Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

People in this career prepare and cook meals in large volumes. Their daily routines center on food production, customer service, and public safety. Day-to-day tasks include inspecting kitchen equipment, monitoring cooking processes, and identifying ingredients to ensure everything complies with health and safety standards.

To succeed, cooks must organize and prioritize their work while communicating effectively with supervisors and coworkers. The role requires strong skills in monitoring, quality control analysis, and active listening. Successful workers show dependability, attention to detail, and cooperation. They must maintain self-control and stress tolerance in fast-paced kitchen environments. This occupation appeals most to individuals with realistic interests who enjoy hands-on, practical work.

To enter this field, workers typically do not need a formal educational credential. Most people prepare for the role with a high school diploma combined with some on-the-job training or previous kitchen experience.

Students interested in this career path often major in culinary arts and related services, or foods, nutrition, and related services. To build their credentials, cooks can pursue certifications such as Certified Culinarian, Certified Fundamentals Cook, or Certified Fundamentals Pastry Cook from the American Culinary Federation. The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation also offers the ServSafe Allergens certification. Additionally, some states list specific licensing requirements for this line of work.

The median annual pay for these cooks is $37,450. The lowest 10 percent of earners make less than $28,480, while the highest 10 percent earn more than $49,670.

There are 441,050 people employed in this occupation. Between the years 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 2.8 percent, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Workers can expect about 62,900 job openings to become available each year.