What Do Restaurant Cooks Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Restaurant Cooks 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. They also inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment and work surfaces, or serving areas to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.

Other tasks include:

• Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
• Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
• Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
• Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
• Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
• Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.

We asked Restaurant Cooks how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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51% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 33% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Restaurant Cooks consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs. They wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.

A typical day for a Restaurant Cook will also include:

• Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
• Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
• Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.
• Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
• Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.

We asked some Restaurant Cooks a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	21% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	45% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	80% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	12% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	31% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	44% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Restaurant Cooks also plan and price menu items. They may also estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Restaurant Cooks Keep records and accounts. They might also Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.

In addition, they Prepare relishes and hors d’oeuvres.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.

To some Restaurant Cooks, it is also their responsibility to Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Restaurant Cook, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/food-preparation-and-serving/cooks.htm

http://www.acfchefs.org/

http://www.restaurant.org/

http://www.personalchef.com/