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How to hire a culinary internship

Culinary internship hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring culinary interns in the United States:

  • There are a total of 3,578 culinary interns in the US, and there are currently 93,844 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a culinary internship is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per culinary internship on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Charlotte, NC, has the highest demand for culinary interns, with 8 job openings.

How to hire a culinary internship, step by step

To hire a culinary internship, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a culinary internship, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step culinary internship hiring guide:

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

What does a culinary internship do?

In a culinary internship, an intern's responsibilities primarily depend on the directives of a supervisor. Usually, they must gain industry insights and practical work experience by performing support tasks in the daily kitchen operations, such as measuring and preparing ingredients, sanitizing tools, maintaining and monitoring supplies, participating in food preparations, and maintaining the cleanliness of different areas. They may also formulate recipes, developing menus, and ensuring that customers receive optimal services. Moreover, an intern needs to learn and adhere to the government and company policies and standards.

Learn more about the specifics of what a culinary internship does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a culinary internship, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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

    This list shows salaries for various types of culinary interns.

    Type of Culinary InternshipDescriptionHourly rate
    Culinary InternshipCooks prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods, which may include soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.$11-18
    Grill CookA grill cook's primary role is to take charge of grilling food in restaurants or a similar establishment. Aside from grilling different kinds of food, they are also responsible for the plating, ensuring that it looks presentable and mouth-watering... Show more$12-18
    Prep CookPrep cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients. They are usually part of an assembly line-like structure in the kitchen... Show more$12-19
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Culinary
    • Kitchen Equipment
    • Food Handling
    • Cleanliness
    • ServSafe
    • Fine Dining
    • Food Service
    • Quality Standards
    • Banquet Kitchen
    • Dinner Service
    • Menu Planning
    • Sous Chefs
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Cuisine
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Supervise cooks and manage the preparations, portioning, garnishing and storage of all food items.
    • Manage inventory and facilitate product orders of the culinary and science departments.
    • Manage cold kitchen production for a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant
    • Operate ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, and fryers.
    • Demonstrate proper ServSafe techniques and strict health code practices
    • Show compassion during the job and are well receive.
    More culinary internship duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the culinary internship job description is a good way to get more applicants. A culinary internship 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 culinary internship in Tennessee may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level culinary internship. Additionally, a culinary internship with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average culinary internship salary

    $15.08hourly

    $31,368 yearly

    Entry-level culinary internship salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026

    Average culinary internship salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$38,898$19
    2Illinois$36,865$18
    3New York$35,181$17
    4Colorado$32,958$16
    5Florida$32,249$16
    6Texas$32,147$15
    7Wisconsin$31,864$15
    8Ohio$31,488$15
    9Virginia$30,064$14
    10South Carolina$29,593$14
    11Oklahoma$28,357$14
    12Pennsylvania$27,929$13
    13North Carolina$27,602$13
    14Tennessee$27,445$13
    15Georgia$26,689$13
    16Alabama$26,457$13

    Average culinary internship salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1The Culinary Institute of America$43,481$20.903
    2The Walt Disney Company$38,834$18.6757
    3JEAN-GEORGES MANAGEMENT$38,271$18.40
    4Legends Hospitality$37,543$18.05
    5Sierra Nevada$36,894$17.741
    6Proviso Township Schools$36,082$17.35
    7Hyatt Hotels$35,586$17.1157
    8Wildhorse Resort & Casino$34,665$16.672
    9Yaamava' Resort & Casino$34,350$16.51
    10Compass Group USA$33,967$16.33280
    11Montage Hotels & Resorts$33,676$16.195
    12Morgan's Restaurants of Pennsylvania Inc$33,515$16.11
    13Foxwoods Resort Casino$33,024$15.881
    14MARTA$32,991$15.86
    15Self Regional Healthcare$32,919$15.83
    16Troon$32,798$15.77117
    17Oneida Indian Nation$32,640$15.69
    18Colonial Williamsburg Foundation$32,511$15.631
    19Cherokee Town and Country Club$32,286$15.526
    20Delicato Family Wines$32,205$15.48
  4. Writing a culinary internship job description

    A culinary internship 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 culinary internship job description:

    Culinary internship job description example


    At Delaware North, we care about our associates' professional and personal wellbeing. We have a comprehensive benefits program designed to give our associates the comfort, safety, and stability they need to deliver exceptional service to our guests. All associates are eligible for benefits including weekly pay, employee assistance program, training and development, employee discounts, and flexible work schedules. Medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with company match, paid vacation and holidays, and tuition reimbursement are available for eligible associates.

    Responsibilities
    • Prepare food to recipe specifications in a timely manner.
    • Perform opening, closing, and side work duties as instructed.
    • Keep workstation and cooking equipment clean, organized, and sanitized.
    • Make sure food temperatures are maintained and food is stored properly.
    • Ensure compliance with food safety standards.
    • Follow and uphold all health codes and sanitation regulations.
    • All other duties assigned.
    Qualifications
    • High school diploma required.
    • Enrolment in a culinary program preferred.
    • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
    • Ability to read and comprehend prep sheets and recipes.
    • Basic math skills, ability to understand, calculate and follow recipe measurements and proportions.
    • Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
    Physical Requirements
    • Ability to lift and carry large pans, weighing up to 50 lbs.
    • Manual dexterity to chop, mix, blend, whip, etc. a variety of foods and liquids.
    • Standing and walking for the entire length of shift.
    • Frequently required to reach
    Shift Details

    1st Shift
    2nd Shift
    3rd Shift
    Holidays
    Weekends

    Who We Are

    Delaware North operates concessions, premium dining and retail services at the 41,297-seat Comerica Park, home of the MLB's Detroit Tigers. Delaware North has been a partner of the Tigers since 1930. Our chefs create a unique dining experience at the exclusive Tiger Club that offers a full view of the field. An extensive menu with an emphasis on Detroit-inspired fare is created for every game.

    At Delaware North, you'll love where you work, who you work with, and how your day unfolds. Whether it's in sporting venues, casinos, airports, national parks, iconic hotels, or premier restaurants, there's no telling where your career can ultimately take you. We empower you to do great work in a company with 100 years of success, stability and growth. If you have drive and enjoy the thrill of making things happen - share our vision and grow with us.

    Delaware North Companies, Incorporated and its subsidiaries consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. Delaware North is an equal opportunity employer.

  5. Post your job

    To find the right culinary internship for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with culinary interns they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit culinary interns who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your culinary internship job on Zippia to find and recruit culinary internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with culinary internship candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    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 culinary internship

    Once you've found the culinary internship 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new culinary internship 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 culinary internship?

Hiring a culinary internship comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting culinary interns involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of culinary internship recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $31,368 per year for a culinary internship, 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 culinary interns in the US typically range between $11 and $18 an hour.

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