Cooks, Restaurant

Also Called: Cook, Grill Cook, Line Cook, Prep Cook (Preparation Cook)

High School Diploma/GED

usually needed

Not Available
(Students Only)
Match Percentage

$26,980

Entry Salary

Bright

Job outlook

What Cooks, Restaurant do

Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

  • Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment and work surfaces, or serving areas to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
  • Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
  • Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
Industry Areas:

Hospitality

Training Program Areas:

Culinary Arts • OCT-Only Hospitality

Expand For Additional Details

Work Context

  • Spend Time Standing
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
  • Work With Work Group or Team
  • Physical Proximity
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

Tools

  • Commercial use cutlery
  • Domestic knives
  • Commercial use ovens
  • Commercial use blenders
  • Commercial use griddles

Technology

Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Point of sale POS software
Point of sale POS restaurant software
Office suite software
Microsoft Office

The Education & Training You Need

Skills

  • Monitoring
  • Active Listening
  • Coordination
  • Critical Thinking
  • Speaking

Knowledge

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
food production
manufacture and distribution of products
Business
customer service
Arts and Humanities
English language

Education

  • 44% High school diploma or equivalent
  • 19% Less than high school diploma
  • 18% Post-secondary certificate

Experience

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

What are some related occupations at different educational levels?


Job Training Match

Cooks, Restaurant Currently Selected

Educational Level

High School Diploma or Equivalent

 Job Training Match

Cooks, Private Household

Educational Level

Post-secondary, non-degree

 Job Training Match

Chefs & Head Cooks

Educational Level

Associate's Degree

 Job Training Match

Biological Technicians

Educational Level

Bachelor's Degree

Educational Level

Advanced Degree

What are your training options on the pathway to this occupation?

Advanced Training

  • Earle C. Clements - Job Corps

    Morganfield, Kentucky

  • Exeter - Job Corps

    Exeter, Rhode Island

ACT & College

  • Acadiana Technical College-Lafayette Campus

    Lafayette, LA

  • Adirondack Community College

    Queensbury, NY

Apprenticeships

Earn while you learn. Apprenticeships combines paid training & specialized classes to help workers enter highly skilled occupations. Click here for to locate an apprenticeship near you.

Military

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Are You a Good Fit?

Occupation Traits

    • Enterprising (Persuader)
    • Realistic (Doer)

Work Styles

  • Cooperation
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Self Control
  • Initiative

Values

  • Support
  • Relationships
  • Independence

Abilities

  • Hand and Finger Use
  • Ideas and Logic

This is what Cooks, Restaurant across the country typically make.

$12.97 / hour
$26,980 /year

Entry Level

$17.20 / hour
$35,780 /year

Median Level

$22.32 / hour
$46,420 /year

Experienced Level

Income information reflects a regional average.
Income information reflects a national average.

This career’s National Job Outlook is

Bright

Please be sure to verify the outlook of this occupation with your instructor.

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