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Overview for Chefs and Cooks

Chefs and cooks prepare, season, and cook foods ranging from soups, snacks, and salads to entrees, side dishes, and desserts. They work in restaurants and other food services establishments. Chefs and cooks are responsible for creating recipes and preparing meals.

Specifically, chefs and cooks measure, mix, and cook ingredients according to recipes, using a variety of equipment, including pots, pans, cutlery, ovens, broilers, grills, slicers, grinders, and blenders. Chefs and head cooks also direct and supervise the work of other kitchen workers, estimate food requirements, and order food supplies.

Larger restaurants and food services establishments generally have varied menus and larger kitchen staffs that include several chefs and cooks, sometimes called assistant or line cooks. Each chef or cook works an assigned station that is equipped with the types of stoves, grills, pans, and ingredients needed for the foods prepared at that station. Job titles often reflect the principal ingredient prepared or the type of cooking performed—vegetable cook, fry cook, or grill cook, for example. These cooks also may direct or work with other food preparation workers.

Salary Expectations for Chefs and Cooks

Earnings of chefs and cooks vary greatly by region and the type of employer. Earnings usually are highest in elegant restaurants and hotels, where many executive chefs are employed, and in major metropolitan and resort areas.

Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of chefs and head cooks were $34,370 in May 2006 and ranged from less than $20,160 to more than $60,730.

Employment Situation

There were 3.1 million food preparation workers in the U.S. in 2006, with chefs numbering 115,000. Job opportunities for chefs and cooks are expected to be plentiful because of the continued growth and expansion of food services outlets, resulting in average employment growth, and because of the large numbers of workers who leave these occupations and need to be replaced. However, there will be intense competition for jobs at the high end of the pay scale.

Employment of chefs and cooks is expected to increase by 11 percent over the 2006-16 decade, or about as fast as the average for all occupations. This occupation will have among the largest numbers of new jobs - about 351,000 - over that period. Growth will result from increases in population, household income, and demands for convenience, leading to more people dining out and taking vacations that include hotel stays and restaurant visits. Additionally, the employment of chefs and cooks who prepare meals-to-go, such as those who work in the prepared foods sections of grocery or specialty food stores, is expected to grow faster than average as these stores compete with restaurants for food dollars. There is a growing consumer desire for convenient, healthier, made-from-scratch meals, which will spur job growth in this area.

Education Outlook

A high school diploma is not required for beginning jobs, but it is recommended for those planning a career as a cook or chef. Training generally starts with basic sanitation and workplace safety and continues with instruction on food handling, preparation, and cooking procedures. Those who become proficient and who show an interest in learning complicated cooking techniques may advance to more demanding cooking positions or into supervisory positions.

Employers usually prefer applicants who have training after high school. These training programs range from a few months to 2 years or more. Vocational or trade school programs typically offer basic training in food handling and sanitation procedures, nutrition, slicing and dicing methods for various kinds of meats and vegetables, and basic cooking methods, such as baking, broiling, and grilling. Longer programs leading to a certificate or a 2- or 4-year degree train chefs for fine-dining or upscale restaurants. They offer a wider array of training specialties, such as advanced cooking techniques; cooking for banquets, buffets, or parties; and cuisines and cooking styles from around the world.

A growing number of chefs participate in these longer training programs through independent cooking schools, professional culinary institutes, 2- or 4-year college degree programs in hospitality or culinary arts, or in the armed forces. Some large hotels and restaurants also operate their own training and job-placement programs for chefs and cooks. Executive chefs and head cooks who work in fine-dining restaurants require many years of training and experience and an intense desire to cook.

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Overview for Executive Chefs

Executive chefs coordinate the work of the kitchen staff and direct the preparation of meals. They determine serving sizes, plan menus, order food supplies, and oversee kitchen operations to ensure uniform quality and presentation of meals. An executive chef, for example, is in charge of all food service operations and also may supervise the many kitchens of a hotel, restaurant group, or corporate dining operation. Many executive chefs become famous because of the quality and distinctive nature of the food they serve.

Employment Situation

The number of highly skilled executive chefs working in full-service restaurants—those that offer table service and more varied menus—is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations. Much of this increase will come from job growth in more casual dining settings, rather than in up-scale full-service restaurants. Dining trends suggest that an increasing number of meals are eaten away from home, which creates growth in family dining restaurants, but greater limits on expense-account meals is expected to generate slower growth for up-scale restaurants.

Education Outlook

Many chefs are trained on the job, receiving real work experience and training from chef-mentors in the restaurants where they work. Professional culinary institutes, industry associations, and trade unions sponsor formal apprenticeship programs in coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor. The American Culinary Federation accredits more than 200 formal academic training programs and sponsors apprenticeship programs around the country. Typical apprenticeships last 2 years and combine classroom training and work experience. Accreditation is an indication that a culinary program meets recognized standards regarding course content, facilities, and quality of instruction.

