Cooks, Restaurant Go Back to List 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.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Web page creation and editing software

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.
	Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.
	Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.

Skills
	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
	Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Knowledge
	Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
	Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
	Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
	Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
	Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

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Education & Training   Education:   These occupations usually require a high school diploma.   Related Experience:   Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $38,328.00 $18.43  $14.82  $15.50 - $19.10  Bridgeport/Stamford $40,627.00 $19.53  $16.10  $17.50 - $21.26  Danbury $36,854.00 $17.72  $14.37  $14.77 - $18.67  Hartford $37,502.00 $18.03  $14.66  $15.54 - $18.81  New Haven $37,596.00 $18.07  $14.56  $15.05 - $18.73  New London/Norwich $38,129.00 $18.33  $14.81  $15.48 - $19.45  Waterbury $36,467.00 $17.54  $14.26  $14.76 - $18.65  Torrington $35,652.00 $17.14  $13.92  $14.26 - $18.17

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   2396   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow much faster than average, and the number of annual openings will offer excellent job opportunities.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.