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.
Make2
Cook dishes according to recipes
+Cook tonight's sautéed seafood medley, lobster bisque, and beurre blanc for twenty covers following the…
Cook dishes according to recipes
+Cook tonight's sautéed seafood medley, lobster bisque, and beurre blanc for twenty covers following the recipes exactly, tasting for seasoning every station pass, finish and plate two covers for chef to approve before service starts at 18:00.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Regulate oven, broiler, grill, and roaster temperatures
+Set oven, broiler, grill, and roaster schedules for tonight: roast at 180°C for pork shoulder, broil at high…
Regulate oven, broiler, grill, and roaster temperatures
+Set oven, broiler, grill, and roaster schedules for tonight: roast at 180°C for pork shoulder, broil at high for 6 minutes for crust, grill fish at medium, and log temperature checks every 30 minutes during the dinner rush.
The tools that do the workMenu planningjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Fixing2
Monitor inventory levels and order supplies
+Check pantry, walk-in, and dry storage, note depleted proteins, butter, and citrus, then place an order for…
Monitor inventory levels and order supplies
+Check pantry, walk-in, and dry storage, note depleted proteins, butter, and citrus, then place an order for restock to arrive Wednesday morning ensuring minimum par levels cover weekend covers.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantRecipe cost controljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Maintain kitchen equipment and tools
+Schedule and supervise preventive maintenance for the tilt skillet, blast chiller and six-burner range this…
Maintain kitchen equipment and tools
+Schedule and supervise preventive maintenance for the tilt skillet, blast chiller and six-burner range this Thursday morning with maintenance, run calibration checks after service, and log completed tasks and parts used.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Learning1
Train new kitchen staff
+Run a three-hour station training for Maria and Tom on seafood handling, reheating technique, sauce…
Train new kitchen staff
+Run a three-hour station training for Maria and Tom on seafood handling, reheating technique, sauce finishing, and waste disposal procedures, have them cook three portions each and correct technique until both hit plating standard.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingjob descriptionsWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Sending & sharing1
Serve food to waiters or patrons
+Plate and send 25 entrees to the dining room during the first seating, coordinate finishing touches with the…
Serve food to waiters or patrons
+Plate and send 25 entrees to the dining room during the first seating, coordinate finishing touches with the expo, confirm each server receives their dishes hot and complete, and note any customer feedback on service speed.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
The daily work15
Purchasing fresh fish
+Order 50 pounds of line-caught cod, 30 pounds of dayboat scallops, and 20 whole sea bass from Ocean Harbor…
Purchasing fresh fish
+Order 50 pounds of line-caught cod, 30 pounds of dayboat scallops, and 20 whole sea bass from Ocean Harbor Seafood for Wednesday delivery, confirm ice-packed transport and weight tickets, note any substitution limits, and flag supplier invoice to cost control.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlPoint of sale POS restaurantESCO
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Cook seafood
+Pan-roast 10 portions of cod with beurre blanc, sear scallops in clarified butter, hold at 60°C, finish with…
Cook seafood
+Pan-roast 10 portions of cod with beurre blanc, sear scallops in clarified butter, hold at 60°C, finish with lemon zest and chives to service four covers per minute during tonight’s dinner rush.
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Cook food using various utensils or grillers
+Cook tonight’s seafood service using the flat-top, sauté pans, and the charcoal griller so each order leaves…
Cook food using various utensils or grillers
+Cook tonight’s seafood service using the flat-top, sauté pans, and the charcoal griller so each order leaves at the correct doneness and finish, reuse only labelled mise en place, and send leftovers to cool and store within two hours.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantESCOjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Check food quality before serving
+Check every hot and cold plate coming out of the pass for temperature, seasoning, texture and appearance,…
Check food quality before serving
+Check every hot and cold plate coming out of the pass for temperature, seasoning, texture and appearance, reject anything under 60°C for hot fish or with off-odours, note rework or waste and record the reason before it goes back to the line.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingjob descriptionsWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Presenting fish dishes
+Plate the trout, sea bass and halibut orders to the menu descriptions with the proper garnish, sauce swipe…
Presenting fish dishes
+Plate the trout, sea bass and halibut orders to the menu descriptions with the proper garnish, sauce swipe and warm plate, adjust portion size to match the ticket notes and hand each dish to the expediter with a one-sentence finish description.
