Commercial Kitchen Recruitment
CADagency specialises in recruiting CAD and design professionals for the commercial kitchen sector. We support manufacturers, distributors and fit out contractors delivering projects across hospitality, healthcare, education and large-scale food production environments.
Commercial kitchen roles sit at the intersection of technical design, manufacturing and installation. Designers must understand equipment layouts, services coordination, fabrication constraints and compliance requirements, often working to tight programmes and evolving client specifications. We recruit candidates who are comfortable operating in these fast-paced, technically demanding environments.
By taking the time to understand your product range, project types and internal workflows, we ensure candidates are aligned not only on software capability, but also on commercial awareness and delivery expectations.
Roles We Recruit For Within Commercial Kitchens
We regularly recruit across a range of commercial kitchen design and technical roles, including:
Commercial Kitchen Designers
Responsible for full kitchen layouts, equipment specification and compliance with operational and regulatory standards.
CAD Technicians and Design Technicians
Supporting detailed drawing production, fabrication drawings and installation packs.
Technical Designers
Professionals bridging design intent with manufacturing and installation requirements.
Design Managers and Technical Leads
Overseeing technical delivery, coordinating teams and managing client and contractor interfaces.
Most candidates we place work primarily in AutoCAD, with increasing use of Revit on larger or more complex projects where coordination with building services and fit out teams is required.
2026 Commercial Kitchen Salary Insight
Based on respondents working within the commercial kitchen sector in the CADagency 2026 Employment Survey, average UK salaries sit as follows:
Junior Commercial Kitchen Designers: £31,400
Typically supporting layout development, equipment schedules and drawing updates under supervision.Intermediate Commercial Kitchen Designers: £40,900
Responsible for full project delivery, client coordination and technical detailing across multiple schemes.Senior Commercial Kitchen Designers: £51,600
Often leading complex projects, managing client relationships and overseeing junior team members.Design Managers and Technical Leads: £60,800
Senior roles combining technical oversight, commercial awareness and team leadership.
Salary progression in commercial kitchens is strongly linked to project complexity, client exposure and understanding of manufacturing and installation constraints rather than software skill alone.
AutoCAD And Revit Usage
AutoCAD remains the dominant platform within commercial kitchen design due to its flexibility and suitability for manufacturing and installation drawings.
However, Revit usage continues to increase:
Designers using Revit alongside AutoCAD earn approximately £4,200 more on average
Revit is most commonly used on healthcare, education and large hospitality projects
Candidates with coordination experience alongside building services teams attract a clear salary premium
Commercial Kitchen Market Trends
Demand within the commercial kitchen sector remains steady, supported by ongoing investment across hospitality, healthcare and education.
Design roles continue to evolve beyond basic layout production. Employers increasingly value candidates who understand fabrication, installation sequencing and on-site constraints, as well as those who can communicate confidently with clients and contractors.
There is also growing demand for designers who can manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt quickly to late-stage changes without compromising compliance or delivery.
Training And Development
Training remains a key differentiator within the sector:
49% of commercial kitchen professionals reported receiving job-related training
Trained respondents earned, on average, £3,900 more than those without training
Training most commonly focuses on equipment standards, compliance, detailing and project delivery rather than core CAD skills
Job Satisfaction And Retention
Sentiment within commercial kitchen roles is generally positive:
61% describe their role as rewarding or very rewarding
58% feel appreciated in their current position
Job moves are most often driven by workload balance, progression and project variety rather than salary alone