Learn the basic skills needed to be a chef. Watch cooking tutorials online, try new recipes, experiment, and start cooking! 

Teach yourself how to cook. 

Read an article that'll help you understand the basics on cooking, then choose one to try at home!

Get science-based tips to improve your cooking.

Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Miscellaneous Food Processing Workers

Production Occupations

Food Processing Workers

Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses.

Read work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications.

Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.

Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.

Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.

Record production and test data, such as processing steps, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results.

Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.

Remove cooked material or products from equipment.

Collect and examine product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity.

Pour, dump, or load prescribed quantities of ingredients or products into cooking equipment, manually or using a hoist.

Database software

Boilers

Continuous baking ovens

Vacuum batch cookers

Water immersion retorts

Steam air retorts

Steam kettles

Steam retorts

Water spray retorts

Smoke generators

Smoking equipment

Molding machines

Molding presses

Hot oil roasting equipment

Roasting equipment

Canners

Chain hoists

Bucket belt conveyors

Hand trucks

Combination feeders

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Limited freedom

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

More than half the time

About half the time

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

Very important

Important

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Once a year or more but not every month

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

Occasional contact with others

How much does this job require walking or running?

Continually or almost continually

Less than half the time

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Never

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Overview

Career

What Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Do

Other Job Titles Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Overview

Career

What Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Do

Other Job Titles Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Related Leaders