Career Overview
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
Also Known As
- Cafeteria Cook
- Cook
- Dietary Cook
- School Cook
Alternate Job Titles
- Boarding House Cook
- Cafeteria Cook
- Camp Cook
- Cook
- Culinary Specialist
- Dietary Aide
- Dietary Cook
- Dinner Cook
- Food Service Specialist
- Food Service Worker
- Galley Cook
- Institutional Cook
- Kitchen Cook
- Line Cook
- Mess Cook
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
- Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Food Production
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Category Flexibility
- Information Ordering
- Speech Clarity
- Problem Sensitivity
- Visualization
- Inductive Reasoning
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Apple corers
- Blast chillers
- Blenders
- Bone saws
- Box graters
- Braziers
- Bread slicers
- Broilers
- Cappuccino makers
- Carbonated beverage dispensers
- Cash registers
- Chefs' knives
- Commercial coffee grinders
- Commercial coffeemakers
- Commercial dishwashers
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $26,800 |
| Median | $36,450 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $48,320 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 448,260
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Cooks, Restaurant
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $36,830
Food Preparation Workers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $34,220
Cooks, Private Household
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $44,530
Cooks, Short Order
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $35,620
Chefs and Head Cooks
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $60,990
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.