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How to hire a specialty cook

Specialty cook hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring specialty cooks in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a specialty cook is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new specialty cook to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a specialty cook, step by step

To hire a specialty cook, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a specialty cook:

Here's a step-by-step specialty 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 specialty cook job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new specialty cook
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the specialty cook you need to hire. Certain specialty cook roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A specialty cook's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, specialty cooks 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 presents specialty cook salaries for various positions.

    Type of Specialty CookDescriptionHourly rate
    Specialty CookCooks prepare, season, and cook a wide range of foods, which may include soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.$12-20
    Line Cook, Prep CookA line cook/prep cook is responsible for assisting with food preparations, ensuring that all ingredients are readily available and stored safely. Line cook/prep cook tasks also include reviewing and updating menus to keep the customers' patronization... Show more$12-19
    Line Cook/DishwasherA line cook/dishwasher is primarily in charge of prepping food and maintaining their work station's cleanliness while adhering to health standards and protocols. Among their duties include washing and chopping vegetables, cutting meat according to requirements, preparing sauces, and cooking according to an executive chef's directives... Show more$12-21
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Food Handling
    • Culinary
    • Kitchen Equipment
    • Cuisine
    • Food Quality
    • Fine Dining
    • Roasting
    • HACCP
    • Safety Standards
    • Steamers
    • Fryers
    • Health Code
    • Portion Control
    • Food Preparation Equipment
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Work grill, saut, & expediter stations.
    • Complete culinary tasks using various cooking methods and techniques/ very good knife handling skills.
    • Work all stations, saut, grill, pantry, fryer, breakfast, in upscale American bistro.
    • Maintain cleanliness and a sanitary environment within kitchen area to meet all health and safety requirements.
    • Unload and store groceries and supplies.
    • Maintain balance inventories of groceries and supplies.
    More specialty cook duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your specialty cook job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A specialty cook salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a specialty cook in Kansas may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level specialty cook usually earns less than a senior-level specialty cook. Additionally, a specialty cook with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average specialty cook salary

    $16.26hourly

    $33,829 yearly

    Entry-level specialty cook salary
    $26,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 18, 2025

    Average specialty cook salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$43,094$21
    2Nevada$42,271$20
    3New York$40,505$19
    4California$39,480$19
    5Massachusetts$39,191$19
    6New Jersey$38,558$19
    7Oregon$37,852$18
    8District of Columbia$37,739$18
    9Colorado$35,176$17
    10Virginia$34,951$17
    11Illinois$34,506$17
    12Maryland$33,573$16
    13Florida$33,117$16
    14Pennsylvania$32,904$16
    15Iowa$32,586$16
    16Wisconsin$32,318$16
    17Ohio$30,998$15
    18North Carolina$30,708$15
    19Texas$30,583$15
    20Georgia$29,868$14

    Average specialty cook salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics$46,230$22.23
    2The Walt Disney Company$40,918$19.677
    3Resorts World Catskills$39,692$19.08
    4Chumash Casino Resort$38,465$18.49
    5Ocean Casino Resort$37,143$17.86
    6Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City$36,952$17.772
    7Pala Casino Spa and Resort$36,528$17.56
    8Penn National Gaming$36,131$17.37
    9Cache Creek Casino Resort$36,115$17.362
    10DraftKings at Casino Queen$35,680$17.151
    11Remote$35,403$17.02
    12Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club$35,195$16.92
    13Marriott International$35,182$16.91394
    14Noble House$35,063$16.862
    15Jade Equipment$34,713$16.69
    16Gate Gourmet Inc$34,020$16.365
    17Kabobs$34,004$16.35
    18C.J. Foods, Inc.$33,934$16.31
    19Eagle Distributing Co.$33,868$16.28
    20LA Michoacana$33,620$16.165
  4. Writing a specialty cook job description

    A job description for a specialty 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 specialty cook job description:

    Specialty cook job description example

    NOW HIRING Cook for $16.87/hour!

    HMSHost is hiring Cook at Harry Reid International Airport.

    Specialty Cook

    With a career at HMSHost, you really benefit! We Offer

    Health, dental and vision insurance

    Generous paid time off (vacation/Holiday)

    Holiday pay

    Meal and Transportation Benefits

    Employee assistance program

    Training and exciting career growth opportunities

    The referral program refers a friend and earns a bonus

    *Benefits may vary by position so ask your recruiter for details.

    Summary

    The Specialty Cook is responsible for the preparation of all wok-cooked or sautéed items along with the preparation required in setting up the stations for the branded concepts for each shift. The Specialty Cook supports a team environment and is responsible for communicating any potential problems to the manager on duty, providing the highest level of service to customers and associates at all times, and performing all additional responsibilities as directed by assigned management. This is a non-exempt position, which reports to the Store Manager, Assistant Store Manager, or Operations Director, depending upon local requirements.

    Essential Functions

    Follows recipes and/or product directions for preparing and wok-cooking all specified menu items; works with a sense of urgency to meet time goals while adhering to recipe standards and displays an attention to detail and food presentation

    Follows recipes and/or product directions for preparing, cutting, marinating, cooking, tasting, carving, and serving all items

    Tastes products, follow menus, estimates food requirements, checks production, and keeps records in order to accurately plan production requirements and requisition supplies and equipment as needed

    Performs basic math and measurement calculations associated with recipes

    Operates kitchen equipment (i.e., buffalo chopper, fryers, cleavers, etc.); handle knives and wears a cut glove when doing so regardless of knife size

    Coordinates food output with the other cooks

    Maintains quality control for all products, including monitoring the freshness of the product

    Cleans and sanitizes workstations and equipment

    Follows excellent food safety and sanitation practices and complies with HACCP standards

    Stocks, dates, rotates, and checks the temperature of the product; receives, moves, and lifts food and beverage products and supplies

    Complies with HMSHost and franchisee policies as well as those of all applicable regulatory agencies

    Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment

    Requires 1-2 years of wok-cooking experience where food is prepared to order (including the ability to work two [2] woks simultaneously preferred); if no previous work experience requires a minimum of 1-2 years of sauté experience and/or cooking experience in a high volume and high prep dining kitchen.

    Successful completion of the brand training program

    Requires food preparation skills and knowledge of HACCP standards

    Requires the ability to speak, read and comprehend instructions, short correspondence, and policy documents, as well as converse comfortably and professionally with individuals

    Requires the ability to work in varied kitchen temperatures, up to and including very warm cooking environments

    Must be able to cook, stand and/or walk for a period of up to nine [9] hours

    Must have the ability to handle a knife/cleaver

    Must have exceptional skills in handling all product and specialty ingredients and quality control

    Must be able to adapt to changes in new menu items and cooking techniques; must be able to read and understand associated recipes, prep lists, and pars

    Must have the capacity to perform basic math and measurement calculations associated with recipes

    HMSHost is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. HMSHost is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right specialty cook for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your specialty cook job on Zippia to find and recruit specialty cook candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting specialty cooks 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.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 specialty cook

    Once you've selected the best specialty cook 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new specialty cook. 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.)
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How much does it cost to hire a specialty cook?

Hiring a specialty cook comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting specialty cooks involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of specialty cook recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for specialty cooks is $33,829 in the US. However, the cost of specialty cook hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a specialty cook for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $20 an hour.

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