Go out and meet people who have similar interests to you. Make connections and try to find a mentor in that industry who can support you and give advice. I'm also an advocate for self-learning. Even if it's just for 30 minutes a day, study a topic relevant to the industry you want to get into.
CAREER
Cooks, Restaurant
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$28,800
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+23.1% (much faster than the average)
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
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.
Other Job Titles Cooks, Restaurant May Have
Appetizer Preparer, Back Line Cook, Banquet Cook, Breakfast Cook, Broil Cook, Cook, Fry Cook, Grill Cook, Line Cook, Prep Cook (Preparation Cook)
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment and work surfaces, or 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.
- Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
- Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Cooks, Restaurant
Most common level of education among people in
this career: High school diploma or equivalent (43%)
Less than high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
