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Chefs and Head Cooks
Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.
Other titles employers use
Banquet Chef · Chef · Cook · Executive Chef (Ex Chef) · Executive Pastry Chef · Executive Sous Chef · Food and Beverage Director · Head Cook
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
- Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
- Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
- Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
- Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Check the quantity and quality of received products.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, practical and organizing work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Coordination
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Time Management
- Management of Personnel Resources
Subjects to know
- Food Production
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administration and Management
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Information Ordering
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.2 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 4.6 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.5 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A two-year degree 54%
- A certificate or some college 25%
- High school or less 13%
- A four-year degree 8%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Analytical or scientific software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 31,900
- Job openings each year
- 3,910
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 14.3%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 31,900 | 3,910 | 14.3% |
| Texas | 21,700 | 2,700 | 19.8% |
| New York | 19,250 | 330 | 21.0% |
| Florida | 17,570 | 2,170 | 16.5% |
| New Jersey | 8,130 | 990 | 11.8% |
| Illinois | 7,470 | 900 | 6.4% |
| Connecticut | 5,460 | 680 | 20.3% |
| Nevada | 5,370 | 670 | 18.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,010 | 600 | 5.7% |
| Colorado | 4,880 | 600 | 14.6% |
| Georgia | 4,680 | 580 | 20.3% |
| North Carolina | 4,670 | 580 | 19.4% |
| Ohio | 4,660 | 560 | 3.8% |
| Michigan | 4,320 | 510 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 4,110 | 490 | 4.3% |
| Arizona | 3,130 | 390 | 17.7% |
| South Carolina | 3,100 | 380 | 13.6% |
| Maryland | 3,070 | 370 | 10.4% |
| Washington | 2,960 | 420 | 19.8% |
| Tennessee | 2,850 | 360 | 27.2% |
| Louisiana | 2,480 | 300 | 6.4% |
| Utah | 2,470 | 320 | 35.0% |
| Minnesota | 2,300 | 280 | 7.5% |
| Missouri | 2,210 | 270 | 7.3% |
| Oregon | 2,160 | 270 | 22.0% |
| District of Columbia | 2,130 | 270 | 27.5% |
| Kentucky | 1,850 | 230 | 12.1% |
| Indiana | 1,720 | 210 | 8.2% |
| Massachusetts | 1,720 | 210 | 12.4% |
| Wisconsin | 1,680 | 210 | 15.1% |
| Maine | 1,520 | 180 | 1.3% |
| Vermont | 1,470 | 180 | 15.7% |
| Iowa | 1,440 | 170 | 7.5% |
| Arkansas | 1,150 | 140 | 11.7% |
| New Hampshire | 1,140 | 140 | 10.7% |
| Kansas | 1,100 | 130 | 8.9% |
| Mississippi | 890 | 110 | 6.0% |
| Oklahoma | 850 | 100 | 13.3% |
| Rhode Island | 750 | 90 | 11.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 740 | 90 | 13.8% |
| Idaho | 680 | 80 | 17.2% |
| Delaware | 670 | 80 | 15.5% |
| Nebraska | 620 | 80 | 12.7% |
| Alabama | 610 | 70 | 13.0% |
| Alaska | 570 | 70 | 11.8% |
| Wyoming | 420 | 50 | 20.0% |
| Montana | 410 | 50 | 13.9% |
| West Virginia | 410 | 50 | 5.1% |
| New Mexico | 400 | 50 | 33.3% |
| Guam | 240 | 30 | 26.3% |
| South Dakota | 220 | 30 | 15.8% |
| Virgin Islands | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| North Dakota | 120 | 20 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
- Degrees each year
- 168
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $28,000
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Degrees each year
- 22
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Drexel University
- Degrees each year
- 10
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $35,000
College of the Ozarks
- Degrees each year
- 4
- Admit rate
- 15%
- Annual cost after aid
- $5,000
Texas Woman's University
- Degrees each year
- 3
- Admit rate
- 95%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Central Washington University
- Degrees each year
- 3
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Dominican University
- Degrees each year
- 1
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 1
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Compare every college offering culinary arts and related services