How to hire a cook/team member

How to hire a cook/team member, step by step

Here's a step-by-step cook/team member hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a cook/team member job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new cook/team member
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a cook/team member do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The cook/team member hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A cook/team member's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, cook/team members from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of cook/team members and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Cook/Team Member	Description	Hourly rate
   Cook/Team Member	Food and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.	$8-15
   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... Show more	$11-18
   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... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Dishes
   • Work Ethic
   • Team Work
   • Culinary
   • Customer Service
   • Food Handling
   • Cleanliness
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Food Products
   • Clean Environment
   • Quality Food
   • Customer Orders
   • Food Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
   • Help maintain kitchen equipment and restaurant cleanliness.
   • Follow al health, safety and HACCP procedures.
   • Answer phones taking orders, inputting orders and payments into the POS.
   • Organize and maintain ingredient inventory, always marking dates on all perishables.
   • Aid in the preparation and presentation of culinary elements from around the world.

   More cook/team member duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the cook/team member job description is a good way to get more applicants. A cook/team member salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a cook/team member in Kansas may be lower than in New Hampshire, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level cook/team member. Additionally, a cook/team member with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average cook/team member salary

   $11.86hourly

   $24,668 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level cook/team member salary

   $18,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average cook/team member salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Hampshire	$34,314	$17
   2	Maine	$31,889	$15
   3	New York	$29,875	$14
   4	California	$29,040	$14
   5	Oregon	$27,211	$13
   6	Illinois	$26,826	$13
   7	Minnesota	$25,945	$12
   8	Colorado	$24,886	$12
   9	Arizona	$24,593	$12
   10	Utah	$24,050	$12
   11	Virginia	$23,342	$11
   12	Tennessee	$23,338	$11
   13	Ohio	$23,126	$11
   14	Nevada	$23,010	$11
   15	Texas	$22,755	$11
   16	Florida	$22,631	$11
   17	South Carolina	$22,365	$11
   18	Pennsylvania	$22,152	$11
   19	Georgia	$21,822	$10
   20	North Carolina	$21,618	$10

   Average cook/team member salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Deloitte	$56,921	$27.37	4
   2	Peet's Coffee	$38,160	$18.35
   3	KPMG LLP	$38,063	$18.30	1
   4	On The Border	$37,016	$17.80	26
   5	Zoës Kitchen	$35,696	$17.16
   6	24 Carrots Catering and Events	$35,415	$17.03	1
   7	Amy's Kitchen	$34,673	$16.67
   8	Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants	$34,456	$16.57	18
   9	Tractor Supply	$33,441	$16.08	338
   10	Resorts World Catskills	$33,390	$16.05
   11	Wells Fargo	$33,356	$16.04
   12	General Motors	$32,942	$15.84
   13	Amazon	$32,933	$15.83
   14	NEXT High School	$32,676	$15.71
   15	Weyerhaeuser International, Inc	$32,143	$15.45
   16	Sycuan Casino Resort	$32,091	$15.43
   17	Raytheon Technologies	$32,073	$15.42	1
   18	Compass Group USA	$31,562	$15.17	5,221
   19	Great Wolf Resorts	$31,331	$15.06	18
   20	TPC Group	$31,201	$15.00	1

4. Writing a cook/team member job description

   A job description for a cook/team member role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a cook/team member job description:

   Cook/team member job description example

   A Cook is responsible for preparing food items in accordance with recipes and established standards in the hotel's continuing effort to deliver outstanding service and financial profitability.
   What will I be doing?
   
   As a Cook, you would be responsible for preparing food items in accordance with recipes and established standards in the hotel's continuing effort to deliver outstanding service and financial profitability. Specifically, you would be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:
   Prepare food items according to designated recipes and quality standards Maintain cleanliness and comply with food sanitation standards at all times Manage guest orders in a friendly, timely and efficient manner Ensure knowledge of menu and all food products Stock and maintain designated food station(s) Visually inspect all food sent from the kitchen Practice correct food handling and food storage procedures according to federal, state, local and company regulations Prepare requisitions for supplies and food items, as needed
   What are we looking for?
   
   Since being founded in 1919, Hilton has been a leader in the hospitality industry. Today, Hilton remains a beacon of innovation, quality, and success. This continued leadership is the result of our Team Members staying true to our Vision, Mission, and Values. Specifically, we look for demonstration of these Values:
   Hospitality - We're passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences. Integrity - We do the right thing, all the time. Leadership - We're leaders in our industry and in our communities. Teamwork - We're team players in everything we do. Ownership - We're the owners of our actions and decisions. Now - We operate with a sense of urgency and discipline
   In addition, we look for the demonstration of the following key attributes:
   Quality Productivity Dependability Customer Focus Adaptability What will it be like to work for Hilton?
   
   Hilton is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For nearly a century, Hilton has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. Hilton is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Our vision "to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" unites us as a team to create remarkable hospitality experiences around the world every day. And, our amazing Team Members are at the heart of it all!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find cook/team members for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any cook/team members they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level cook/team members with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your cook/team member job on Zippia to find and recruit cook/team member candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit cook/team members, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new cook/team member

   Once you've found the cook/team member candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new cook/team member. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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