W Dubai – The Palm · Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
Position: Commis 1
Employer: W Dubai – The Palm (Liv Kitchen)
Location: Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
Department: Kitchen / Culinary
Salary: Not mentioned in the advert
Cooks, this one is for you. W Dubai – The Palm is looking for a Commis 1 to join the kitchen at Liv, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. If you’re past your first months in a kitchen and ready for a bit more responsibility, this could be a very nice step up.
About Liv and W Dubai – The Palm
W Hotels are known for a playful, design-led style, and the Palm Jumeirah property is no exception. Liv is the hotel’s all-day restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a focus on lighter, fresher food, an international spread and plenty of vegan-friendly choices.
A venue like that needs a kitchen that’s organised, flexible and quick, which is exactly where a good Commis makes a difference.
What a Commis 1 actually does
In a classic kitchen brigade, a Commis is a junior cook who supports the chefs de partie. A Commis 1 usually sits above Commis 2 and 3, so you’re trusted with a bit more on your station.
- Preparing mise en place: washing, peeling, cutting and portioning to the chef’s specifications
- Cooking and finishing simple dishes on your station under a chef de partie’s guidance
- Keeping buffet or à la carte stations stocked, tidy and looking good throughout service
- Following recipes, portion sizes and presentation standards consistently
- Practising strict food hygiene, labelling, storage and temperature checks
- Cleaning your section and equipment at the end of every shift
- Supporting Commis 2 and 3 colleagues and learning from the senior chefs
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What chefs usually look for in a Commis 1
- A year or two of kitchen experience in a hotel or busy restaurant, hot kitchen preferred
- Solid knife skills and a good grasp of basic cooking methods
- Understanding of HACCP and food safety, with certificates as a plus
- The ability to work fast without letting quality slip
- Teamwork, respect for the brigade and a willingness to take feedback
- Flexibility with split or late shifts, weekends and holidays
- Enough English to follow instructions clearly
If you have experience with international or buffet-style cooking, say so clearly. An all-day venue needs people who can move between breakfast, lunch and dinner service without panicking.
Why this move makes sense
A luxury hotel kitchen teaches you things a small restaurant often can’t: large volumes, strict standards, several cuisines and a proper structure. A Commis 1 role at a respected hotel brand also looks strong on your CV when you start aiming for Demi Chef de Partie.
Salary wasn’t listed in the advert. Hotels in Dubai commonly offer staff accommodation, transport, meals and insurance, but this one doesn’t say, so ask clearly before you accept.
How a hotel kitchen day really flows
Hotel kitchens run on routine. Prep starts early, often before the first guests are up, and every station has a checklist of what must be ready. During service, orders and replenishment arrive in waves, and the Commis keeps things moving by communicating clearly, calling out when stock is low and never letting a mess build up.
After service comes cleaning, labelling and setting up for the next meal. It’s hard work, but it’s also where you learn the most.
Skills worth practising before a trial
- Consistent knife cuts such as brunoise, julienne and chiffonade
- Basic stocks, sauces and egg cookery, since breakfast is a big part of the day
- Cooking vegetables so they stay fresh and vibrant, which suits a lighter menu
- Labelling dates and following storage rules without being reminded
- Cleaning your station as you work, not only at the end
