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Kamala Harris is chopping onions. She says to the little girl next to her "When you really love to cook, you just feel it."

Do you love food?

Do you enjoy turning simple ingredients into exciting meals?

Perhaps a job as a cook is right for you!

What Does A Cook Do?

  • Order groceries and restock the pantry

  • Clean and set up work areas

  • Measure and prepare ingredients for cooking

  • Follow the directions of chefs and food service managers

  • Manage food stations

GIF that reads "things to do today"

Did you know?

In a restaurant, cooks often work with a specific ingredient (e.g., meat) or use a specific technique (e.g., frying) . This is why some cooks are called fry cooks or grill cooks.

Where Can A Cook Work?

  • Flaticon Icon In a restaurant cooking dishes from different cultures

  • Flaticon Icon At school preparing breakfast and lunch for students

  • Flaticon Icon At a catering company cooking for special events like parties

  • Flaticon Icon In a food truck preparing dishes at outdoor festivals and markets

What Does It Pay?

Flaticon Icon The annual salary for a cook in the U.S. ranges from $24,430 to $36,741 (USD).

 

Flaticon Icon The annual salary for a cook in Canada ranges from $35,255 to $41,424 (CAD). 

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What Are The Ingredients For Success?

You'll love being a cook if you:

  • Enjoy working in a team

  • Thrive working in a fast-paced environment

  • Are eager to develop new culinary skills

  • Have great time-management skills

  • Don’t mind spending a lot of time on your feet

A football coach in a locker room saying: "Smells like potential"

Is Cooking Your Cup of Tea?

Reconsider being a cook if you:

  • Find fast-paced environments challenging to work in

  • Prefer working on a fixed (9-5) work schedule

  • Don't like working with your hands

  • Don't enjoy multitasking in the kitchen

  • Don't fancy working on weekends and holidays

A woman saying: "I just don't think it's for me"

What Qualifications and Training Do You Need?

Cooking is all about hands-on experience and practical skills.

GIF with a chef saying "Choo choo! All Abooooaaarrrd"

While you typically don’t need a formal education to become a cook, it's recommended that you have a high school diploma.

You might also benefit from enrolling in culinary school or doing an apprenticeship at a food service establishment.

Take Action

GIF that reads "time to cook", with a person putting on a chef's hat and buttoning their apron.

Are you ready to get cooking?

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