Mains or Pasta Chef
Piccolino
14.00 - 16.00 £ per hour
Birmingham, West Midlands, B1 2HS
Full time, permanent
The Breakroom Take
- Respectful managers
About Piccolino
Piccolino is an Italian restaurant chain.
Job description from Piccolino
Individual Restaurants has an exciting opportunity for a Chef De Partie
When you join Individual Restaurants, you’re not just joining one team. You’re joining a collection of leading restaurants, all with a stellar reputation for quality service and exceptional food. Explore roles across our collection of 30+ restaurants, Piccolino, Restaurant Bar & Grill, and Riva Blu
- 100% tips and gratuities direct to our team
- The Sunday Times – Best place to work 2024
- 50% off your food and drink bill at any of our restaurants, at any time, for up to 6 people
- Competitive rates of pay – we pay the best to get the best.
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity packages
- Access to up to 40% of earnt wages and financial wellbeing tools through Wagestream
- Employee Assistance Programme through The Drinks Trust, providing 24/7 support and access to counselling services
- Fully funded apprenticeship programme
- Career pathways and development through our high performers programme
- Full in-house training through our Individual Restaurants Academy
- Employer contribution pension scheme
- Team meals on shift
- 15% off your grocery bill at Iceland Foods
- Discounts and cashback from hundreds of high street and online retailers
- WSET courses are available for those who are passionate about wine and it provenance.
- Refer a friend scheme.
- Individual Champion programme – acting as an ambassador of your brand and representing your team.
What are we looking for in our ideal Chef De Partie.
Experience in preparing and cooking dishes to the highest standards, ensuring consistency and adherence to our culinary specifications.
An individual role is just that. Individual. We hire the best talent across all areas of the business and value them as such. That’s why we have an ongoing commitment to invest in our people through quality training and mentoring from our amazing leadership team.
What are we looking for in our ideal Chef De Partie.
Experience in preparing and cooking dishes to the highest standards, ensuring consistency and adherence to our culinary specifications.
If you have the passion and drive to be the best and would like to join our team as our new Chef De Partie, please click ‘apply’ today. We would love to hear from you!
Job insights from Breakroom
Chefs
Chefs prepare and cook food in restaurants, hotels and bars.
What you’ll do as a chef:
- Plan meals
- Prepare and cook food
- Purchase food and look after a budget
- Be responsible for the hygiene and safety of food served
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Physical activities
- Wearing a uniform
- Cleaning
- Anti-social hours
What employees say
Pay
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Needs improving
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Piccolino pay a living wage?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
69% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Piccolino pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
56% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Needs improving
-
Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Piccolino get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
100% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Needs improving
-
Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Piccolino pay sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
88% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Okay
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Piccolino do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
36% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
-
Needs improving
-
Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Piccolino?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 94% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 6% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Okay
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Some people worry about their hours
Do workers at Piccolino worry about hours?
Some people worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
50% of people report they worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Piccolino workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
47% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Piccolino workers to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
53% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Okay
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Can be hard to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Piccolino?
Some people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
47% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Piccolino managers change shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
47% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Piccolino?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
44% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Needs improving
-
People work a lot more hours than their contract
Do people work the same number they are contracted for at Piccolino?
Most people work a lot more hours than their contact..
How we know this
87% of people report working 8 hours or more than their contract.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, you should expect to work about the same number of hours that your contract guarantees you, most of the time.
It’s useful to pick up or drop a few shifts here and there, but if you often work a lot more hours every week than you’re contracted for, a good job should guarantee them.
This means you’re more likely to know when you’ll be working and how much you’ll earn in advance.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Piccolino feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
73% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do people at Piccolino get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
67% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Okay
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Some people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Piccolino?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
59% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do people at Piccolino enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
36% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do people at Piccolino recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
59% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Okay
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Only some people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Piccolino?
Some people didn’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
67% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Piccolino?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 62% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Okay
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Head office only partly understands what’s happening
Do people think Piccolino head office understands what's happening where they work?
Some people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
63% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Piccolino is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
38% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Piccolino employees say about their job
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Best thing
The only redeeming factor is that its a job
Worst thing
Long hours, no break, minimal effort from management despite them being on salary and you'd be on minimum wage, no food being available in the past after finishing really long shifts (e.g. 15 hours), head office come in and complain that some people aren't working hard enough when they're just exhausted from over working and being underpaid for it
Bartender at Piccolino, January 2025
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Best thing
Staff are great and the bonus is good
Worst thing
Can get very busy and overwhelming but rarely overwhelming
Waiter at Piccolino, October 2024
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