Kitchen Porter and Dish Washer - What's the difference? Is there a difference?

What’s the difference between a kitchen porter and a dishwasher?

Different people will give different answers.

One of the most important issues to note is the language. In the UK, “dishwasher” usually means the machine; “KP” is the person

A kitchen porter is the backbone of the back-of-house; A dishwasher on the other end, is just as likely to mean the machine as the person. But there is a genuine distinction, and understanding it helps you staff correctly, keep service flowing, and avoid unnecessary stress on a busy pass.

The quick answer

• A dishwasher focuses on one core task: washing up. They load, run and empty the machine, hand-wash pots, keep the wash-up area moving and restock clean items.

• A kitchen porter is broader. Yes, they handle the pot wash, but they also take care of general cleaning, waste, deliveries, light prep, equipment care and the many small jobs that keep a kitchen safe, tidy and efficient.

What a kitchen porter does in every operation is different, but a kitchen porter typically covers:

• Pot wash and machine management: scraping, sorting, stacking, running the cycle, hand-washing pots and trays, and keeping the area clear and safe.

• General cleaning: floors, walls, surfaces, fridges and ovens

• Waste and recycling: changing bins during service and segregating waste.

• Basic prep and service support: topping up garnishes, decanting sauces and peeling veg.

• End-of-shift reset: deep clean of stations, breakdown and cleaning of the dish machine and filters, restocking chemicals, stacking for the next day.

What a dishwasher does

A dishwasher’s brief is narrower and laser-focused on throughput:

• Pre-scrape, pre-rinse and sort crockery, cutlery, glassware and pans.

• Load correct racks for plates, glasses and cutlery; avoid overloading to prevent breakages and poor results.

• Run the machine correctly, monitor rinse and detergent levels.

• Hand-wash heavy pots, sheet trays and pans that won’t fit or need elbow grease.

• Air-dry, polish where needed (especially glassware), and restock stations so chefs and front-of-house aren’t waiting.

• Keep the wash-up area clean, safe and flowing; floors dry, drains clear, chemicals stored correctly.

In other words, a dishwasher keeps the “clean kit loop” tight during service. They may not be asked to do broader Back-of-House tasks.

Where the lines blur

• Smaller kitchens: one person often does both—pot wash plus general KP duties.

• Busy hotels and events: you’ll split roles—one or more on pot wash, others on floors, waste, glassware, banqueting kit and deep cleaning.

Which one do you need?

• If your main pinch point is the pot wash during a tight service and your chefs can manage the rest, a dedicated dishwasher can be enough.

• If your kitchen needs broader support—waste runs, floors, deep cleaning, basic prep - book a kitchen porter. They’ll still keep on top of the pot wash, but you get far more flexibility and resilience.

• If you run high-volume service or functions, plan for both: a pot-wash specialist during peaks, plus at least one KP to manage the wider picture.

How many people do I need on the wash-up? It depends on menu style, number of covers, cookware-heavy production and how clean kit cycles through your pass.

• As a rough guide, one strong KP can usually support up to 60–80 steady covers with a sensible menu and decent machine throughput.

• 80–150 covers or pan-heavy menus often needs 1 good kitchen porter and 1 dish washer.

Is this distinction important? Does it really matter?

Why the distinction matters

• Staff morale: chefs cooking and plating—not fetching bins or chasing clean pans—keeps everyone calmer and more productive

• Service speed: a focused pot wash keeps the pass moving; a KP prevents bottlenecks elsewhere.

• Cleanliness and compliance: someone must own the wider cleaning tasks; leaving them to the end invites risk and overtime.

• Cost-effectiveness: booking the right role for the job means you’re not paying for capability you don’t use or, worse, under-resourcing a busy service.

How Mr Kitchen Porter fits in

We supply trained, reliable KPs across the UK who can flex to your setup:

• Pot-wash specialists for peak services, or full-scope KPs to manage cleaning schedules, waste, deliveries and light prep.

• Professionals used to hotels, restaurants, contract catering, events and production kitchens.

• Briefed before arrival, uniformed and ready to slot into your workflow.

Tell us your covers, service style and pain points, and we’ll match the right people to the right jobs—whether you need a pure dishwasher during the rush, or a full kitchen porter to keep the whole back-of-house shipshape.

If you’re unsure what you need, we’ll talk it through. Give us a ring on 020 3960 5996 or email us hello@mrkitchenporter.com

After a few decades in and around British kitchens, I can promise you this: get the right person on the pot wash and the right KP backing them up, and the whole kitchen breathes easier.