What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Cooks, Restaurant in the U.S. earn more than $37,390 a year — the middle 80% land between $28,700 and $47,900. About 1.4 million people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Cooks, Restaurant”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Service and sales workers earn about ₹15,575 a month on average — around ₹1.9 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$37,390typical pay / year
1.4 millionpeople in this work
$47,900+top 10% earn
₹1.9 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Keeping the record3
Serve food to waiters or patrons
+Plate and hand off finished dishes to servers during the dinner rush, confirm order numbers and any allergen…
Serve food to waiters or patrons
+Plate and hand off finished dishes to servers during the dinner rush, confirm order numbers and any allergen notes, refresh garnish and sauces at pass, and log any returns or timing issues with the floor manager immediately.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Cook dishes according to recipes
+Cook the day’s seafood and cold-prep items strictly to the recipes on the line sheet, finish each plate to…
Cook dishes according to recipes
+Cook the day’s seafood and cold-prep items strictly to the recipes on the line sheet, finish each plate to the scallop and garnish spec, label hot-hold pans with time and temperature, and note any shortages on the prep log before service.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Monitor inventory levels and order supplies
+Check morning stock against the par list for seafood, produce, and dry goods, record current counts and…
Monitor inventory levels and order supplies
+Check morning stock against the par list for seafood, produce, and dry goods, record current counts and forecast usage for tonight’s covers, then place orders for depleted items from our approved vendors to arrive by Thursday prep.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantRecipe cost controljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Make1
Maintain kitchen equipment and tools
+Inspect knives, mandoline, mixers and prep stations before service, sharpen and clean blades, report any…
Maintain kitchen equipment and tools
+Inspect knives, mandoline, mixers and prep stations before service, sharpen and clean blades, report any malfunctioning equipment, perform basic maintenance on one mixer and restock tool bins so everything is ready for the next shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Learning1
Train new kitchen staff
+Walk the new hire through three full prep stations—salad mise, fish portioning, and hot finishing—observe…
Train new kitchen staff
+Walk the new hire through three full prep stations—salad mise, fish portioning, and hot finishing—observe them run each task, correct technique on knife work and reheating, and fill out the trainee checklist before their next scheduled shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Fixing1
Regulate oven, broiler, grill, and roaster temperatures
+Set and verify oven, broiler, grill, and roaster temps to the daypart specs, monitor core and surface…
Regulate oven, broiler, grill, and roaster temperatures
+Set and verify oven, broiler, grill, and roaster temps to the daypart specs, monitor core and surface readings during the first hour of service, log any deviations in the cookline log, and adjust controls to hold target finish times for proteins.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Purchasing fresh fish
+Order four fillets of local cod and two whole branzino from our regular fishmonger for Wednesday morning…
Purchasing fresh fish
+Order four fillets of local cod and two whole branzino from our regular fishmonger for Wednesday morning delivery, specify ice-packed transport and packed-within-four-hours freshness, confirm price and weight, and note storage temp on the delivery ticket.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlESCO
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Cook seafood
+Prepare tonight's seafood service by portioning and seasoning 10 salmon portions and 12 shrimp skewers, chill…
Cook seafood
+Prepare tonight's seafood service by portioning and seasoning 10 salmon portions and 12 shrimp skewers, chill to four degrees, write reheating and finishing notes for the line, and discard any trimmings past their safe hold time.
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Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
+Turn and stir the squid, mussels, and vegetable sautés every two minutes during the six-minute cook so each…
Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
+Turn and stir the squid, mussels, and vegetable sautés every two minutes during the six-minute cook so each piece browns evenly and the sauce reduces without scorching; call for help if pans overcrowd.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantjob descriptionsO*NET
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Manage cooking times to ensure timely service
+Match cooking times to the dinner rush: sequence the grill, steamer, and sauté station so salmon, clams, and…
Manage cooking times to ensure timely service
+Match cooking times to the dinner rush: sequence the grill, steamer, and sauté station so salmon, clams, and fries finish within a two-minute window for the 6:30 service and notify the chef if any station slips.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantO*NETWikipedia
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Prepare ingredients (chopping, peeling, cutting meat)
+Prep morning mise: peel and slice 10 pounds of potatoes, chop two kilos of onions, portion 12 fillets of fish…
Prepare ingredients (chopping, peeling, cutting meat)
+Prep morning mise: peel and slice 10 pounds of potatoes, chop two kilos of onions, portion 12 fillets of fish and trim connective tissue so each station has labeled pans ready for the lunch rush.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keep records and accounts.
