Cooks, Restaurant
SOC Code: 35-2014 Job Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed
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.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Cooks, Restaurant. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $39,915 | $46,654 | $53,394 | $60,133 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,536 | $46,342 | $50,149 | $53,955 |
| Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $35,090 | $41,142 | $47,174 | $53,227 |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $29,453 | $36,650 | $43,867 | $51,064 |
| Napa, CA | $39,541 | $43,285 | $47,029 | $50,773 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $39,957 | $43,534 | $47,112 | $50,690 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41,371 | $44,450 | $47,549 | $50,627 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $36,358 | $41,018 | $45,677 | $50,336 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $38,501 | $42,370 | $46,238 | $50,107 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $36,629 | $41,101 | $45,573 | $50,045 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.0 | |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | |
| Active Listening | 2.9 | |
| Active Learning | 2.8 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.6 | |
| Coordination | 2.6 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.5 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Food Production | 3.4 |
| English Language | 3.1 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.6 |
| Production and Processing | 2.3 |
| Education and Training | 2.2 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
| Administration and Management | 2.1 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.9 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 47.3% |
| Less than high school | 34.4% |
| Associate's degree | 11.8% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 6.4% |
Typical Tasks
- Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
- Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
- Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
- Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
- Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
- Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.
- Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
- Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Facebook Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word Food safety labeling systems Inventory management software Menu planning software Point of sale POS restaurant software Recipe cost control software
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