Career Details
Career Details
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Career Details

35-2014.00 - Cooks, Restaurant


Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
1,109,700
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
1,268,700
Estimate
Change in Employment
+158,900
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+14.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
  • Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
  • Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
  • Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
  • Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
  • Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.
  • Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
  • Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.
  • Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.
  • Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.
  • Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
  • Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.
  • Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
  • Prepare relishes and hors d'oeuvres.
  • Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment and work surfaces, or serving areas to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
  • Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
  • Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
Supplemental
  • Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
  • Keep records and accounts.
  • Plan and price menu items.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Food Production
  • 82%
    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 78%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 English Language
  • 71%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Production and Processing
  • 60%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Education and Training
  • 58%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Administration and Management
  • 58%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Mathematics
  • 57%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 55%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Food preparation equipment
  • Blenders
  • Food slicing machines
  • Grinders
 Cookware and kitchen tools
  • Boning knives
  • Chefs' knives
  • Paring knives
 Cooking and warming equipment
  • Charbroilers
  • Commercial microwave ovens
  • Convection ovens
  • Conveyor ovens
  • Food steamers
  • Fryers
  • Gas grills
  • Griddles
  • Pasta cookers
  • Pizza ovens
  • Rotating rack ovens
  • Rotisserie ovens
  • Salamander ovens
  • Smoking cabinets
  • Wok ranges
 Domestic flatware and cutlery
  • Cimeter knives
  • Filet knives
  • Utility cutlery
 Food cutting machinery
  • Meat and cheese slicing machines
  • Meat saws
 Computers
  • Personal computers
  • Point of sale POS computer terminals
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content authoring and editing software
  • FacebookHOT
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Food safety labeling systems
  • Point of sale POS restaurant software
 Business function specific software
  • Inventory management software
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Recipe cost control software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Western Community College