Frequently asked questions
The questions hospitality operators ask us most often. For service-specific detail (extract cleaning, deep cleaning, TR19 certification, etc.) see the relevant service page.
General
What does Mr Kitchen Porter do? +
Two things, under one roof. We supply kitchen porters and back-of-house staff to hospitality operators on same-day, weekly or rolling contracts; and we clean commercial kitchens to TR19 specification — extract systems, canopies, ductwork and full deep cleans. One contact, one invoice, both work streams.
Which areas do you cover? +
London and every borough, the Home Counties (Surrey, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire) and the Heathrow corridor — plus 19 more UK cities including Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Sheffield, Newcastle, Cardiff and Belfast. See our areas-served page for the full list.
Are you accredited and insured? +
Yes. We are CHAS accredited, carry £5m public liability and employer's liability cover, our cleaning engineers are BESA-aware for TR19 work, and every kitchen porter we supply holds Level 2 Food Safety.
How do I get a quote? +
Use the form on /quote, email hello@mrkitchenporter.com, or call 020 3960 5996. Most quotes go out the same working day — same hour for emergency cover or EHO pre-inspection cleans.
How quickly can you start? +
Same-day cover for emergency kitchen porter shifts. Same-week start on most non-urgent staffing contracts. Same-day for EHO pre-inspection cleans; within a week for scheduled TR19 extract cleans.
Kitchen porter & staffing
Are your kitchen porters employed or self-employed? +
PAYE-employed by us directly. That means no umbrella company, no IR35 exposure for you as a client, holiday pay and pension handled at our end, and a stable pool of operatives who actually return week-to-week.
Can you cover emergency same-day shifts? +
Yes — emergency cover is what we are built for. Call the office during working hours and we will confirm availability within minutes. For weekend or out-of-hours emergencies use the same number; messages are checked continuously.
Do your operatives bring their own kit and PPE? +
Yes. Branded chef whites or coveralls as agreed with the client, safety footwear, and any client-specific PPE. We will agree dress code at onboarding.
What roles can you supply beyond kitchen porters? +
Back-of-house cleaners, pot wash, prep, glass collectors, runners and night-shift cleaners. If the role sits behind the pass, we can supply it.
How is staffing priced? +
Hourly chargeout, all-in (wage, NI, holiday pay, pension, agency margin). Rates vary by role, shift pattern, location and notice period. Same-day emergency cover carries a small premium.
Commercial kitchen cleaning
What is TR19 and why does it matter? +
TR19 (Grease) is the BESA-published specification for cleaning grease-laden kitchen extract systems. Your insurer almost certainly requires a TR19 certificate; without one a fire claim can be denied. We clean to TR19 spec, take wet film thickness readings, and issue a certificate plus photo report at sign-off.
How often should an extract system be cleaned? +
TR19 sets cleaning frequency by usage: heavy-use kitchens (12+ hours/day) every 3 months, moderate use every 6 months, light use annually. We will survey the system and recommend a schedule.
Do you work overnight or during shutdown? +
Standard. Most deep cleans and extract cleans run overnight or during a scheduled shutdown so the kitchen reopens to a clean space without losing trading hours.
What do we get at sign-off? +
A dated photo log of every cleaned area, before and after; the engineer's sign-off sheet; and, where applicable, a TR19 certificate with wet film thickness readings. All sized for your audit file.
Can you handle an EHO pre-inspection clean at short notice? +
Yes. EHO pre-inspection cleans are a same-day service — call the office and we will confirm a slot within the hour where possible.
Need a same-day quote?
TR19 cleans, deep cleans, kitchen porters — covered across London and major UK cities.