Become A Kitchen Cook

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Working As A Kitchen Cook

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Getting Information
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Performing General Physical Activities

Outdoors/walking/standing
$23,100
Average Salary

What Does A Kitchen Cook Do At Aramark

* Sets up and breaks down work stations
* Maintains a clean and sanitary work station
* Cooks and prepares food according to production guidelines and recipes
* Knowledge of food product, identification, and acceptable level of food quality
* Ensures food is stored at the appropriate temperature for the appropriate length of time and follows all food safety standards
* Completes daily temperature logs
* Must know methods of food preparation, cooking times, and portion sizes to ensure food is prepared in prescribed manner
* Evaluates food quality and preparedness by tasting
* Cuts, trims, bones, and carves meats and poultry for cooking
* Responsible for using correct portions when cutting, preparing, and serving items
* Cleans and sanitizes work areas, equipment, and utensils
* Additional Job Functions:
* Assists in other areas as needed
* Adheres to weekly/monthly cleaning schedules as posted by management
* Completion of any task requested by a supervisor or member of the Aramark management team

What Does A Kitchen Cook Do At Marriott

* Maximum of ten responsibilities, in order of percentage of time spent on functions from longest to shortest; do not list anything that doesnot represent at least 10% of the job's time.
* Please include supervisory responsibilities.
* Perform basic knife skills (i.e. slice, dice, julienne) in the preparation and production of food items.
* Prepare and produce baked and pastry items according to established standards in pastry kitchens as assigned.
* Clean and organize walk-in coolers, food production areas, equipment, and general kitchen areas.
* Provide support to the front line, following guidelines given by management.
* Store food and chemicals appropriately.
* Perform according to HACCP, OSHA and sanitation guidelines.
* Perform other duties as assigned

What Does A Kitchen Cook Do At Fairmont

* Reporting to the Executive Chef
* OAK, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following:
* Consistently offer professional, friendly and proactive guest service while supporting fellow Colleagues
* Prepare, cook and service all food items for a la carte andor buffet menus according to hotel recipes and standards
* Ensure the cleanliness and maintenance of all work areas, utensils, and equipment
* Have full knowledge of all menu items, daily features and promotions
* Follow kitchen policies, procedures and service standards
* Follow all safety and sanitation policies when handling food and beverage
* Other duties as assigned
* Employee Status

What Does A Kitchen Cook Do At Hy-Vee Food Stores

* Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service.
* Prepares various foods for Hy
* Vee's Kitchen department and is responsible for all hot foods and cold foods including available heat-and-eat varieties.
* WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
* Accountable and Reports to (Job Title): Store Director, Assistant Store Director; Managers GM, Perishables, and Store Operations, Assistant Managers,
* Kitchen Manager, Assistant Kitchen Manager
* Positions that Report to you (Job Title): None
* PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
* Provides prompt, efficient and friendly customer service by exhibiting caring, concern and patience in all customer interactions and treating customers as the most important people in the store.
* Smiles and greets customers in a friendly manner, whether the encounter takes place in the employee's designated department or elsewhere in the store.
* Makes an effort to learn customers' names and to address them by name whenever possible.
* Assists customers by: (examples include)
* escorting them to the products they're looking for
* securing products that are out of reach
* loading or unloading heavy items
* making note of and passing along customer suggestions or requests
* performing other tasks in every way possible to enhance the shopping experience.
* Answers the telephone promptly when called upon and provides friendly, helpful service to customers who call.
* Works with co-workers as a team to ensure customer satisfaction and a pleasant work environment.
* Prepares the cooking surfaces.
* Prepares vegetables and sides and cooks meats and breakfast foods.
* Places food in hot cases, monitors amounts, and refills as necessary.
* Fills the cold case with overflow food.
* Prepares items for the next day.
* Ensures personal understanding of all aspects of the kitchen.
* PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES cont:
* Understands and practices proper sanitation procedures and ensures the work area is always clean and neat.
* Maintains strict adherence to department and company guidelines related to personal hygiene and dress.
* Adheres to company policies and individual store guidelines.
* Reports to work when scheduled and on time.
* SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
* These are considered occasional in nature)
* Provides direct customer service when necessary.
* Orders product and supplies when necessary or notifies department head of needs.
* Assists in other areas of store as needed

What Does A Kitchen Cook Do At Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency

