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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Related: Chefs & Head Cooks Cooks, Private Household Cooks, Restaurant Cooks, Short Order Food Preparation Workers

Industries: Health & Counseling Education Hotel & Food

Summary
Details

Determine meal prices, based on calculations of ingredient prices.
Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Monitor use of government food commodities to ensure that proper procedures are followed.
Requisition food supplies, kitchen equipment, and appliances, based on estimates of future needs.
Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
Plan menus that are varied, nutritionally balanced, and appetizing, taking advantage of foods in season and local availability.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Bake breads, rolls, or other pastries.
Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
Compile and maintain records of food use and expenditures.
Monitor menus and spending to ensure that meals are prepared economically.
Rotate and store food supplies.
Train new employees.
Take inventory of supplies and equipment.
Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals.
Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.

Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

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.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
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.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
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.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
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.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
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.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Education

No formal educational credential

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

Less than 1 month on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

48260/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

23.2/hr

Currently Employed

10,820

Yearly Projected Openings

1820

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Self Control
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Adaptability/Flexibility

Blast freezers
Cappuccino or espresso machines
Carbonated beverage dispenser
Cash registers
Commercial use barbeque ovens
Commercial use blenders
Commercial use broilers
Commercial use coffee grinders
Commercial use coffee or iced tea makers
Commercial use combination oven
Commercial use convection ovens
Commercial use cutlery
Commercial use deep fryers
Commercial use dishwashers
Commercial use food choppers or cubers or dicers
Commercial use food grinders
Commercial use food processors
Commercial use food slicers
Commercial use food warmers
Commercial use graters
Commercial use griddles
Commercial use grills
Commercial use heat lamps
Commercial use high pressure steamers
Commercial use hot dog grills
Commercial use juicers
Commercial use microwave ovens
Commercial use mixers
Commercial use ovens
Commercial use pasta machines
Commercial use pizza ovens
Commercial use ranges
Commercial use rice cookers
Commercial use rotisseries
Commercial use scales
Commercial use steamers
Commercial use toasters
Commercial use waffle irons
Commercial use woks
Desktop computers
Domestic apple corer
Domestic double boilers
Domestic electric skillets
Domestic garbage disposals
Domestic garnishing tools
Domestic kitchen or food thermometers
Domestic kitchen tongs
Domestic knife sharpeners
Domestic mandolin
Domestic sifter
Domestic strainers or colanders
Domestic trash compactors
Domestic whipped cream maker
Fire blankets
Fire extinguishers
Ice cream machines
Ice dispensers
Ice shaver machines or accessories
Non carbonated beverage dispenser
Personal computers
Point of sale POS terminal
Touch screen monitors

Analytical or scientific software
Data base user interface and query software
Point of sale POS software
Spreadsheet software
Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

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