Cooks, restaurant
SOC Code: 35-2014Also known as:
Back Line Cook, Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member), Banquet Cook, Breakfast Cook, Broiler Cook
Median Annual Salary
$36,830
+14.9% growth (2024-2034)
251K
Openings/Year
1.5M
Current Jobs
What Cooks, restaurant Do
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.
💰 Salary
$36,830
Median annual wage (2024)
📈 Job Growth
+14.9%
Much faster than average
🎓 Education
No formal educational credential
Typical entry-level requirement
🚀 Annual Openings
251K
Projected average per year
👔 Work Experience
Less than 5 years
Required before entry
📚 On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Expected training period
Employment Projections (2024-2034)
Current Employment (2024)
1,460,200
Projected Employment (2034)
1,677,200
Related Careers
Cooks, fast food
$30,160 •
-13.5% growth
Cooks, institution and cafeteria
$36,450 •
+2.0% growth
Cooks, short order
$35,620 •
-5.6% growth
Food preparation workers
$34,220 •
-3.4% growth
Top Skills Required
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Time Management
Active Listening
Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
- Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
- Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
- 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.
- Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
- Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
- Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
- 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.
Technology & Tools
📚 Entry-Level Education
No formal educational credential
Most common requirement
🎯 Recommended Education
High School Diploma
O*NET recommended level
Degree Programs for Cooks, restaurant
These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a cooks, restaurant:
Culinary Arts/Chef Training
11,194 degrees awarded •
349 colleges offer this program
Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General
4,165 degrees awarded •
145 colleges offer this program
Best Colleges for Becoming a Cooks, restaurant
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become cooks, restaurant.
Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make?
The median annual salary for cooks, restaurant is $36,830.
What education do cooks, restaurant need?
Most cooks, restaurant positions require a no formal educational credential.
Common degree programs include Culinary Arts/Chef Training, Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General.
Is becoming a cooks, restaurant a good career choice?
Cooks, restaurant is projected to see +14.9% job growth from 2024 to 2034,
which is much faster than average for all occupations. With approximately 250,700 job openings expected annually,
there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for cooks, restaurant?
Top colleges for aspiring cooks, restaurant include
Indian Capital Technology Center-Muskogee, Central Piedmont Community College, Lake Land College, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Dallas College.
These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to cooks, restaurant?
Cooks, restaurant may also be known as: Back Line Cook, Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member), Banquet Cook, Breakfast Cook, Broiler Cook, Chef De Partie, Cook, Foreign Food Specialty Cook, Fry Cook, Grill Cook, Hotel and Restaurant Cook, Larder Cook, Line Cook, Pizza Maker, Prep Cook (Preparation Cook), Prep Person (Preparation Person), Production Cook, Railroad Cook, Restaurant Cook, Sandwich Artist.
These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.