Cook
Follow recipes and prepare and plate meals.
Job opportunities
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Jobs in Jobstreet right now
Job growth
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In the last year
Salary
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Typical monthly salary
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Job opportunities
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Jobs in Jobstreet right now
Salary
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Typical monthly salary
Job growth
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In the last year
Job satisfaction
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What's it like to be a Cook?
A Cook’s main responsibility in a food establishment is to prepare customers’ orders, but the job at times also includes managing customer orders and cleaning the kitchen when the restaurant is understaffed or in small establishments. A Cook is expected to fulfil multiple customer orders, keep the kitchen sanitised to meet safety standards, and prepare all ingredients and apparatus in advance to keep the kitchen running smoothly.
Tasks and duties
- Cooking food orders.
- Plating and packaging cooked meals.
- Carrying out tasks ordered by the Executive Chef.
- Meeting sanitation and safety standards in the kitchen.
- Sourcing ingredients, making purchase orders, and doing inventory.
- Collaborating in the creation of new menus and dishes.
- Conducting research and development for food offerings.
If the establishment has an Executive Chef, the Cook’s duty is to follow their orders and assist them in their tasks. Attention to detail, multi-tasking, and organisation are essential skills for this role.
How to become a Cook
Being a Cook does not require formal education, however proficiency in kitchen skills is necessary before applying for your first job. Aspiring Cooks may refine their skills through practice at home and informal gatherings, as well as volunteer work and apprenticeships.
- Master your cooking skills. Cooks are expected to use knife skills and multiple cooking methods in a professional and time efficient manner. Make sure to have all these skills at the ready by the time you apply for a job.
- Gain informal experience. Cooking is a skill that improves with practice. Opportunities for growth can be found by volunteering at charity kitchens and events, or by cooking meals everyday.
- Complete a cooking course, a culinary certificate or a bachelor degree in culinary arts or science. Formal training is not a requirement, but it can broaden your career options and provide the opportunity to develop and refine your cooking skills.
- Get an internship or apprenticeship. Undergoing an internship provides exposure to the working environment of a kitchen. Becoming an apprentice for a Chef leads to learning new methods and building connections for better job opportunities.
- Try running your own kitchen. Cooks can progress in their career and start their own restaurant, where they will learn leadership and management skills for a successful business.
Compare your salary
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Latest Cook jobs on Jobstreet
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Skills and experience employers are looking for
Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Cook employers on Jobstreet are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas.
Source: Jobstreet job ads and Jobstreet Profile data
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