How to Post Job Offers in Gastronomy and Hospitality in Colombia

Managing a restaurant, café, or gastrobar in Colombia comes with a daily challenge as exhausting as the cost of supplies: constant staff turnover. It is common to post an ad on social media looking for a cook or waiter, receive dozens of messages asking "info?", and ultimately have the selected candidate not show up on Friday in the middle of the dinner rush.

Most hiring problems in the gastronomic sector do not arise from a lack of people willing to work, but from vaguely written job offers, lack of clarity regarding shifts, and misinformation about Colombian labor laws. According to supply and demand signals analyzed by Colombia Move (September 2026), the hospitality and tourism category has a critical supply gap with a scarcity score of 64, meaning businesses that post vacancies with clear conditions and direct contact capture the best local talent in a matter of hours.

Check out how to post courier and local delivery services without commissions and the recommendations for posting operational vacancies without intermediaries.

Anatomy of a gastronomic ad that attracts qualified personnel

The most common mistake in restaurant job offers is writing generic text like "Restaurant staff needed with experience." That type of message attracts the curious and scares away serious workers looking for stability. A professional ad must specify exactly what is expected of the position from the very first line.

• Position specialty: Clarify if the kitchen vacancy is for the hot line (grill, sauté), cold kitchen (salads, mise en place), pastry, or bakery. For the front-of-house, define if you need a formal waiter, food runner, barista, or bartender.
• Shift definition: Indicate if the schedule includes split shifts, morning opening shifts, or night closing shifts on weekends. Clarifying the estimated end time prevents resignations during the first week of work.
• Location: Indicate the neighborhood. For a kitchen assistant or steward, knowing if the restaurant is near their residence or if there is accessible transportation after a night shift is the deciding factor for applying.
• Remuneration and real benefits: Detail the formal base salary, the statutory transport allowance, payment for night and Sunday surcharges, and whether the shift includes staff meals.

Mandatory health and labor requirements before hiring

Hiring staff in the gastronomic sector requires strict legal compliance. Omitting these obligations exposes the establishment to sanctioning visits from health departments and labor lawsuits before the Ministry of Labor.

1. Medical certification and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

According to Resolution 2674 of 2013 from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, every person who participates directly in the preparation, packaging, storage, transport, or service of food must have a medical certificate of fitness for food handling issued by a health professional. This certificate must be renewed mandatorily at least once a year.

Additionally, the establishment must verify that the worker has certified training in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and maintain a continuous training plan for all operational staff.

2. Ordinary maximum workday of 42 hours per week

In application of Law 2101 of 2021, as of July 15, 2026, the maximum legal workday in the private sector in Colombia is 42 hours per week. This implies that traditional 48-hour weekly shift patterns are no longer legal if they are not paid as overtime.

To organize kitchen and floor staff without unforeseen cost overruns, restaurants must structure daily shifts of a maximum of 7 hours across 6-day workweeks with one paid day of rest, or agree to flexible workdays in writing that respect the 42-hour weekly limit.

3. Legal management of tips under Law 1935 of 2018

Law 1935 of 2018 Law 1935 of 2018 establishes that the tip is a strictly voluntary acknowledgment from the diner and belongs 100% to the workers who make up the service chain. Keep in mind three golden rules for its management:

1. They do not constitute salary: Tips cannot be computed within the base salary to pay the minimum wage, nor do they serve as a basis for calculating social benefits or ARL, EPS, and pension contributions (Article 131 of the Substantive Labor Code).
2. Prohibition of retention by the business: Administrators or owners cannot keep any percentage of the tips, nor allocate them to replace broken tableware, pay for equipment maintenance, or cover cash register shortages.
3. Maximum distribution deadline: The total collection of tips must be distributed among the service staff within a period that cannot exceed one calendar month, according to the internal agreement signed by the team.

Contractual modalities: the error of paying for informal shifts

One of the greatest risks for a restaurant in Colombia is paying for weekend shifts in cash under an "informal support" scheme or demanding that the waiter sign a service provision contract. The Substantive Labor Code (CST) is clear: when there is personal provision of service, subordination (direct orders and compliance with a schedule), and economic compensation, an employment contract is established in application of the principle of the primacy of reality over form.

