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Institutional cook education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, institutional cooks don't need a college education. The most common degree for institutional cooks is high school diploma with 36% graduates, with only 28% institutional cook graduates earning associate degree. Institutional cooks who decided to graduate from college often finish Johnson & Wales University or Rice University. Some good skills to have in this position include food handling, kitchen equipment and culinary.

What education do you need to become an institutional cook?

What degree do you need to be an institutional cook?

The most common degree for institutional cooks is high school diploma, with 36% of institutional cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 17%.
  • High School Diploma, 36%
  • Associate, 28%
  • Diploma, 17%
  • Bachelor's, 11%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become an institutional cook?

You should major in culinary arts to become an institutional cook. 48% of institutional cooks major in culinary arts. Other common majors for an institutional cook include business and education.

Best majors for institutional cooks

RankMajorPercentages
1Culinary Arts48.3%
2Business10.3%
3Education3.4%
4Nursing3.4%
5Physical Therapy3.4%

20 best online courses for institutional cooks

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1. Unravelling solutions for Future Food problems

coursera

Our society depends on the availability of food and accessibility to it. According to the United Nations nearly 800 million people are hungry and on the other hand, over 650 million people are obese. While many people in developing countries experience food shortage, in industrialized countries people are throwing food away. These facts show how paradoxical and complex the world’s food problem is. ln this course, more than 10 food researchers from Utrecht University will address the main issues...

2. Sustainable Food Production Through Livestock Health Management

coursera

Learn about the impact of infectious disease on sustainable animal-based food production by understanding the science of growth, immunity, and infection and by learning the problem-solving skills needed to advance animal health and food production through optimal management practices. There is a growing global need in agricultural production for a workforce that is capable of integrating knowledge of animal health and production with an understanding of consumer preferences in the context of...

3. Fun food safety and sanitation course

udemy
4.6
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The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...

4. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System

udemy
4.4
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Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...

5. Stanford Introduction to Food and Health

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Around the world, we find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other predominantly diet-related diseases. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative strategies for promoting healthful eating. There is strong evidence that global increases in the consumption of heavily processed foods, coupled with cultural shifts away from the preparation of food in the home, have contributed to high rates of preventable, chronic disease. In this...

6. Introduction to Food and Our Environment

coursera

This course is designed to help learners around the world become more sustainable eaters. Course videos can be watched in any order. Feel free to explore special areas of interest by skipping ahead and coming back to less familiar topics at a later stage. Together, we’ll explore key topics, like how food production impacts the environment and why meat production and protein consumption are often at the center of the debate around sustainability. We’ll introduce the pros and cons of different...

7. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals

udemy
4.6
(1,644)

Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...

8. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors

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4.3
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The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...

9. Cooking for Busy Healthy People

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Cooking is one of the most powerful ways in which we can optimize our enjoyment of great quality food while protecting our health. Even on a tight budget, cooking can be a cost-effective, joyful and rewarding way to love the food that will love us back for a lifetime. In this course, you’ll learn some basic recipes from a home cook and two professional chefs who prioritize healthful eating. You’ll also learn some of the fundamentals of principle-based cooking that can help you break free from...

10. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen

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4.7
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With DIY Food Photography, you'll be taking better photos in no time with what you have in your own kitchen!...

11. Basic Food Photography

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4.2
(1,349)

Learn how to take delicious food photos from scratch...

12. Get to Know Your Food: Claims, Labels & Ingredients

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4.4
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Learn how to make the healthiest and best food choices amidst processed and packaged foods...

13. ISO 22000 (HACCP and PRPs) for Food Safety

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4.4
(618)

Standards, analysis, control points, and risk management related to ISO 22000 for food industry professionals...

14. Eat Real Food: How to Eat a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet

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4.5
(4,365)

Learn how to be a healthy vegan or vegetarian in a holistic way for best health, weight, and wellbeing...

15. Blockchain applications in Food Safety, Healthcare & Pharma

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4.5
(3,019)

Best course to learn about Blockchain Business Applications in Pharma, Food Safety, Healthcare and Insurance Industries...

16. You Found It! Foodies Ultimate Food Photography Masterclass

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4.9
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Beautiful Food Photography with any smartphone, iphone or digital camera. See Progress Quickly. Fundamentals matter!...

17. Vegan Nutrition: Build Your Plant Based Diet & Meal Plan

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4.8
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Learn How To Set Up A Vegan Diet For Weight Loss, Building Muscle, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning & Vegan Bodybuilding...

18. The Ultimate Food and Restaurant Business Course

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4.5
(1,874)

For Existing Food & Restaurant Businesses & Start Ups. This course will significantly improve you chance of success...

19. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Diet Planning

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4.4
(2,190)

Learn how to Create Your Clients(or your)perfect diet and nutrition plan based on their goals, preferences and lifestyle...

20. Modern Food Recipes App - Android Development with Kotlin

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4.7
(846)

Develop beautiful and fully functional Android App in Android Studio using the power of Kotlin programming language...

Average institutional cook salary by education level

Institutional cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $32,062 annually. With a Associate degree, institutional cooks earn a median annual income of $31,445 compared to $30,870 for institutional cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
Institutional cook education levelInstitutional cook salary
High School Diploma or Less$30,870
Bachelor's Degree$32,062
No Education$30,571
Some College/ Associate Degree$31,445

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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