Description

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Interests

Realistic
Conventional

Learn More about Interests

Work Values

Relationships
Support
Independence

Learn More about Work Values

Work Styles

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Self-Control
Integrity
Stress Tolerance

Learn More about Work Styles

Tasks

Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.

Work Activities

Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Detailed Work Activities

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software
Data base user interface and query software
Point of sale POS software
Word processing software
Analytical or scientific software

Abilities

Near Vision
Oral Expression
Category Flexibility
Deductive Reasoning
Information Ordering

Skills

Judgment and Decision Making
Monitoring
Operations Monitoring
Quality Control Analysis
Service Orientation

Knowledge

English Language
Food Production
Customer and Personal Service
Mathematics
Administration and Management

Most Common Education Level

The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.

Certificates

These are the certification(s) applicable to Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria:

Certificate name

School Nutrition Specialist

Certifying Organization

School Nutrition Association

Type

Core

Certificate name

Certified Master Chef

Certifying Organization

American Culinary Federation, Inc.

Type

Advanced

Certificate name

ProChef Level I Certification

Certifying Organization

The Culinary Institute of America

Type

Core

Certificate name

ProChef Level II Certification

Certifying Organization

The Culinary Institute of America

Type

Advanced

Certificate name

Certified Fundamentals Cook

Certifying Organization

American Culinary Federation, Inc.

Type

Core

Certificate name	Certifying Organization	Type
School Nutrition Specialist	School Nutrition Association	Core
Certified Master Chef	American Culinary Federation, Inc.	Advanced
ProChef Level I Certification	The Culinary Institute of America	Core
ProChef Level II Certification	The Culinary Institute of America	Advanced
Certified Fundamentals Cook	American Culinary Federation, Inc.	Core

Income Percentile

The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.

Income Percentile	Annual Income
Low (10%)	$29,377
Median (50%)	$33,531
High (90%)	$40,874

Income by Experience

This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).

Experience	Income
Entry Level	$34,057
Mid Level	$42,047
Senior Level	N/A
Expert Level	N/A

Employability

There are currently 456,300 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 471,100 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 3%.

The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.

Projected Job Growth of 3%

Related Careers

Food Service Managers

Median Annual Income

$122,090

Projected Job Growth

+2 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

High school diploma or equivalent

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

EnterprisingConventionalRealistic

Chefs and Head Cooks

Median Annual Income

$54,435

Projected Job Growth

+8 %

Career Cluster(s)

Management & Entrepreneurship

Most Common Education Level

High school diploma or equivalent

Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.

EnterprisingRealisticConventional

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Median Annual Income

$38,908

Projected Job Growth

+6 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

High school diploma or equivalent

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.

EnterprisingConventionalRealistic

Cooks, Fast Food

Median Annual Income

$31,302

Projected Job Growth

-14 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Cooks, Private Household

Median Annual Income

$45,116

Projected Job Growth

-6 %

Career Cluster(s)

Management & Entrepreneurship

Most Common Education Level

Postsecondary certificate

Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.

RealisticConventionalSocial

Cooks, Restaurant

Median Annual Income

$34,943

Projected Job Growth

+17 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

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.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Cooks, Short Order

Median Annual Income

$32,798

Projected Job Growth

-4 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Food Preparation Workers

Median Annual Income

$32,148

Projected Job Growth

-4 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

RealisticConventional

Fast Food and Counter Workers

Median Annual Income

$30,315

Projected Job Growth

+6 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Bakers

Median Annual Income

$35,731

Projected Job Growth

+5 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.

RealisticConventional

The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.