If a kitchen assistant or waiter suffers a serious burn or cut during their shift and is not enrolled in the ARL, EPS, and pension system, the employer is directly liable with their assets for medical care, disability payments, and indemnifications.

The probation period is a separate concept (CST art. 78): as a general rule, a maximum of two months and it must be agreed upon in writing; if the fixed term is less than one year, the probation period cannot exceed one-fifth of that term. The fixed term does not serve to "extend" the probation.

Candidate filter to reduce absenteeism in the kitchen and dining room

To avoid hiring people who abandon the position after a few weeks, implement an agile selection filter before formalizing the employment:

• Short, paid technical test: Instead of endless theoretical interviews, invite the candidate to a 2-3 hour practical test during a quiet production slot. Evaluate their knife skills, speed in mise en place, cleanliness of their workstation, and communication with the team. This test should always be financially compensated.
• Verification of mobility routes: Confirm how the employee will commute after the closing shift. If the service ends after public night transport services have shut down, verify if they have their own vehicle or agree on a subsidy or shared ride to ensure they get home.
• Previous stability review: Call at least one reference from their previous job in the sector. A brief inquiry about their punctuality and stress management under pressure will save you setbacks during peak days.

Where to post free restaurant job offers in Colombia

Traditionally, restaurants turn to corporate job boards that charge high monthly subscriptions, or to social media groups where ads are lost among posts without moderation or verified contact information.

On the Colombia Move classifieds platform, owners of restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and catering services can post their operational vacancies directly without paying intermediaries. By specifying the position, the legal work schedule, the base salary range, and the business location, your ad is visible to local candidates. Post in your city. The ad is also indexed in search engines, allowing applicants to communicate directly via WhatsApp to coordinate interviews.

If you also need to buy second-hand industrial kitchen equipment or explore active market profiles, you can check our general section of job offers in Colombia or browse the category of prepared food and gastronomy to identify opportunities in your sector; if the profile is very specific, you can also post a help-wanted ad to find candidates who do not appear in open applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Can I include the cost of estimated tips as part of the salary in the job offer?

No, tips do not constitute salary according to Law 1935 of 2018 and cannot be computed to cover the minimum or agreed-upon ordinary salary. They must be given to the service staff; the vacancy's base salary is posted and paid separately from tip collections.

❓ What sanitary requirements must a cook or waiter present before starting work?

They must present a medical certificate of aptitude for handling food and proof of Good Manufacturing Practices (BPM). According to Resolution 2674 of 2013, the exam is issued by an occupational health professional, verifies that the handler is not a carrier of foodborne diseases, and must be renewed annually.

❓ How does the 42-hour work week affect restaurant shifts?

As of July 15, 2026, the maximum legal work week is 42 hours. Law 2101 of 2021 requires restructuring schedules to a maximum of 7 hours per day in 6-day schemes or agreeing to flexible schedules without exceeding the weekly cap. Any time worked above this limit must be paid with the corresponding overtime surcharges.

❓ Is it legal and safe to hire support staff for daily or weekend shifts in cash without social security?

No, paying for shifts in cash without enrolling them in health insurance, pension, and ARL (occupational risk insurance) is contrary to Colombian labor legislation. In 2026, this exposes the employer to Ministry of Labor sanctions and lawsuits for accidents; every subordinate worker must be enrolled from the first day.

❓ Who should cover transport for staff during night closing shifts?

The employer pays the mandatory transport subsidy. If the shift ends after public night transport services have closed, it is good practice to arrange shared rides or a mobility subsidy to protect the team. This measure reduces night staff turnover and prevents risks on the trip home.

❓ Where can I post job offers for restaurants for free and without paying agencies?

You can post your culinary vacancies for free on Colombia Move. Detail the job profile, shifts, and current salary range to receive direct applications from local cooks and waiters. The ad allows for direct contact via WhatsApp with candidates and does not generate any commission costs.