What does a cook/dishwasher do?
Cooks/dishwashers must develop kitchen skills to excel in this line of job. Each cook or dishwasher must learn to develop skills in food preparation, sanitation, and customer service. Cooks or dishwashers can be assigned to different areas, either in the kitchen area, food preparation, or in washing dishes. The scope of their responsibilities may include the cooking surface area, specific food items, or menu items. Also, they are expected to maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen, assist in preparing food, and may do any other duties demanded by the chef.
Cook/dishwasher responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real cook/dishwasher resumes:
- Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
- Cook and prepare sandwiches and entrees throughout the shift, working with slicers, grills, and fryers.
- Enter orders into pos system.
- Organize groceries as to ensure use before expiration.
- Host: open/close shifts, greet and seat tables, run seating board.
- Serve food to customers, run the cash register and also buse tables and wash dishes.
- Prepare final bill, present check to guest, accept payment, and process through the POS system.
- Prepare ingredients before service and maintain cleanliness of all stations and keep all line cook supply with necessary food items.
- Light cleaning: sweeping floors, mopping, washing dishes, wiping counters and cleaning stoves, fridge and sinks.
- Operate large cooking equipment such as grills, deep fryers, bun toaster, steamers, and hot dog grills.
- Prepare meals for customers, wash dishes and heavy cooking equipment, experience with grill, fryers, broiler, etc.
- Operate various stations around the kitchen, including the grill area, fryers, salad preparation, pizza oven, etc.
- Ensure food are stored and cook at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Serve tables, cook sandwiches and pizzas, prep cook, wash dishes, stock storage spaces when orders are delivered.
- Operate commercial range, char broiler, slicers, along with miscellaneous choirs to keep the business in a presentable order.
Cook/dishwasher skills and personality traits
We calculated that 44% of Cook/Dishwashers are proficient in Wash Dishes, Customer Service, and Dishwashers. They’re also known for soft skills such as Sense of taste and smell, Dexterity, and Physical stamina.
We break down the percentage of Cook/Dishwashers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Wash Dishes, 44%
Take customers order, cook the food when order and also had to wash dishes when the customers finish eating.
- Customer Service, 12%
Wash Dishes*maintain restaurant cleanliness*Wait tables*Provide excellent customer service*Cook orders
- Dishwashers, 7%
Prepared appetizers, loaded and operated commercial dishwasher.
- Prep Food, 6%
Wash dishes-Prep food-Cook food-Clear tables-Clean floors and kitchen equipment
- Safety Standards, 4%
Maintained sanitation and safety standards in food preparation areas.
- Kitchen Equipment, 3%
Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, storage, use of kitchen equipment and utensils, sanitation and safety issues.
Most cook/dishwashers use their skills in "wash dishes," "customer service," and "dishwashers" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential cook/dishwasher responsibilities here:
Sense of taste and smell. One of the key soft skills for a cook/dishwasher to have is sense of taste and smell. You can see how this relates to what cook/dishwashers do because "cooks must have a keen sense of taste and smell to prepare meals that customers enjoy." Additionally, a cook/dishwasher resume shows how cook/dishwashers use sense of taste and smell: "cooked and prepared orders, and operated large-volume cooking equipment. "
Dexterity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling cook/dishwasher duties is dexterity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "cooks should have excellent hand–eye coordination." According to a cook/dishwasher resume, here's how cook/dishwashers can utilize dexterity in their job responsibilities: "job description:prep food and dishes with a lot of hands on work"
Physical stamina. This is an important skill for cook/dishwashers to perform their duties. For an example of how cook/dishwasher responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "cooks spend a lot of time standing in one place, cooking food over hot stoves, and cleaning work areas." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a cook/dishwasher: "analyzed prisoner's social attitudes, mental capacity, character and physical capabilities for preparing food products. ".
The three companies that hire the most cook/dishwashers are:
- Hickory Tavern
6 cook/dishwashers jobs
- KFC2 cook/dishwashers jobs
- National Pancake House2 cook/dishwashers jobs
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Compare different cook/dishwashers
Cook/dishwasher vs. Mexican food cook
A Mexican Food Cook works at restaurants or similar establishments that specialize in Mexican cuisine. Their responsibilities revolve around cutting meat and vegetable in portions, cooking and preparing according to company menu and guidelines, monitoring the supply of ingredients, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. There are also instances where they must delegate tasks among staff, coordinate with managers, and resolve order problems. Mexican Food Cooks must work while adhering to the company and the government's health and safety regulations and standards.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, cook/dishwasher responsibilities require skills like "wash dishes," "prep food," "mop floors," and "food preparation equipment." Meanwhile a typical mexican food cook has skills in areas such as "food handling," "patients," "food service," and "slicers." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Mexican food cooks tend to make the most money working in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $31,722. In contrast, cook/dishwashers make the biggest average salary, $27,723, in the hospitality industry.mexican food cooks tend to reach similar levels of education than cook/dishwashers. In fact, mexican food cooks are 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Cook/dishwasher vs. Short order cook
A short-order cook takes responsibility for preparing foods in cafes and restaurants. Usually, they fry eggs, cook fries, and prepare sandwiches. Short order cooks work alongside line chefs in the foodservice market. Their manner of preparing food is quick, easy, and simple. They plan and handle work orders ensuring that all orders are complete and served on time. Strong communication, customer service, a good sense of taste, and the ability to work efficiently are necessary requirements for the job.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that cook/dishwasher responsibilities requires skills like "wash dishes," "prep food," "mop floors," and "bus tables." But a short order cook might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "food handling," "good communication," "food service," and "quality standards."
On average, short order cooks earn a lower salary than cook/dishwashers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, short order cooks earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $31,094. Whereas cook/dishwashers have higher pay in the hospitality industry, with an average salary of $27,723.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Short order cooks tend to reach similar levels of education than cook/dishwashers. In fact, they're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cook/dishwasher vs. Assistant cook
Kitchen helpers perform various kitchen tasks in restaurants, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. Their duties and responsibilities include assisting cooks in the preparation of meal ingredients, helping other staff with unloading food items from delivery trucks, and washing and drying the utensils, dishes, and cookware. Kitchen helpers are also responsible for removing and replacing garbage bags and storing ingredients and food supplies in compliance with food safety standards. The requirements for this position may include a high school diploma, a license in food handling, and knowledge of food safety standards.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a cook/dishwasher is likely to be skilled in "wash dishes," "prep food," "mop floors," and "bus tables," while a typical assistant cook is skilled in "food handling," "dishes," "food service," and "cleanliness."
Assistant cooks make a very good living in the hospitality industry with an average annual salary of $35,456. On the other hand, cook/dishwashers are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry, with average annual pay of $27,723.assistant cooks typically earn similar educational levels compared to cook/dishwashers. Specifically, they're 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cook/dishwasher vs. Kitchen helper
Even though a few skill sets overlap between cook/dishwashers and kitchen helpers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a cook/dishwasher might have more use for skills like "prep food," "large-volume cooking equipment," "quality food," and "deep-fat fryers." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of kitchen helpers require skills like "food handling," "food service," "cleanliness," and "culinary. "
In general, kitchen helpers earn the most working in the retail industry, with an average salary of $27,239. The highest-paying industry for a cook/dishwasher is the hospitality industry.The average resume of kitchen helpers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to cook/dishwashers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.Types of cook/dishwasher
Updated January 8, 2025
