How to hire a prep chef

How to hire a prep chef, step by step

Here's a step-by-step prep chef hiring guide:

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

Post a prep chef job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The prep chef 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?

   Yes

   No

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

   Type of Prep Chef	Description	Hourly rate
   Prep Chef	Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served. They direct kitchen staff and handle any food-related concerns.	$8-18
   Kitchen Cook	A kitchen cook prepares food for customers. Kitchen cooks help devise new menu items and methods of cooking... Show more	$12-18
   Chef De Cuisine	A chef de cuisine, also known as an executive chef, oversees a kitchen's daily operations in public and private establishments to ensure food quality and efficient services. Their duties require cooking and leadership skills because they involve leading menu development and meal preparation, coordinating staff, delegating responsibilities, selecting and sourcing ingredients, and handling customer issues and concerns promptly and professionally... Show more	$17-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Dishes
   • Cleanliness
   • Food Service
   • Dinner Service
   • Prep List
   • Fine Dining
   • Food Products
   • Food Orders
   • Safety Standards
   • Slicers
   • Quality Food
   • Line Cooks
   • Quality Standards

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
   • Work using fryers, boilers, grill, ovens, steamers, mixers.
   • Instruct new employees in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food.
   • Maintain highest level of cleanliness and sanitation.
   • Maintain cleanliness of station, ensuring sanitary conditions.
   • Create and prepare international cuisine for executive clientele by using ingenuity, organization, efficiency in production and attention to detail

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, prep chefs' average salary in idaho is 64% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level prep chefs 56% less than senior-level prep chefs.
   • Certifications. A prep chef 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 prep chef's salary.

   Average prep chef salary

   $12.47hourly

   $25,941 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level prep chef salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a prep chef job description

   A good prep chef job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a prep chef job description:

   Prep chef job description example

   At Chick-fil-A, the Team Member role is more than just a job, it's an opportunity. In addition to working directly for an independent Operator, team members gain life experience that goes far beyond just serving a great product in a friendly environment. Chick-fil-A is a great opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds. Prep people will work with mostly cold (salads, wraps, fruit, etc.) food in a fast paced environment while keeping their station clean and adhering to recipes and food safety guidelines.
   Store Hours: 6:30 am – 10 pm, Monday thru Saturday, Closed on Sunday.
   We have an immediate need for you for either day or night shifts and full or part-time.
   Are you a friendly and enthusiastic person who has a heart for serving guests?
   Are you interested in being a part of an organization where the main attributes are: •People Impacting People: Offering our guests unexpected acts of kindness and consistently "Remarkable" customer service.
   •Employer of choice: We are known for our encouraging, family-style atmosphere for our employees where the core building blocks are creating fun and a little weirdness, working together as a team and always trying to improve through coaching and development. •Restaurant of destination: We are known by our guests for our atmosphere of a remarkable type of service and exceptional cleanliness, coupled with the restaurant's foundation of quickly serving consistently high-quality food.
   If your answer to these two questions is "Absolutely -- Yes!" then you want to seriously consider Chapel Hill Chick-fil-A (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) as your "Employer of Choice".
   A job at Chick-fil-A is more than just a job. It's a stepping-stone to a successful future in the world of business. Here are some of the great benefits of working at Chick-fil-A:
   Flexible Hours - You probably have commitments to your family, friends, school or sports teams. We will try to arrange your work schedule around them. Closed Sundays - All Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays so you can have a day off to spend with family and friends. Work Directly With A Chick-fil-A Operator - The Operator is an independent business person, responsible for the operation of the restaurant, who invests time in his or her employees, teaching them important business skills for the future. Competitive Pay - Along with a competitive paycheck, you will work in a nurturing environment where you will learn valuable business and people skills. It's a Great Place to Work - At Chick-fil-A, our Operators consider their team members to be more than just employees, they are a highly valued part of each Chick-fil-A restaurant. Our high retention rate is proof that team members really enjoy working at Chick-fil-A.
   
   REQUIREMENTS
   
   ABOUT THE COMPANY
   Chick-fil-A, Inc., Founder S. Truett Cathy started the business in 1946, when he and his brother, Ben, opened an Atlanta diner known as The Dwarf Grill (later renamed The Dwarf House®). Through the years, that restaurant prospered and led Cathy to further the success of his business. In 1967, Cathy founded and opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center. Today, Chick-fil-A has the highest same-store sales and is the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States based on annual system-wide sales. Today, Chick-fil-A is America's #1 fast food restaurant.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find prep chefs 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 prep chefs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level prep chefs 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 prep chef job on Zippia to find and recruit prep chef candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting prep chefs 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 prep chef

   Once you've selected the best prep chef 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new prep chef. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a prep chef?