Occupation · SOC 35-2014
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.
Median wage
$36,830
$28,010–$47,340
Projected growth
+14.9%
Faster than average
Annual openings
21,700
per year
Employed (US)
1,452,130
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
419 mapped
Core skills
MonitoringTime ManagementSpeakingCritical ThinkingCoordinationActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringActive LearningManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsService OrientationPersuasionNegotiationWritingSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisOperation and ControlManagement of Material ResourcesComplex Problem SolvingManagement of Financial ResourcesLearning StrategiesInstructingTroubleshootingEquipment SelectionOperations AnalysisTechnology DesignScienceProgrammingRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Food ProductionCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageProduction and ProcessingEducation and TrainingAdministration and ManagementMathematicsPublic Safety and SecuritySales and MarketingPersonnel and Human ResourcesEconomics and AccountingChemistryComputers and ElectronicsPsychologyAdministrativeMechanicalLaw and GovernmentCommunications and MediaDesignTelecommunicationsSociology and AnthropologyForeign LanguageTherapy and CounselingBiologyPhysicsMedicine and DentistryTransportationEngineering and TechnologyGeographyPhilosophy and TheologyFine ArtsHistory and ArcheologyBuilding and Construction
Technology & tools
FacebookFood safety labeling systemsInventory management softwareMenu planning softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WordPoint of sale POS restaurant softwareRecipe cost control software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersThinking CreativelyOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDeveloping and Building TeamsScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeProcessing InformationControlling Machines and ProcessesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsTraining and Teaching OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationAssisting and Caring for OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersWorking with ComputersDocumenting/Recording InformationSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Knife skills (dice, mince, julienne) — execute to spec on prep-station produce.Mise en place — set up to a sous chef's checklist before service on an assigned station.Recipe cards and standardized ratios — follow accurately under direct supervision on the line.Food-safety practices (hand wash, glove change, temp logs) — apply consistently in the kitchen.Cooking temperatures and HACCP standards — verify with a thermometer on simple proteins.Station cleaning and sanitization — perform to spec on opening, closing, and changeover.Basic stocks and sauces — make from a recipe with a senior cook checking the result.Line tickets and call-outs — read correctly during a moderate-volume service.Common allergens and cross-contact risks — identify and flag to the lead cook.Walk-in and dry-storage labels and rotation (FIFO) — maintain on assigned shelves.
developing
A single station (grill, sauté, fry) — run independently through a typical service.Pacing and timing on tickets — coordinate within a station during moderate-volume service.Common menu items — execute consistently to plate spec across a busy shift.Mid-shift restocks and prep calls — anticipate and act on without prompting from the chef.Cooking faults (over/undercook, broken sauce) — recognize and recover at the station.Food cost and waste at the station level — minimize during routine service.Communication with expo and other stations — sustain clearly through service rushes.New prep cooks on basic tasks — guide on knife work and recipe execution.Inventory counts on assigned items — complete accurately for the kitchen lead.Daily specials within the chef's framework — execute reliably to plate.
proficient
Multiple stations and station hand-offs — run smoothly through a high-volume service.Full menu execution — deliver to spec across the line without sous-chef intervention.Service flow and ticket times — manage at expo or the pass during peak service.Prep lists and station builds for a shift — set, adjust, and complete across the kitchen.Vendor receiving and quality checks — perform competently on incoming product.Recipe scaling and substitutions — execute correctly when product or volume varies.Health-inspection readiness — maintain across the kitchen on every shift.Newer cooks across stations — train, evaluate, and develop on the line.Banquets, off-menu, and large parties — plan and execute alongside regular service.Kitchen labor and breaks during service — coordinate while running the pass.
advanced
Menu development and recipe standards — design, cost, and roll out across a restaurant.Food and labor cost — manage to target across a restaurant's kitchen.Vendor relationships and product sourcing — establish and steward for quality and cost.Kitchen culture and standards — set, model, and sustain across all shifts.Sous chefs and lead cooks — develop, evaluate, and grow into greater responsibility.Health, safety, and HACCP programs — own and audit across the operation.Special events and chef's-table service — design and execute to a distinctive standard.Crisis service moments (POS down, short-staffed, equipment failure) — lead through with composure.Operational reporting (waste, COGS, comps) — interpret and act on in weekly reviews.Concept and seasonal menu changes — plan and lead with ownership and front-of-house.
Also known as
25 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Back Line CookBack of House Team Member (BOH Team Member)Banquet CookBreakfast CookBroiler CookChef De PartieCookForeign Food Specialty CookFry CookGrill CookHotel and Restaurant CookLarder CookLine CookPizza MakerPrep Cook (Preparation Cook)Prep Person (Preparation Person)Production CookRailroad CookRestaurant CookSandwich ArtistSaucierSpecialty CookSpecialty Foods CookStation CookVegetable Cook