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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
£ 6,587
£ 13,063
£ 20,198

New workers start around £6,587. Normal pay is £13,063 per year. Highly experienced workers can earn up to £20,198.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 89,868 vacancies for this type of job

0.83%

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

  • Stock Control

  • Control Of Substances Hazardous To Health (COSHH)

  • Restaurant Operation

  • Menu Planning

  • Stock Rotation

  • Event Catering

  • Baking

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

  • Customer Service

  • Cleanliness

  • Management

  • Planning

  • Teaching

  • Enthusiasm

  • Presentations

  • Detail Oriented

  • Self-Motivation

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

See all

Related careers

Managers and Directors in Storage and Warehousing

Restaurant and Catering Establishment Managers and Proprietors

Publicans and Managers of Licensed Premises

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Bakers and Flour Confectioners

Chefs

Catering and Bar Managers

Routine Inspectors and Testers

Kitchen and Catering Assistants

Waiters and Waitresses

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