Become A Prep Cook

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Working As A Prep 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
$18,535
Average Salary

What Does A Prep Cook Do

A Prep Cook assists in the preparation of various dishes in the kitchen. Their primary duties include setting work stations, preparing cooking ingredients, labeling and stocking all ingredients on shelves, and other duties as assigned.

How To Become A Prep 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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Prep Cook jobs

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Prep Cook Career Paths

Prep Cook

Chef Executive Chef General Manager

Area Manager

7 Yearsyrs

Sous Chef Chef De Cuisine Executive Chef

Assistant Food Service Director

5 Yearsyrs

Kitchen Manager Executive Chef Director Of Food And Beverage

Assistant General Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Kitchen Manager Sous Chef

Cook Sous Chef

Chef Head Chef Executive Chef

Food Service Director

9 Yearsyrs

Sous Chef Chef Executive Chef

Food Service Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Baker Pastry Chef Executive Chef

Food Service Supervisor

5 Yearsyrs

Machine Operator Production Supervisor Warehouse Supervisor

Warehouse Manager

5 Yearsyrs

Average Length of Employment

Cook And Assistant Manager 3.7 years
Cook Manager 3.7 years
Head Cook 3.0 years
Cook/Trainer 2.8 years
Cook/Server Dishwasher 2.1 years
Cook And Delivery Driver 2.0 years
Cook/Server 2.0 years
Prep Cook 2.0 years
Assistant Cook 2.0 years
Cook 1.9 years
Grill Cook/Prep 1.8 years
Line Cook, Prep Cook 1.8 years
Food Prep 1.8 years
Kitchen Cook 1.8 years
Breakfast Cook 1.8 years
Deli Cook 1.7 years
Line Cook/Dishwasher 1.6 years
Grill Cook 1.6 years
Food Preparer 1.6 years
Cook/Dishwasher 1.6 years
Prep Cook/Dishwasher 1.5 years
Pizza Cook 1.4 years
Cook/Team Member 1.4 years
Kitchen Staff 1.4 years
Kitchen Crew 1.3 years
Pizza Maker 1.3 years
Fry Cook 1.1 years

Top Careers Before Prep Cook

Top Careers After Prep Cook

Prep Cook Demographics

Gender

Male
60.9%
Female
37.4%
Unknown
1.8%

Ethnicity

White
79.3%
Hispanic or Latino
12.8%
Asian
6.0%
Unknown
1.4%
Black or African American
0.5%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
68.7%
French
10.7%
Italian
4.6%
German
3.6%
Portuguese
1.7%
Chinese
1.4%
Russian
1.2%
Japanese
1.1%
Mandarin
1.0%
Polish
1.0%
Arabic
1.0%
Carrier
0.7%
Greek
0.6%
Tagalog
0.6%
Vietnamese
0.4%
Filipino
0.4%
Dakota
0.4%
Dutch
0.3%
Danish
0.3%
Navajo
0.3%

Prep Cook

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

Prep Cook Education

Schools

Johnson & Wales University
14.2%
University of Phoenix
11.8%
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
10.4%
Delgado Community College
6.4%
Ashford University
5.0%
Culinary Institute of America
4.9%
Southern New Hampshire University
4.3%
Kaplan University
4.0%
Pima Community College
4.0%
Valencia College
3.6%
Community College of Allegheny County
3.4%
Community College of Philadelphia
3.4%
Grand Rapids Community College
3.3%
Sinclair Community College
3.1%
Miami Dade College
3.1%
Liberty University
3.1%
Hinds Community College
3.1%
Everest Institute
3.1%
Lansing Community College
3.1%
Santa Rosa Junior College
3.0%

Majors

Degrees

Other
47.7%
Associate
20.0%
Bachelors
18.8%
Certificate
8.2%
Diploma
3.1%
Masters
1.5%
License
0.5%
Doctorate
0.1%

Prep Cook

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Real Prep Cook Salaries

Job Title	Company	Location	Start Date	Salary
Prep Cook	Fuzzy Corp	Falmouth, MA	May 02, 2016	$27,694
Line/Prep Cook	Wade Hampton Golf Club, Inc.	Cashiers, NC	Apr 20, 2015	$27,131
Prep Cook	Black Diamond Resort Co	Healy, AK	Apr 15, 2016	$26,046
Prep Cook	Black Diamond Resort Co	Healy, AK	Apr 20, 2016	$26,046
Korean Rice Cake Prep Cook	Cho & So Inc.	Philadelphia, PA	Sep 28, 2016	$25,584
Korean Rice Cake Prep Cook	Cho & So Inc.	Philadelphia, PA	Jun 12, 2016	$25,584
Prep Cook	Limerick Dining Corp	Limerick, PA	Dec 22, 2016	$25,584
Line/Prep Cook	Wade Hampton Golf Club Inc.	Cashiers, NC	Apr 26, 2016	$25,566
Sushi Prep Cook	Advance Seong Inc.	Dreher, PA	Dec 01, 2016	$24,981
Line/Prep Cooks	L. Jireh, Inc.	Grand Marais, MN	Apr 11, 2016	$24,710
Line/Prep Cook	Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club	Orchid, FL	Oct 01, 2016	$24,543
Prep Cooks	Woodstock Resort Corporation	Woodstock, VT	Dec 12, 2016	$24,314
Prep Cook	Nemacolin Woodlands Resport and Spa	Farmington, PA	May 12, 2016	$24,126
Prep Cooks	Woodstock Resort Corporation	Woodstock, VT	Apr 15, 2016	$23,875
Prep Cook (Japanese Specialty)	K.T. MODA, Inc.	Glendale, CA	Aug 17, 2015	$17,742
Prep Cook	Hyekie Corporation	Port Washington, NY	Apr 12, 2015	$17,430
Prep Cook	New Kang Chon Restaurant, Inc.	Centreville, VA	May 19, 2016	$17,222
Prep Cook	Vinny's Italian Grill & Pizzeria	Fredericksburg, VA	Jul 27, 2015	$17,104
Server/Prep Cook	Angel Fire Resort Operations, LLC	Angel Fire, NM	Nov 01, 2015	$17,072
Server/Prep Cook	Angel Fire Resort Operations, LLC	Angel Fire, NM	May 01, 2015	$17,072
Prep Cook	Vinny's Italian Grill & Pizzeria	Fredericksburg, VA	Jul 27, 2015	$17,014
Prep Cook	Dotombori, Inc.	Oakton, VA	Sep 16, 2015	$17,014
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Houston, LLC	The Woodlands, TX	Apr 04, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Tejas LLC	Corpus Christi, TX	Dec 10, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Tejas LLC	Kingsville, TX	Oct 20, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Houston, LLC	Houston, TX	Oct 21, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Houston, LLC	Lake Jackson, TX	Oct 21, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Tejas LLC	Kingsville, TX	Oct 24, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Houston, LLC	Houston, TX	Nov 16, 2016	$16,744
Prep Cook	MUY Pizza Tejas LLC	Robstown, TX	Nov 16, 2016	$16,744

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Top Skills for A Prep Cook

Top Prep Cook Skills

Kitchen Equipment
Customer Service Skills
Specific Food Items

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

Scrubbed and organized kitchen equipment.
Demonstrated excellent customer service skills to a variety of different customers.
Measured ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.
Wash dishes and prep food.
Bus Boy - Clean & Set Tables, Keep Restaurant Clean Dishwasher - Wash Dishes And Keep Area Sanitized