BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasCooks, Restaurant

O*NET · 35-2014.00

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.

Also called Back Line Cook · Banquet Cook · Breakfast Cook · Broiler Cook · Cook · Foreign Food Specialty Cook · Fry Cook · Grill Cook
15 more

Hotel Cook · Larder Cook · Line Cook · Prep Cook · Prep Cook (Preparation Cook) · Prep Person · Prep Person (Preparation Person) · Production Cook · Railroad Cook · Restaurant Cook · Saucier · Specialty Cook · Specialty Foods Cook · Station Cook · Vegetable Cook

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCE35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Bakers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCERealistic · Conventional · Enterprising — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.63
  • C Conventional3.80
  • E Enterprising3.69
  • S Social2.88
  • A Artistic2.71
  • I Investigative1.56

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma34%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent47%
  • Some College Courses6%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree12%
Related work experience
None (37%)
On-site or in-plant training
None (46%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (61%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Monitoringbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Time Management3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Speakingbasic3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Active Listeningbasic2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Active Learningbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Coordination2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Social Perceptiveness2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Operations Monitoring2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Quality Control Analysis2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
Show the other 23
  • Service Orientation2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Complex Problem Solving2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Systems Analysis2.41.9Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.32.4Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Mathematicsbasic2.32.4Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Writingbasic2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Operation and Control2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Negotiation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Persuasion2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Systems Evaluation2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Instructing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Management of Material Resources2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Management of Financial Resources2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Equipment Selection1.80.9
  • Operations Analysis1.50.6
  • Troubleshooting1.50.5
  • Sciencebasic1.40.4
  • Equipment Maintenance1.0—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Programming1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—
  • Technology Design1.0—

Tasks

14 core · 6 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.4.7
  2. Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.4.7
  3. Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.4.7
  4. Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.4.7
  5. Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.4.7
  6. Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.4.6
  7. Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.4.5
  8. Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.4.5
  9. Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.4.4
  10. Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.4.4
  11. Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.4.3
  12. Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.4.2
Show the other 8
  1. Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.3.9
  2. Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.3.7
  3. Prepare relishes and hors d'oeuvres.4.1
  4. Keep records and accounts.4.1
  5. Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.4.0
  6. Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.4.0
  7. Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.3.6
  8. Plan and price menu items.3.5

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Food Production3.43.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a commercial fishing boat
  • English Language3.12.8
  • Customer and Personal Service2.72.8
  • Production and Processing2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Education and Training2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Administration and Management2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Mathematics2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Sales and Marketing1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
Show all 33
  • Mechanical1.81.1Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Chemistry1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Transportation1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Public Safety and Security1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Communications and Media1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Computers and Electronics1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Foreign Language1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Telecommunications1.40.5Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Administrative1.3—
  • Building and Construction1.3—
  • Economics and Accounting1.3—
  • Law and Government1.3—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.30.3Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Physics1.30.5Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.3—
  • Design1.2—
  • Psychology1.2—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.2—
  • Biology1.1—
  • Engineering and Technology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.1—
  • Geography1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Near Vision3.53.4Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Manual Dexterity3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Problem Sensitivity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Information Ordering3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
Show all 52
  • Oral Expression3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Selective Attention3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Speech Recognition3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Time Sharing3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Trunk Strength3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Category Flexibility2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Visualization2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Extent Flexibility2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Fluency of Ideas2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Stamina2.62.0Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Written Comprehension2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Inductive Reasoning2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Auditory Attention2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Flexibility of Closure2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Static Strength2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Written Expression2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Number Facility2.32.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Originality2.32.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Dynamic Strength2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Memorization2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Reaction Time2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Response Orientation2.01.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Closure2.02.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Explosive Strength1.90.9
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Depth Perception1.81.3Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.80.8
  • Rate Control1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Spatial Orientation1.50.5
  • Peripheral Vision1.1—
  • Sound Localization1.1—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Handling and Moving Objects3.54.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.22.8
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.02.8
  • Getting Information3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Follow a standard blueprint
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Check to see if baking bread is done
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.92.2Level 1 looks like: Determine whether to remove a tree that has been damaged
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.92.8
Show all 41
  • Training and Teaching Others2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Check that doors to building are locked
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Determine the meal selection for a cafeteria
  • Processing Information2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards2.72.0Level 1 looks like: Review forms for completeness
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.62.6
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships2.62.9
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Developing and Building Teams2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.41.4Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Thinking Creatively2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Keep up with price changes in a small retail store
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.01.0Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Analyzing Data or Information1.91.2Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Performing Administrative Activities1.70.9Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Working with Computers1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Documenting/Recording Information1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.6—
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.40.9Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Standing4.8
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6
  • Contact With Others4.1
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.1
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.1
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.1
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.0
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.0

Technology

9 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (5)

  • Facebook
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (4)
  • Food safety labeling systems
  • Menu planning software
  • Point of sale POS restaurant software
  • Recipe cost control software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Cooks, Short Order
  2. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  3. Food Preparation Workers
  4. Bakers
  5. Cooks, Fast Food
  6. Butchers and Meat Cutters
  7. Cooks, Private Household
  8. Chefs and Head Cooks
  9. Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
  10. Food Batchmakers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.