Requirements
The ideal candidate will have a high school diploma or equivalent, with a preference for hospitality or culinary qualifications. They should possess 1-3 years of experience in a café, restaurant, commercial kitchen, food retail, or hospitality environment, with previous experience in food preparation according to safety standards and knowledge of HACCP and food hygiene best practices. Strong communication skills in English are required, and the ability to work flexible shifts is essential.
Description
Job description / Role
Job Type
Full Time
Job Location
UAE
Nationality
Any Nationality
Salary
Not Specified
Gender
Not Specified
Arabic Fluency
Not Specified
Job Function
Customer Service
Company Industry
Retail
Overview of the role
The Customer Service Associate – Café Kitchen is responsible for preparing and serving high-quality food while maintaining exceptional food safety, hygiene, and customer service standards within the M&S Café. The role supports the day-to-day kitchen operations by ensuring food is prepared to specification, orders are delivered efficiently, and the kitchen is maintained to the highest operational standards.
Working as part of the M&S Café team, you will contribute to delivering an outstanding dining experience through excellent food quality, operational efficiency, and teamwork. Success in this role is measured through customer satisfaction, food quality, speed of service, food safety compliance, waste control, and adherence to company standards.
What you will do
Food preparation & kitchen operations
Prepare and cook menu items according to M&S Café recipes, food specifications, and presentation standards.
Ensure food is prepared accurately, consistently, and within service time targets.
Assemble customer orders efficiently while maintaining quality standards.
Support daily kitchen operations, including opening, closing, and food preparation activities.
Ensure all food preparation equipment is operated safely and correctly.
Food safety & hygiene
Maintain the highest standards of food safety, hygiene, and cleanliness in accordance with HACCP, Municipality, and M&S Food Safety policies.
Follow safe food handling, storage, labelling, and temperature control procedures.
Ensure food preparation areas, equipment, utensils, and kitchen workstations are cleaned and sanitized regularly.
Monitor food quality, freshness, and expiry dates, following FIFO (First In, First Out) principles.
Minimise food waste through effective portion control and stock rotation.
Customer service
Support front-of-house colleagues by ensuring customer orders are prepared accurately and delivered on time.
Maintain a positive, professional, and customer-focused attitude at all times.
Respond promptly to customer requests relating to food preparation where required.
Work collaboratively with the Café team to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
Stock management & inventory
Assist in receiving and storing food deliveries according to company procedures.
Monitor stock levels and communicate shortages to the Café Manager.
Support daily stock rotation, inventory counts, and waste reduction initiatives.
Ensure all food products are stored correctly to maintain quality and food safety.
Operational excellence
Ensure the kitchen is clean, organized, and fully operational throughout trading hours.
Support preparation for peak trading periods by maintaining product availability.
Follow all health & safety policies and report any equipment faults or safety concerns immediately.
Participate in daily briefings, training sessions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Perform additional duties assigned by the Café Manager to support business operations.
Required skills to be successful
Passion for food preparation and hospitality.
Excellent understanding of food safety and hygiene practices.
Strong attention to detail and food presentation.
Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
Good communication and teamwork skills.
Strong organizational and time management abilities.
Ability to multitask while maintaining quality standards.
Positive attitude with a customer-first mindset.
Ability to work under pressure during busy service periods.
What qualifies you for the role
High school diploma or equivalent (hospitality or culinary qualification is an advantage).
1–3 years' experience in a café, restaurant, commercial kitchen, food retail, or hospitality environment.
Previous experience preparing food in accordance with food safety standards.
Knowledge of HACCP, Municipality regulations, and food hygiene best practices.
Experience working in a fast-paced food service or café environment.
Understanding of food preparation, kitchen operations, and stock management.
Good communication skills in English (Arabic is an advantage).
Ability to work flexible shifts, weekends, and public holidays.
Physically capable of standing for extended periods and performing manual kitchen tasks.
About Al-Futtaim Retail
Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected brands in the world including IKEA, ACE, and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.
Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference.
About the Company
Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.
The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.
The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.
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