How to hire a lunch cook

How to hire a lunch cook, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lunch cook hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a lunch cook, 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?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect lunch cook also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of lunch cook salaries for various roles:

   Type of Lunch Cook	Description	Hourly rate
   Lunch Cook	Cooks prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods, which may include soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.	$12-19
   Prep Cook/Dishwasher	A prep cook and dishwasher is responsible for cleaning and sanitizing kitchen items and utensils, and performing basic cooking tasks under the supervision of chefs or cooks. It is also their responsibility to prepare ingredients by washing, chopping, weighing, and ensuring that they are the correct quantity and quality... Show more	$12-18
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Culinary
   • Food Handling
   • Dishes
   • Cleanliness
   • Lunch Orders
   • Clean Kitchen
   • Food Products
   • HACCP
   • Dinner Service
   • Dependability
   • La Carte
   • Cooking Breakfast
   • Food Preparation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
   • Operate ovens, stoves, microwaves, fryers, slicers, blenders, scales, and food processor.
   • Work saut, grill and fryers.
   • Prepare omelets and pasta make to order as well as carving station.
   • Implement cleanliness and sanitation of establishment.
   • Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, lunch cooks' average salary in mississippi is 49% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lunch cooks 35% less than senior-level lunch cooks.
   • Certifications. A lunch cook 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 lunch cook's salary.

   Average lunch cook salary

   $15.77hourly

   $32,796 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level lunch cook salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing a lunch cook job description

   A job description for a lunch cook 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 lunch cook job description:

   Lunch cook job description example

   Essential Functions:
   
   Taher, Inc. is growing and is looking for a Head Cook to join our team!
   
   Essential Functions:
   
   * Cooks and prepares a variety of food through standardized recipes
   * Ensuring all meals meet quality standards, are correctly prepared and within acceptable time limits
   * Monitors and directs food service staff and subs in the preparation, set up, and serving of all meals
   * Prepares and cooks al menu items needed for regular and a la carte lines
   * Checks on all equipment, monitors temperatures of refrigeration and freezer units
   * Effectively utilizes food leftovers per standards
   * Managing ordering, receiving, storing and inventory control of all perishable products following specific procedures and HACCP standards
   * Reinforcing USDA regulations
   * Conducting cost control analysis while monitoring product and menu costs
   * Controlling waste and effectively managing cost and budget performance
   * Establishing monthly food and labor cost goals
   * Promotes nutrition education in school and community
   * Using time management skills to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
   * Performs other duties as requested by leadership
   
   What You Gain:
   
   Taher, Inc. is proud to offer competitive benefits, including:
   
   * Competitive compensation
   * Work-Life balance - Guaranteed hours with no nights or weekends
   * Free daily lunch
   * Uniforms are provided
   * Safety practices and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are provided
   * Employee training and development
   * Opportunities for advancement and to make an impact
   * Culture of inclusion and belonging
   
   Who We Are:
   
   Taher, Inc. is a family-owned food service management company specializing in K-12 school meals, corporate dining, senior dining, catering, vending, prepared services, and baked goods. Our chefs develop recipes prepared from scratch, inspired from around the world, using fresh ingredients to delight and nurture our guests. Taher is recognized as a Top 25 Food Service Management Company by Food Management Magazine.
   
   Location 11111 Bren Road West, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343 Qualifications and Skills:
   
   * 2 years previous experience in a school food service setting preferred
   * Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
   * Able to follow supervisors direction and take responsibility for own actions
   * Able to follow spoken and written directions
   * Ability to prioritize, plan and use time efficiently
   * Ability to lift 30 pounds and stand for long periods of time
   * Maintain a high level of confidentiality when dealing with student, staff, and/or parent information
   * ServSafe Certificate preferred
   * Criminal background check required
   
   EOE/AA
   
   Shift Monday - Friday Day Hours Regular/ Temporary Regular

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find lunch cooks 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 lunch cooks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level lunch cooks 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 lunch cook job on Zippia to find and recruit lunch cook 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 lunch cooks, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 lunch cook

   Once you've decided on a perfect lunch cook candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lunch cook. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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