Salary Expectations for Executive Chefs

Earnings of executive chefs vary greatly by region and the type of employer. Median annual earnings of executive chefs totaled $34,370 in May 2006, ranging from less than $20,160 to more than $60,730.

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Overview for Private Household Chefs

Private household cooks plan and prepare meals in private homes according to the client’s tastes or dietary needs. They order groceries and supplies, clean the kitchen, and wash dishes and utensils. They also may serve meals. Private chefs are employed directly by a single individual or family or sometimes by corporations or institutions to perform cooking and entertaining tasks. These chefs usually live in and may travel with their employer. Because of the sensitive nature of their employment, they are usually required to sign confidentiality agreements. As part of the job, private chefs often perform additional services, such as paying bills, coordinating schedules, and planning events.

Personal chefs usually prepare a week’s worth of meals in the client’s home for the client to heat and serve according to directions throughout the week. Personal chefs are self-employed or employed by a company that provides this service.

Salary Expectations for Private Household Chefs

Median annual earnings of private household chefs totaled $22,870 in May 2006and ranged from less than $14,690 to more than $55,040.

Employment Situation

Employment of private household cooks is projected to grow by nine percent, about as fast as the average. While the employment of personal chefs is expected to increase in a reflection of the increased popularity and convenience of eating restaurant-quality meals at home, the number of private chefs will not grow as fast, which suggests slower growth in private household service employment.

Education Outlook

The American Culinary Federation certifies pastry professionals, personal chefs, and culinary educators in addition to various levels of chefs. Certification standards are based primarily on experience and formal training. Although certification is not required, it can help to prove accomplishment and lead to advancement and higher-paying positions.

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Institution and cafeteria cooks work in the kitchens of schools, cafeterias, businesses, hospitals, and other institutions. For each meal, they prepare a large quantity of a limited number of entrees, vegetables, and desserts according to preset menus. Meals generally are prepared in advance so diners seldom get the opportunity to special order a meal.

Salary Expectations for Cafeteria/Institutional Cooks

Median annual earnings of institution and cafeteria cooks were $20,410 in May 2006.and ranged from less than $13,450 to over $30,770. Search all cafeteria and institutional cooking jobs.

Employment Situation

There were 401,000 cafeteria and institutional cooks working in the United States in 2006. Employment of institution and cafeteria cooks will grow about as fast as the average. Employment will not keep pace with the rapid growth in the educational and health services industries where their employment is concentrated, however. This is because offices, schools, and hospitals increasingly contract out their food services in an effort to make “institutional food” more attractive to office workers, students, staff, visitors, and patients. Much of the job growth for these workers will be in contract food service establishments that provide catering services or food management and staff for employee dining rooms, sports complexes, convention centers, and educational or health care facilities.

Education Outlook

Some high school or vocational school programs offer courses in basic food safety and handling procedures, cooking, and general business and computer classes that can be helpful for those who might someday want to be a chef or to open their own restaurant. Many school districts cooperate with state departments of education to provide on-the-job training and summer workshops for cafeteria kitchen workers who aspire to become cooks. Food service management companies or hotel and restaurant chains also offer paid internships and summer jobs to those starting out in the field. Internships provide valuable experience and can lead to placement in more formal chef training programs.

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Overview for Food Preparation Workers

Food preparation workers perform routine, repetitive tasks under the direction of chefs and cooks. These workers ready the ingredients for complex dishes by slicing and dicing vegetables, and composing salads and cold items. They weigh and measure ingredients, go after pots and pans, and stir and strain soups and sauces. Food preparation workers may cut and grind meats, poultry, and seafood in preparation for cooking. They also clean work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, and silverware.

Salary Expectations for Food Preparation Workers

Earnings of food preparation workers vary greatly by region and the type of employer. Median annual earnings of food preparation workers were $17,410 in May 2006 and ranged from less than $13,190 to over $25,940.

Employment Situation

There were902,000 million food preparation workers in the U.S. in 2006. Job opportunities for food preparation workers are expected to be plentiful because of the continued growth and expansion of food services outlets, resulting in average employment growth, and because of the large numbers of workers who leave these occupations and need to be replaced. Employment of food preparation workers is expected to increase by 11 percent over the 2006-16 decade, or about as fast as the average for all occupations. This occupation will have among the largest numbers of new jobs - about 351,000 - over that period.

Education Outlook

On-the-job training is most common for fast-food cooks, short-order cooks, and food preparation workers. Vocational training programs are available to many high school students, but advanced positions usually require training after high school. Experience, an ability to develop and enhance cooking skills, and a strong desire to cook are the most common requirements for advancement.

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