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Cooks

Cooks prepare, season and cook food, often using pre-prepared ingredients, in clubs, private households, fast food outlets, shops selling food cooked on the premises and the catering departments and canteens of other establishments.

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£ 6,579
£ 13,082
£ 20,197

New workers start around £6,579. Normal pay is £13,082 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to £20,197.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 93,883 vacancies for this type of job

2.11%

Projected job growth over the next 8 years

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Plans and co-ordinates kitchen work such as fetching, clearing and cleaning of equipment and utensils.

  • Cooks and sells a range of meals, such as fish and chips, over the counter.

  • Plans meals, prepares, seasons and cooks foodstuffs.

  • Requisitions or purchases foodstuffs and checks quality.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Cooking

  • Food Safety And Sanitation

  • Food Preparation

  • Control Of Substances Hazardous To Health (COSHH)

  • Stock Control

  • Hazard Analysis And Critical Control Points (HACCP)

  • Menu Planning

  • Event Catering

  • Restaurant Operation

  • Stock Rotation

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Communications

  • Cleanliness

  • Customer Service

  • Management

  • Planning

  • Teaching

  • Detail Oriented

  • Enthusiasm

  • Teamwork

  • Positivity

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.

Routes to this career

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Catering and Bar Managers

Routine Inspectors and Testers

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Related industry guides

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Catering and hospitality