Restaurant Cook

Explore Careers Restaurant Cook O*NET-SOC: 35-2014.00 Hospitality Prepares, seasons, and cooks dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, and desserts in a restaurant setting, working under the direction of head cooks or chefs to ensure food quality and timely service. See your fit Take the quiz to see how you match Take the Quiz $37K Median Salary +6% Growing High School Diploma Min. Education Demanding Work-Life Balance About This Role A Restaurant Cook turns raw ingredients into finished plates by managing timing, temperature, and consistency in a fast-moving kitchen. They arrive early to check stock, sharpen knives, and prepare mise-en-place, then move through the service rush making sure each dish matches the recipe, portion size, and plating standards. During lunch or dinner, they flip proteins on grills, stir sauces, replenish garnishes, and adjust seasonings based on taste and how the kitchen is running, all while coordinating with other station cooks and the expeditor to keep tickets moving. A Day in the Life 9:00 AM Kitchen prep and mise-en-place Arrive, put on chef’s whites, check inventory, and begin chopping, peeling, and portioning ingredients so they are ready for the day’s service. 10:30 AM Station setup and safety check Organize their station with seasonings, tools, and pans, and verify that thermometers, sanitizers, and fire safety equipment are present and functional. 11:00 AM Pre-lunch prep cooking Start cooking items like soups, roasts, or sauces that need long simmering, and assemble components that will be quickly assembled during the rush. 11:45 AM Lunch rush active cooking Take tickets from the expeditor, cook dishes in sequence, plate orders, and coordinate with the grill, fry, and sauté stations to keep timing consistent. 1:30 PM Lunch break and cleanup Eat a quick meal, then clean and re-stock their station, scrape and wash pans, and refill utensils and sauces for the remainder of the day. 2:30 PM Dinner prep and inventory check Review inventory levels, start additional prep work for dinner, and communicate with the manager or chef about any items that need to be ordered or removed from the menu. 4:30 PM Dinner rush active cooking Work intense dinner service, pacing dishes so mains and sides arrive together, adjusting recipes slightly to maintain quality while keeping up with ticket volume. 8:00 PM Closing and deep cleaning Break down equipment, clean and sanitize work surfaces, store leftovers safely, and confirm that the station is ready for the next day’s shift. Tools & Technologies Web & Social MediaFacebookSpreadsheetsMicrosoft ExcelOffice SuitesMicrosoft OfficeEmailMicrosoft OutlookWord ProcessingMicrosoft WordPoint of SalePoint of sale POS restaurant software Salary Details Salary Distribution Salary distribution for Restaurant Cook: 10th percentile $28K, 25th $31K, median $37K, 75th $44K, 90th $47K Median $28K $31K $37K $44K $47K Most professionals earn between $31K and $44K Restaurant Cook salary percentile distribution Percentile Salary 10th $28K 25th $31K 50th (Median) $37K 75th $44K 90th $47K Salary by State Restaurant Cook salary by state map Restaurant Cook salary by state State Median Salary Salary Range Massachusetts $46K $35K - $58K District of Columbia $45K $37K - $54K Washington $45K $36K - $56K Maine $45K $37K - $50K Hawaii $45K $29K - $67K Vermont $45K $33K - $56K California $44K $36K - $55K New York $40K $34K - $57K Colorado $39K $32K - $49K New Hampshire $39K $31K - $48K Rhode Island $39K $31K - $49K Alaska $39K $32K - $46K Minnesota $38K $30K - $47K New Jersey $38K $31K - $49K Oregon $38K $32K - $48K Connecticut $38K $33K - $48K Arizona $38K $34K - $47K Maryland $37K $31K - $47K Nevada $37K $30K - $52K Wisconsin $37K $28K - $47K Montana $37K $27K - $51K Delaware $37K $30K - $47K Nebraska $37K $27K - $44K Wyoming $37K $27K - $51K Illinois $37K $30K - $46K Virginia $37K $28K - $46K Michigan $37K $29K - $45K Utah $37K $28K - $47K Florida $36K $29K - $45K North Dakota $36K $28K - $46K Tennessee $36K $24K - $45K Iowa $36K $24K - $47K South Carolina $36K $25K - $44K Pennsylvania $35K $22K - $44K Missouri $35K $27K - $45K North Carolina $35K $27K - $45K South Dakota $35K $30K - $44K Georgia $35K $22K - $43K Indiana $35K $26K - $43K Idaho $35K $21K - $45K Ohio $35K $24K - $43K Kansas $34K $23K - $43K New Mexico $34K $28K - $42K Texas $34K $23K - $43K Kentucky $31K $23K - $42K Oklahoma $31K $23K - $49K Alabama $30K $22K - $38K Mississippi $30K $21K - $37K Arkansas $29K $24K - $37K Louisiana $29K $21K - $38K West Virginia $29K $21K - $37K Restaurant Cook salary by state State Median Salary Salary Range Massachusetts $46K $35K - $58K District of Columbia $45K $37K - $54K Washington $45K $36K - $56K Maine $45K $37K - $50K Hawaii $45K $29K - $67K Vermont $45K $33K - $56K California $44K $36K - $55K New York $40K $34K - $57K Colorado $39K $32K - $49K New Hampshire $39K $31K - $48K Rhode Island $39K $31K - $49K Alaska $39K $32K - $46K Minnesota $38K $30K - $47K New Jersey $38K $31K - $49K Oregon $38K $32K - $48K Connecticut $38K $33K - $48K Arizona $38K $34K - $47K Maryland $37K $31K - $47K Nevada $37K $30K - $52K Wisconsin $37K $28K - $47K Montana $37K $27K - $51K Delaware $37K $30K - $47K Nebraska $37K $27K - $44K Wyoming $37K $27K - $51K Illinois $37K $30K - $46K Virginia $37K $28K - $46K Michigan $37K $29K - $45K Utah $37K $28K - $47K Florida $36K $29K - $45K North Dakota $36K $28K - $46K Tennessee $36K $24K - $45K Iowa $36K $24K - $47K South Carolina $36K $25K - $44K Pennsylvania $35K $22K - $44K Missouri $35K $27K - $45K North Carolina $35K $27K - $45K South Dakota $35K $30K - $44K Georgia $35K $22K - $43K Indiana $35K $26K - $43K Idaho $35K $21K - $45K Ohio $35K $24K - $43K Kansas $34K $23K - $43K New Mexico $34K $28K - $42K Texas $34K $23K - $43K Kentucky $31K $23K - $42K Oklahoma $31K $23K - $49K Alabama $30K $22K - $38K Mississippi $30K $21K - $37K Arkansas $29K $24K - $37K Louisiana $29K $21K - $38K West Virginia $29K $21K - $37K Lower ($29K-$37K)Middle (~$37K)Higher ($37K-$46K) Highest Paying States 1.Massachusetts$46K2.District of Columbia$45K3.Washington$45K4.Maine$45K5.Hawaii$45K Lowest Paying States 1.West Virginia$29K2.Louisiana$29K3.Arkansas$29K4.Mississippi$30K5.Alabama$30K Certifications, Training & Memberships Essential ServSafe Food Handler or Food Protection Manager National Restaurant Association Certification Teaches safe food handling, temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and cleaning procedures, which are essential for working in commercial kitchens. Recommended Certified Culinarian (CC) American Culinary Federation Certification Validates core culinary skills such as knife work, cooking techniques, and basic kitchen management for entry-level cooks and commis chefs. Certified Sous Chef (CSC) American Culinary Federation Certification Focuses on supervisory skills, menu planning, cost control, and leadership in a kitchen environment, usually for cooks with several years of experience. Food Safety and Sanitation course Community colleges Course Covers hygiene, hazard analysis, proper storage, and sanitation practices tailored to restaurant kitchens, often required by employers or local health authorities. Professional Memberships American Culinary Federation (ACF) membership American Culinary Federation Membership Provides access to competitions, workshops, continuing education, and networking opportunities for cooks and chefs at all levels. Work Environment Remote Work On-site Only Work Setting Traditional office / indoor Physical Activity Physically active — significant time on your feet Social Interaction Highly collaborative — frequent team interaction Schedule Standard work hours Your Skills & Attributes Skills & Competencies Matches (42) Speaking Moderate Match Critical Thinking Moderate Match Monitoring Moderate Match Time Management Moderate Match Active Listening Moderate Match Frequently Asked Questions Is Restaurant Cook a good career? Restaurant Cook can be a rewarding career choice. Based on current data, the median salary is $37K and job outlook is growing (6% projected growth). Whether it's a good fit depends on your skills, interests, and values — take our quiz to find out how well you match. What degree do you need to become a Restaurant Cook? The typical education requirement for a Restaurant Cook is a High School Diploma. However, requirements can vary by employer and specialization. Some professionals enter the field with alternative credentials or relevant work experience. How long does it take to become a Restaurant Cook? Becoming a Restaurant Cook typically requires about 4 years of high school education. Additional time may be needed for certifications, internships, or on-the-job training depending on the specific role and employer requirements. What is the work-life balance like for a Restaurant Cook? The work-life balance for a Restaurant Cook is demanding, often requiring long hours, irregular schedules, or high-pressure situations. Individual experiences vary based on employer, specialization, seniority level, and geographic location. What is the job outlook for Restaurant Cook? The job outlook for Restaurant Cook is growing. Employment is projected to grow by 6% over the coming decade. Labor market conditions can vary by region and specialization. Find Restaurant Cook Jobs Google Jobs (opens in new tab) Aggregated listings from across the web Search Restaurant Cook jobs Indeed (opens in new tab) One of the largest job search engines Search Restaurant Cook jobs LinkedIn (opens in new tab) Professional network job listings Search Restaurant Cook jobs Related Careers Use arrow keys or swipe to scroll through related career cards Hospitality Chef / Head Cook Directs and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. Plans and prices menu items, orders supplies, and supervises kitchen staff. Hospitality Fast Food Worker Takes and fills customer orders at food counters and fast-food restaurants, operates registers, prepares simple food items, and maintains cleanliness of serving and dining areas. 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