Occupation Details
Cooks, Private Household
Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Artistic
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$30,080.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$32,730.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$44,250.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
126,650
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
216,750
+9,010 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
35,327
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.7%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Management of Material Resources
Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Innovation
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Bakers' knives
- Basting brushes
- Bench scrapers
- Bread knives
- Butchers' gloves
- Carving forks
- Colanders
- Computer laser printers
- Convection ovens
- Corkscrews
- Countertop microwaves
- Cutting boards
- Deep-fat thermometers
- Digital kitchen timers
- Digital scales
- Dishwashers
- Electric grills
- Fat skimmers
- Fish spatulas
- Food processors
- Frying thermometers
- Garlic presses
- Graters
- Icing piping tips
- Kitchen rulers
- Kitchen shears
- Kitchen skillets
- Kitchen thermometers
- Knife sharpening tools
- Labelmakers
Technology
- Cooking e-books
- Cost tracking software
- Email software
- Food inventory software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Web browser software
- WordPress
- Work scheduling software
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- clean equipment or machinery
- assign work to staff or employees
- direct and coordinate food or beverage preparation
- direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
- operate baking equipment
- operate food decorating equipment
- operate food preparation equipment
- measure or weigh ingredients for food preparation
- evaluate premises for cleanliness
- inventory stock to ensure adequate supplies
- identify cut or grade of meat
- understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
- stock or organize goods
- determine food portions
- maintain records, reports, or files
- cook meals
- use knives
- wash dishes, glassware, or related utensils
- prepare appetizers, salads, or cold dishes
- carve meat or bone fish or fowl
- prepare specialty foods
- prepare beverages
- perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking
- knead, shape, cut, or roll food products by hand
- cut, trim, or clean meat, or carcasses
- bake breads, rolls, or other baked goods
- use knowledge of food handling rules
- clean rooms or work areas
- test food to determine that it is cooked
- serve food or beverages
- provide customer service
- decorate cakes
- modify recipes to produce specific food products
- purchase food or beverages
- order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
- requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
- plan menus
- plan for entertainment or dining activities
- follow recipes
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Plan menus according to employers' needs and diet restrictions.
- Stock, organize, and clean kitchens and cooking utensils.
- Cool, package, label, and freeze foods for later consumption and provide instructions for reheating.
- Peel, wash, trim, and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries.
- Keep records pertaining to menus, finances, and other business-related issues.
- Prepare meals in private homes according to employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.
- Shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment.
- Specialize in preparing fancy dishes or food for special diets.
- Direct the operation and organization of kitchens and all food-related activities, including the presentation and serving of food.
- Create and explore new cuisines.
- Serve meals and snacks to employing families and their guests.
- Plan and prepare food for parties, holiday meals, luncheons, special functions, and other social events.
- Travel with employers to vacation homes to provide meal preparation at those locations.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More