Cooks, Restaurant
Restaurant cooks prepare, season, and cook dishes like soups, meats, vegetables, and desserts in restaurant kitchens. They may also order supplies, keep records, price menu items, or help plan menus. The work takes place in commercial kitchens during meal service hours, often in fast-paced environments.
Four short assessments and your background, scored against cooks, restaurant and 13,000 other careers — with the reasons. Free.
A day in the work
A typical day involves preparing ingredients, cooking dishes to order during service, and maintaining kitchen cleanliness and organization. Cooks follow recipes and plating standards, communicate with servers and other kitchen staff, and manage multiple dishes simultaneously. Work weeks often include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Tasks may include taking inventory, tracking food costs, and restocking supplies.
Who this work suits
Holland code RCE. Realistic work is hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. Aptly’s interest assessment scores you on the same six scales.
You work well in this role if you prefer hands-on, practical work and like following established procedures and standards. You're detail-oriented about measurements and recipes, organized in a busy environment, and reliable about showing up consistently to keep operations running.
What it takes
Preparation: Some preparation (usually high school; some on-the-job training). Most people in this occupation hold a high school diploma.
Skills that matter most
Knowledge areas
Who is hiring
Pay by state
| State | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $42,770 | $46,800 | $49,540 | 35,140 |
| District of Columbia | $39,960 | $46,130 | $47,890 | 7,720 |
| Massachusetts | $38,370 | $45,600 | $49,040 | 29,570 |
| Hawaii | $37,260 | $45,420 | $55,550 | 11,090 |
| Vermont | $37,470 | $45,390 | $47,340 | 2,360 |
| Maine | $39,800 | $45,290 | $47,720 | 5,130 |
| California | $38,590 | $44,880 | $47,330 | 152,250 |
| New York | $37,100 | $43,680 | $46,530 | 71,530 |
| Oregon | $38,030 | $43,100 | $47,730 | 21,550 |
| Colorado | $36,930 | $41,600 | $45,740 | 30,600 |
| New Hampshire | $37,190 | $40,200 | $46,850 | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $36,820 | $40,140 | $44,110 | 2,350 |
All 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico
Certifications people in this field hold
- Certified Fundamentals Pastry Cook (CFPC) — American Culinary Federation, Inc.
- Certified Fundamentals Cook (CFC) — American Culinary Federation, Inc.
- Certified Kitchen Cook (CKC) — American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute
Training
Aptly members see WIOA-approved programs, colleges and certificates near them, with completion and earnings data, on every Path plan.
Job titles in this occupation
and 5 more
Related occupations
Four short assessments and your background, scored against cooks, restaurant and 13,000 other careers — with the reasons. Free.
O*NET-SOC 35-2014.00 · O*NET OnLine. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, annual, U.S. Employment counts are national.