The tools that do the workMenu planningESCOWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
+Produce morning proofed dough and bake breads, rolls and the lemon tart shells to schedule so items arrive…
Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
+Produce morning proofed dough and bake breads, rolls and the lemon tart shells to schedule so items arrive crisp and cooled for service, rotate trays through the oven to ensure even browning and label batches with bake time and date.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
+Break down tonight’s whole salmon and a chicken delivery at prep, trim to the portion specs, separate bones…
Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
+Break down tonight’s whole salmon and a chicken delivery at prep, trim to the portion specs, separate bones and trimmings into the waste bin, weigh portions and mark storage containers with cut date and use-by before refrigerating.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Adhere to health and safety regulations
+Audit the line for compliance during service: check glove changes, handwashing, thermometer checks, correct…
Adhere to health and safety regulations
+Audit the line for compliance during service: check glove changes, handwashing, thermometer checks, correct storage temperatures and chemical labelling, record any failures and notify the sous chef immediately for corrective action.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
+Turn and lift the scallops and sautéed mushrooms every 30 seconds on the hot pan so both sides brown evenly,…
Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
+Turn and lift the scallops and sautéed mushrooms every 30 seconds on the hot pan so both sides brown evenly, watch the butter foam and finish when an internal flake forms, drain and rest on a warm tray for service.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Manage cooking times to ensure timely service
+Stagger and monitor the fish, steak, and vegetable cook times so the fish hits the pass at 18:30, steak at…
Manage cooking times to ensure timely service
+Stagger and monitor the fish, steak, and vegetable cook times so the fish hits the pass at 18:30, steak at 18:34 and veg at 18:32, call the expo two minutes before each so plating and service are simultaneous.
The tools that do the workPoint of sale POS restaurantO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Prepare ingredients (chopping, peeling, cutting meat)
+Peel and baton the carrots, trim and butterfly the squid, and slice the beef across the grain to specified…
Prepare ingredients (chopping, peeling, cutting meat)
+Peel and baton the carrots, trim and butterfly the squid, and slice the beef across the grain to specified thickness, keep trimmed waste in the compost bin and refrigerate the prepped seafood immediately in labeled pans.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Keep records and accounts.
+Record daily stock used and waste for sauces, note leftover demi-glace volumes, log seafood pulls and…
Keep records and accounts.
+Record daily stock used and waste for sauces, note leftover demi-glace volumes, log seafood pulls and spoilage, and update the petty cash outlay for fresh herbs so the steward can reconcile tonight's accounts.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controljob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Preparing accompanying sauces
+Prepare the beurre blanc and roasted red pepper coulis to hit the lunch rush, reduce the butter sauce to…
Preparing accompanying sauces
+Prepare the beurre blanc and roasted red pepper coulis to hit the lunch rush, reduce the butter sauce to glossy texture, strain, taste for salt and acidity, and keep warm over a water bath labeled for two hours of safe hold time.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingESCOO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Plan and price menu items.
+Calculate menu prices for the new seafood plate using current ingredient costs, set portion sizes to control…
Plan and price menu items.
+Calculate menu prices for the new seafood plate using current ingredient costs, set portion sizes to control plate cost at 28% food cost, draft the dish description and send the proposed price to front-of-house for approval by Friday.
The tools that do the workRecipe cost controlMenu planningO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Food safety labeling
+Document today's sauce batches with batch number, cook initials and temperature checks, add the food safety…
Food safety labeling
+Document today's sauce batches with batch number, cook initials and temperature checks, add the food safety labeling entry, send the file to head chef and quality control for approval before service.
The tools that do the workFood safety labelingO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Says who?
These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.
Activities this job lives in
The human activities behind the tasks — each with its honest AI ceiling.
The logs, files & records this job keeps
Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
The rest of the map
Same library, five ways in.
Copyright © LLOS.ai · 2026 — original pedagogy, voice, and design — all rights reserved.
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