* _
* Checks menu and recipes via standardize recipes
* Checks supplies of necessary ingredients
* Prepares meal selections such as hot cereal, soups, gravy, roast beef, pork, breads, and desserts, including pastries, cakes, and cookies
* Operates kitchen appliances such as range, tilting brazier pan, slicer, chopper, steamer, steam jacketed kettle, mixer
* Serves as back-up for other cooks
* May prepare special food items in accordance with special diet requirements
* May assist in related facilities services operations
* Prepares standardized recipes
* Performs quality and quantity checks
* Uses proper methods in receiving, handling, and storing products
* Uses production sheets according to procedures
* Avoids waste, assists in cost containment; trains and provides work direction to residents (inmates) in a kitchen work program at a County correctional facility, including such tasks as meal preparation, cleaning cooking/ eating utensils, cleaning floors, and set-up/ serving of food; performs related duties as required
* Under the direct supervision of the chef, prepares and portions food for patients, employees, and special functions.
* Prepares baked goods and desserts for cafeteria and patients
* Performs various baking tests for custards, muffins, and danish, and tests new recipes
* Schedules daily food preparations as patient and cafeteria menus dictate
* Assigned to supervise and assist in the operation of the patient tray line
* Assists in checking various perishable and nonperishable food orders
* May place weekly food orders for milk, bread, etc.
* Responsible for the cleaning and proper use of equipment and reports repairs as needed
* Works alternate weekends and may assist in providing work direction to other kitchen employees
* Performs work of equal skill and responsibility as directed.
* May also perform work of a higher level in preparation for increased responsibility and may be requested to do work of lesser responsibility when the workload of the department so requires
*

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How To Become A Kitchen Cook

Most cooks learn their skills through on-the-job training and work-related experience. Although no formal education is required, some restaurant cooks and private household cooks attend culinary schools. Others attend vocational or apprenticeship programs.

Education

Vocational cooking schools, professional culinary institutes, and some colleges offer culinary programs for aspiring cooks. These programs generally last from a few months to 2 years and may offer courses in advanced cooking techniques, international cuisines, and various cooking styles. To enter these programs, candidates may be required to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Depending on the type and length of the program, graduates generally qualify for entry-level positions as a restaurant cook.

Training

Most cooks learn their skills through on-the-job training, usually lasting a few weeks. Trainees generally first learn kitchen basics and workplace safety and then learn how to handle and cook food.

Some cooks learn through an apprenticeship program. Professional culinary institutes, industry associations, and trade unions may sponsor such programs for cooks. Typical apprenticeships last 1 year and combine technical training and work experience. Apprentices complete courses in food sanitation and safety, basic knife skills, and equipment operation. They also learn practical cooking skills under the supervision of an experienced chef.

The American Culinary Federation accredits more than 200 academic training programs and sponsors apprenticeships through these programs around the country. The basic qualifications for entering an apprenticeship program are as follows:

Minimum age of 17
High school education or equivalent
Pass substance abuse screening

Some hotels, a number of restaurants, and the Armed Forces have their own training programs.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Many cooks learn their skills through work-related experience. They typically start as a kitchen helper or food preparation worker, learning basic cooking skills before they advance to assistant cook or line cook positions. Some learn by working under the guidance of a more experienced cook.

Advancement

The American Culinary Federation certifies chefs, personal chefs, pastry chefs, and culinary administrators, among others. For cooks seeking advancement to higher level chef positions, certification can show accomplishment and lead to higher paying positions.

Advancement opportunities for cooks often depend on training, work experience, and the ability to prepare more complex dishes. Those who learn new cooking skills and who handle greater responsibility, such as supervising kitchen staff in the absence of a chef, often advance. Some cooks may train or supervise kitchen staff, and some may become head cooks, chefs, or food service managers.

Important Qualities

Comprehension. Cooks need to understand orders and follow recipes to prepare dishes correctly.

Customer-service skills. Restaurant and short-order cooks must be able to interact effectively with customers and handle special requests.

Dexterity. Cooks should have excellent hand–eye coordination. For example, they need to use proper knife techniques for cutting, chopping, and dicing.

Physical stamina. Cooks spend a lot of time standing in one place, cooking food over hot stoves, and cleaning work areas.

Sense of taste and smell. Cooks must have a keen sense of taste and smell to prepare meals that customers enjoy.

