Should I be a cook?

Do you love food?

Do you enjoy turning simple ingredients into exciting meals?

Perhaps a job as a cook is right for you!

• 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

• In a restaurant cooking dishes from different cultures

• At school preparing breakfast and lunch for students

• At a catering company cooking for special events like parties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Are you ready to get cooking?