment agencies in Edinburgh, helping local employers hire staff and helping candidates and jobseekers find employees or register with an agency across hospitality and food production.