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Kitchen Cook jobs

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Kitchen Cook Career Paths

Kitchen Cook

Shift Manager Office Manager

Account Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Machine Operator Security Officer Account Manager

Area Manager

7 Yearsyrs

Lead Cook Kitchen Supervisor Executive Chef

Assistant Food Service Director

5 Yearsyrs

Line Cook, Prep Cook Sous Chef Executive Chef

Assistant General Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Cleaner Security Officer Account Manager

Business Manager

7 Yearsyrs

Food Prep Food Service Director

Certified Dietary Manager

8 Yearsyrs

Kitchen Manager General Manager

District Manager

7 Yearsyrs

Shift Leader Kitchen Manager Restaurant Manager

Food And Beverage Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Prep Cook Chef Executive Chef

Food Service Director

9 Yearsyrs

Line Cook, Prep Cook Chef Executive Chef

Food Service Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Food Prep Forklift Operator Carpenter

General Contractor

6 Yearsyrs

Kitchen Manager Sous Chef Executive Chef

General Manager

7 Yearsyrs

Shift Leader Office Manager General Manager

Managing Partner

9 Yearsyrs

Prep Cook Kitchen Manager General Manager

Operations Director

9 Yearsyrs

Delivery Driver Service Technician Service Manager

Operations Manager

7 Yearsyrs

Cleaner Maintenance Technician Production Supervisor

Production Manager

6 Yearsyrs

Delivery Driver Maintenance Technician Project Manager

Program Manager

8 Yearsyrs

Lead Cook Executive Chef Assistant General Manager

Restaurant General Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Shift Manager General Manager Account Executive

Sales Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Machine Operator Production Supervisor Warehouse Supervisor

Warehouse Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Average Length of Employment

Cook Manager 3.7 years
Cook And Assistant Manager 3.7 years
Kitchen Manager/Cook 3.3 years
Head Cook 3.0 years
Cook/Trainer 2.8 years
Dietary Cook 2.3 years
Short Order Cook 2.1 years
Assistant Cook 2.0 years
Cook And Delivery Driver 2.0 years
Kitchen Cook 2.0 years
Cook 1.9 years
Line Cook, Prep Cook 1.8 years
Cooker Cleaner 1.8 years
Grill Cook/Prep 1.8 years
Breakfast Cook 1.8 years
Kitchen Worker 1.7 years
Prep Cook 1.6 years
Grill Cook 1.6 years
Cook/Dishwasher 1.6 years
Kitchen Aide 1.5 years
Kitchen Assistant 1.5 years
Cook/Team Member 1.4 years
Kitchen Staff 1.4 years
Pizza Cook 1.4 years
Kitchen Crew 1.3 years
Kitchen Hand 1.3 years
Fry Cook 1.1 years

Top Careers Before Kitchen Cook

Top Careers After Kitchen Cook

Kitchen Cook Demographics

Gender

Male
61.5%
Female
36.6%
Unknown
2.0%

Ethnicity

White
77.8%
Hispanic or Latino
13.1%
Asian
7.2%
Unknown
1.4%
Black or African American
0.5%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
64.9%
French
8.1%
Japanese
5.4%
Korean
5.4%
Chinese
2.7%
German
2.7%
Hindi
2.7%
Tagalog
2.7%
Russian
2.7%
Polish
2.7%

Kitchen Cook

Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.

Kitchen Cook Education

Schools

University of Phoenix
13.1%
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
8.2%
Ashford University
4.9%
Bowling Green State University
4.9%
Auburn University
4.9%
Pima Community College
4.9%
Salt Lake Community College
4.9%
Florida State University
4.9%
Iowa Central Community College
4.9%
Johnson County Community College
4.9%
Allegany College of Maryland
4.9%
Georgia Southern University
4.9%
Parkland College
4.9%
Hillsborough Community College
4.9%
University of Wisconsin - Platteville
3.3%
Fresno City College
3.3%
Bob Jones University
3.3%
Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne
3.3%
Wayne State University
3.3%
Brigham Young University
3.3%

Majors

Degrees

Other
43.3%
Bachelors
26.0%
Associate
18.0%
Certificate
7.1%
Diploma
2.4%
Masters
2.3%
License
0.5%
Doctorate
0.3%

Kitchen Cook

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Top Skills for A Kitchen Cook

Top Kitchen Cook Skills

Kitchen Prep
Safety Standards
Customer Service

You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:

Worked main kitchen prepare foods for parties, buffet, specialevents that were booked box suites, rock and soul museum.
Scheduled activities to help maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
Provided courteous and informative customer service in an open kitchen format.
Performed the Back of the House Basic Stations as needed during a shift to ensure all menu items met operational standards.
Measure ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.