Occupation Details
Cooks, Restaurant
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.
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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.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Values
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.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
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
$31,650.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$39,460.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$42,600.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
47,230
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
98,010
+5,078 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
15,568
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
1.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
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.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
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.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
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.
Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
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.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Blenders
- Boning knives
- Charbroilers
- Chefs' knives
- Cimeter knives
- Commercial microwave ovens
- Convection ovens
- Conveyor ovens
- Filet knives
- Food slicing machines
- Food steamers
- Fryers
- Gas grills
- Griddles
- Grinders
- Meat and cheese slicing machines
- Meat saws
- Paring knives
- Pasta cookers
- Personal computers
- Pizza ovens
- Point of sale POS computer terminals
- Rotating rack ovens
- Rotisserie ovens
- Salamander ovens
- Smoking cabinets
- Utility cutlery
Technology
- Food safety labeling systems
- Inventory management software
- Menu planning software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Word
- Point of sale POS restaurant 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.
- inventory stock to ensure adequate supplies
- maintain records, reports, or files
- purchase food or beverages
- order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
- requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
- assign work to staff or employees
- serve food or beverages
- provide customer service
- operate baking equipment
- operate cooking equipment
- operate food decorating equipment
- operate food preparation equipment
- use specialized bakery equipment
- investigate customer complaints
- measure or weigh ingredients for food preparation
- use knowledge of food handling rules
- cook in quantity
- price items on menu
- decorate cakes
- modify recipes to produce specific food products
- plan meal presentations
- plan menus
- coordinate banquets, meetings or related events
- direct and coordinate food or beverage preparation
- direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
- determine food or beverage costs
- determine food portions
- identify cut or grade of meat
- understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
- oversee work progress to verify safety or conformance to standards
- cook meals
- use knives
- 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
- distribute food to waiters or waitresses to serve to customers
- evaluate premises for cleanliness
- test food to determine that it is cooked
- consult with managerial or supervisory personnel
- follow recipes
- read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and 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.
- Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
- Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
- Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
- Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
- Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
- Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
- Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.
- Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
- Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.
- Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.
- Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.
- Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
- Prepare relishes and hors d'oeuvres.
- Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.
- Keep records and accounts.
- Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
- Plan and price menu items.
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.
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