+Log today's deliveries and usage: record incoming seafood, produce and disposables, note variance against…
Keep records and accounts.
+Log today's deliveries and usage: record incoming seafood, produce and disposables, note variance against yesterday's pull, file wastage reasons, and total labour hours so the kitchen lead can close the shift sheet.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controljob descriptionsO*NET
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Preparing accompanying sauces
+Make two litres of lemon beurre blanc and a batch of roasted pepper coulis, taste and adjust seasoning, cool…
Preparing accompanying sauces
+Make two litres of lemon beurre blanc and a batch of roasted pepper coulis, taste and adjust seasoning, cool to holding temperature, and label with use-by time so the pass has sauces ready for dinner service.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingESCOO*NET
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Plan and price menu items.
+Cost the new seafood special: calculate ingredient weights, labour minutes per portion, and overhead, produce…
Plan and price menu items.
+Cost the new seafood special: calculate ingredient weights, labour minutes per portion, and overhead, produce a cover price that hits a 30 percent food cost target, then present the numbers to the chef for approval.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlO*NETWikipedia
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Cook food using various utensils or grillers
+Cook the night shift sauté and grill stations: sear six portions of salmon to medium, finish scallops with…
Cook food using various utensils or grillers
+Cook the night shift sauté and grill stations: sear six portions of salmon to medium, finish scallops with brown butter and lemon, reheat prepped sauces to service temperature, label and chill leftovers, and wipe stations between runs.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlESCOjob descriptions
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Check food quality before serving
+Inspect the cold line and hot hold before service: check temperature of shrimp and chowders, smell for…
Check food quality before serving
+Inspect the cold line and hot hold before service: check temperature of shrimp and chowders, smell for off-odours, verify texture and appearance against the plate standard, discard anything out of spec and note items to remake.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Presenting fish dishes
+Plate four fish entrees for tonight’s covers: warm plates, arrange pan-roasted cod with gremolata, spoon…
Presenting fish dishes
+Plate four fish entrees for tonight’s covers: warm plates, arrange pan-roasted cod with gremolata, spoon beurre blanc to the side, garnish with microgreens, and send each to expo with a quick quality check.
The tools that do the workMenu planningESCOWikipedia
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Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
+Bake morning breads and pastries: mix dough for 24 dinner rolls, proof to double, shape two baguettes and a…
Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
+Bake morning breads and pastries: mix dough for 24 dinner rolls, proof to double, shape two baguettes and a tray of fruit danishes, bake to golden color, cool on racks and mark with bake time.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlO*NET
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Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
+Butcher and trim tonight’s proteins: butterfly and portion two whole chickens, trim and pin-bone two salmon…
Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
+Butcher and trim tonight’s proteins: butterfly and portion two whole chickens, trim and pin-bone two salmon sides, label each pack with cut, weight and date, and send trimmings to stock pot for repurposing or waste bin if unusable.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingO*NET
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Adhere to health and safety regulations
+Confirm health and safety before service: verify cold-holding units at safe temperatures, ensure gloves and…
Adhere to health and safety regulations
+Confirm health and safety before service: verify cold-holding units at safe temperatures, ensure gloves and sanitizer available, log handwashing and surface cleanings, and correct any violation before opening service.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingWikipedia
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Food safety labeling
+Record each mise en place item with prep date, cook name and expiry, attach the food safety labeling log,…
Food safety labeling
+Record each mise en place item with prep date, cook name and expiry, attach the food safety labeling log, notify sous and send the signed log to pastry before the evening rush.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingO*NET
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Says who?
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses