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How to hire a cooking instructor

Cooking instructor hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring cooking instructors in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a cooking instructor is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new cooking instructor to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a cooking instructor, step by step

To hire a cooking instructor, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a cooking instructor:

Here's a step-by-step cooking instructor hiring guide:

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

    The cooking instructor 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?

    A cooking instructor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, cooking instructors 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.

    Here's a comparison of cooking instructor salaries for various roles:

    Type of Cooking InstructorDescriptionHourly rate
    Cooking InstructorCooks prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods, which may include soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.$17-99
    Short Order CookA 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
    Lead Line CookTypically, lead line cooks work under the supervision of a chef or head cook in a kitchen. Leadline cooks oversee the food preparation process from start to end... Show more$12-21
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Kids
    • Culinary
    • Nutrition Education
    • Healthy Food
    • Food Preparation
    • Food Safety
    • Children Ages
    • Kitchen Safety
    • Kitchen Equipment
    • Food Products
    • Healthy Meals
    • Allergies
    • Meal Planning
    • Thai
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage and mentor the college caf team including training of new employees, students, and interns.
    • Plan recipes, shop for groceries, gather materials for cooking.
    • Research and develop menus of Thai, Moroccan, Greek and Turkish cuisines.
    • Expedite and delegate kitchen tasks to students to ensure dishes are prepared within allot class time while teaching basic culinary skills
    • Provide culinary services for special events at the community center
    • Examine injure persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
    More cooking instructor duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your cooking instructor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A cooking instructor can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, cooking instructors' average salary in alaska is 53% less than in new jersey.
    • Seniority. Entry-level cooking instructors 83% less than senior-level cooking instructors.
    • Certifications. A cooking instructor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a cooking instructor's salary.

    Average cooking instructor salary

    $87,520yearly

    $42.08 hourly rate

    Entry-level cooking instructor salary
    $36,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 23, 2025

    Average cooking instructor salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$135,768$65
    2Illinois$124,767$60
    3Virginia$120,428$58
    4Georgia$118,246$57
    5California$107,652$52
    6Florida$103,248$50
    7Texas$97,477$47
    8Washington$95,826$46
    9Colorado$95,527$46

    Average cooking instructor salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1H-E-B$75,779$36.436
    21871$71,830$34.53
    3Ymca Of Metropolitan Atlanta$67,661$32.5371
    4Young Chefs Academy$64,953$31.23
    5Town of Leesburg, VA$49,430$23.76
    6City of Lakewood$46,220$22.22
    7City of Boise$41,918$20.15
    8Associated Recreation Council$37,970$18.2515
    9City of Aurora$35,871$17.25
    10FareStart$32,951$15.84
    11South Suburban Parks and Recreation$31,198$15.001
    12YMCA of Metro Chattanooga$28,116$13.529
  4. Writing a cooking instructor job description

    A cooking instructor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a cooking instructor job description:

    Cooking instructor job description example

    Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, FareStart has provided millions of meals to organizations across the Seattle area that serve youth, adults, and families who are low income or experiencing food insecurity.

    ABOUT THEPOSITION

    As the Cook/Instructor, you will work closely with FareStart adult students, training them in basic food preparation skills. Job duties include planning, preparing, and executing meal production; inventory management; and executing menu and recipe standards.

    RESPONSIBILITIES
    • Assist in the day-to-day operation of the kitchen, coordinate food production schedules, and ensure the highest level of food quality, taste, and presentation.
    • Participate in actual food preparation; produce food of consistently high quality, taste, and presentation; and expedite during peak meal periods as needed.
    • Control food cost by utilizing the proper methods of food preparation, handling, and storage.
    • Ensure all kitchen employees, students, and volunteers consistently adhere to uniform, grooming, and appearance standards.
    • In conjunction with management, maintain goals for the kitchen, anticipate and resolve problems concerning all facets of the kitchen, anticipate trends, and enact approved profit-oriented and cost-saving ideas/activities.
    • Establish and require strict adherence to the health department, sanitation, and food handling guidelines.
    • Ensure adherence to recipes and product specifications, and train students on all new menus.
    • Maintain effective communication and working relationship with the kitchen and program staff, be responsive to staff suggestions and concerns, and work to resolve problems.
    • Assist with completion of daily food orders based upon projected levels of business.
    • Ensure adherence to all food and kitchen safety standards in production, storage, and dishwashing areas.
    • Provide hands-on, direct training with students on core kitchen competencies.
    • Additional duties, as required.
    REQUIREMENTS
    • 3 - 5 years of experience in high volume kitchen; or Banquet and Catering experience.
    • Formal culinary training or equivalent preferred.
    • A passion for excellence through teamwork, positive change, and communication.
    • Strong leadership skills.
    • Demonstrated coaching style reflecting compassion, wisdom, and integrity.
    • Experience working with disadvantaged men and women preferred.
    • Valid Washington State driver's license, with a 5-year clean driving record may be required.
    • Knowledge of food safety and sanitation principles, with a valid King County Food Handler's Permit.

    COVID-19 CONSIDERATION: FareStart requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

    BENEFIT HIGHLIGHTS
    • Competitive pay based on experience and qualifications
    • Paid time-off (3 weeks first year of employment) and paid holidays
    • 401(k) savings plan
    • Health, disability, and life insurance
    • Free ORCA pass
    • Free Shift Meal
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    Why Should You Apply?

    • Be part of our mission to disrupt poverty.
    • Join a supportive, respectful, and celebratory community among our staff, students, board, and volunteers
    • Organizational commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
    • FareStart encourages the personal and professional growth of its employees

    For information on FareStart, including more information on employee benefits and our company culture, visit our website at: www.farestart.org/about


    Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity:

    FareStart is committed to becoming a fully inclusive, antiracist, diverse organization. To fulfill our mission, vision, and values we are seeking candidates who demonstrate shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism.

    Our Commitment To Anti-Racism

    FareStart defines antiracism as the clear acknowledgment that racism permeates organizations, communities, and industries, including our own. We recognize that we have a duty to be vigilant in addressing and confronting racism in how we make decisions, show up in our communities, build business practices and policies, and engage in intentional partnerships and philanthropic endeavors to fulfill our mission and vision.


  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right cooking instructor for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your cooking instructor job on Zippia to find and recruit cooking instructor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting cooking instructors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 cooking instructor

    Once you've selected the best cooking instructor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new cooking instructor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire a cooking instructor?

Recruiting cooking instructors involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $87,520 per year for a cooking instructor, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for cooking instructors in the US typically range between $17 and $99 an hour.

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