Cook Job Description

Salary Range

$32,440 - $44,800

Experience

Entry-level to experienced

Work Environment

Institutional kitchen

What Does a Cook Do?

Taped beside the steam kettles, the day's production sheet gives an institutional cook the portion counts for soup, rice and baked chicken at lunch. Cooking in large batches from standardized recipes, including low-sodium, pureed and allergen-free versions, is the core of the job in schools, hospitals and college dining halls. Most of the work is done standing.

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Cafeteria Cook, Dietary Cook, Dinner Cook, Food Service Specialist, Food Service Worker, Prep Cook (Preparatory Cook), School Cook, Sous Chef.

Cook Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a cook include:

• Prepare entrees, soups, starches and vegetables in large batches from standardized recipes.
• Read daily production sheets and scale recipes up or down to match meal counts.
• Cook and portion modified diets such as low-sodium, pureed or allergen-free meals.
• Check and record food temperatures during cooking, hot holding and cooling.
• Operate steam kettles, tilt skillets, combi ovens and large mixers safely.
• Label, date and store leftovers and prepped ingredients using first-in, first-out rotation.
• Set up steam tables and serving lines before each meal period.
• Clean and sanitize equipment, work surfaces and walk-in coolers at the end of each shift.
• Help take deliveries and report low stock to the kitchen manager.
• Guide newer cooks and food service workers on recipes and station setup.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a cook, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Batch cooking from standardized recipes
• Recipe scaling and basic kitchen math
• Food handler card or ServSafe certification
• Knowledge of special diets and food allergens
• Safe use of steam kettles, tilt skillets and commercial ovens
• Speed and consistency under mealtime deadlines
• Physical stamina for lifting and long shifts standing
• Clean, organized work habits

Education and Training

Kitchens hiring institutional cooks ask for no formal credential, though food safety training is standard. The head cook or kitchen manager teaches recipes and equipment on the job, and a culinary certificate or high school culinary program puts some new hires a step ahead. Cooks who can work every station and handle the paperwork are the ones promoted to lead cook or kitchen supervisor.

Salary and Job Outlook

BLS figures for institution and cafeteria cooks point to growth of about 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, a modest rise. Turnover is the bigger story: BLS expects roughly 62,900 openings a year as cooks retire or move to other kitchens. Schools, hospitals and campus kitchens tend to offer steadier daytime hours than restaurants, which is why many cooks seek them out.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Cooks, institution and cafeteria.

Cook Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Cooks

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Washington ($49,670), Alaska ($48,580), Massachusetts ($47,790), Hawaii ($47,770), Rhode Island ($46,570). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($27,390), Alabama ($27,120), Louisiana ($25,490).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as cooks, institution and cafeteria about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 92% spend more than half the workday on their feet
• 90% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
• 84% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
• 84% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 83% work against deadlines every day
• 80% spend more than half the day walking or moving around
• 68% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Cooks Use

Tools and equipment

• Apple corers
• Blast chillers
• Blenders
• Bone saws
• Box graters
• Braziers
• Bread slicers
• Broilers
• Cappuccino makers
• Carbonated beverage dispensers

Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• GNOME Gnutrition
• IBM Lotus 1-2-3
• Meals Plus
• PCS Revenue Control Systems FASTRAK School Meal Software
• Point of sale POS software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making.

Knowledge areas used most: English Language, Food Production, Customer and Personal Service, Mathematics, Administration and Management.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

• Line Cook job description
• Prep Cook job description
• Food Service Worker job description
• Chef job description
• Sous Chef job description
• Pastry Chef job description
• Baker job description
• Assistant Catering Manager job description

Applying for a Cook Job

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