BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasChefs and Head Cooks

O*NET · 35-1011.00

Chefs and Head Cooks

Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.

Also called Baker · Banquet Chef · Bread and Pastry Baker · Cake Froster · Cake Icer · Cake Maker · Cake Mixer · CEC
45 more

Certified Executive Chef (CEC) · Chef · Chef de Cuisine · Chef de Froid · Chef Manager · Chocolatier · Confectioner · Cook · Cook Manager · Cooking Chef · Corporate Executive Chef · Cuisine Chef · Culinary Artist · Culinary Chef · Culinary Specialist · Ex Chef · Executive Chef (Ex Chef) · Executive Pastry Chef · Executive Sous Chef · Food and Beverage Director · Head Baker · Head Chef · Head Cook · Head Pastry Chef · Kitchen Chef · Kitchen Manager · Kitchen Supervisor · Master Chef · Menu Planner · Pantry Chef · Passenger Vessel Chef · Pastry Artist · Pastry Chef · Pastry Cook · Personal Chef · Pie Maker · Pizza Chef · Private Chef · Restaurant Chef · Salad Chef · School Cafeteria Head Cook · Sous Chef · Sushi Chef · Water Transportation Cook · Wedding Cake Designer

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code ERC35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Food Service Managers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

ERCEnterprising · Realistic · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order

  • E Enterprising5.13
  • R Realistic4.84
  • C Conventional4.35
  • S Social2.95
  • A Artistic2.72
  • I Investigative1.68

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent13%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate17%
  • Some College Courses8%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree54%
  • Bachelor's Degree8%
Related work experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (38%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (42%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (46%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Coordination4.14.1Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Monitoringbasic4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Management of Personnel Resources3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Direct the activities of a road repair crew with minimal disruption of traffic flow
  • Speakingbasic3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Time Management3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
  • Social Perceptiveness3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Service Orientation3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Active Listeningbasic3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Instructing3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Instruct a coworker in how to operate a software program
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
Show the other 23
  • Active Learningbasic3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Complex Problem Solving3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Management of Material Resources3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate an annual uniform service contract for delivery drivers
  • Learning Strategiesbasic3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Identify an alternative approach to help trainees who are having difficulties
  • Quality Control Analysis3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
  • Negotiation3.13.8Level 4 looks like: Contract with a wholesaler to sell items at a given cost
  • Management of Financial Resources3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Prepare and manage a budget for a short-term project
  • Writingbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Persuasion3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Convince a supervisor to purchase new office equipment
  • Systems Evaluation3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Identify the reasons why a client might be unhappy with a product
  • Mathematicsbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Systems Analysis3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Operations Monitoring2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Operations Analysis2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Operation and Control2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Equipment Selection2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Troubleshooting2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Equipment Maintenance2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Repairing2.01.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Sciencebasic1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Technology Design1.60.8
  • Programming1.50.5
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

21 core

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.4.9
  2. Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.4.6
  3. Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.4.5
  4. Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.4.4
  5. Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.4.3
  6. Check the quantity and quality of received products.4.3
  7. Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.4.3
  8. Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.4.3
  9. Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.4.1
  10. Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.4.0
  11. Plan, direct, or supervise food preparation or cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel.3.9
  12. Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.3.8
Show the other 9
  1. Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.3.8
  2. Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.3.8
  3. Meet with customers to discuss menus for special occasions, such as weddings, parties, or banquets.3.7
  4. Recruit and hire staff, such as cooks and other kitchen workers.3.6
  5. Record production or operational data on specified forms.3.6
  6. Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.3.5
  7. Meet with sales representatives to negotiate prices or order supplies.3.5
  8. Arrange for equipment purchases or repairs.3.5
  9. Collaborate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes or menus, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability of ingredients or the likely number of customers.3.4

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Food Production4.14.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a commercial fishing boat
  • Production and Processing4.04.5Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Customer and Personal Service3.94.5Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Administration and Management3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Personnel and Human Resources3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants for an administrative position
  • Education and Training3.54.5Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Mathematics3.54.0Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • English Language3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
Show all 33
  • Economics and Accounting3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Develop financial investment programs for individual clients
  • Administrative3.14.1Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Public Safety and Security2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Computers and Electronics2.83.7Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Psychology2.83.6Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Chemistry2.73.4Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Sales and Marketing2.73.3Level 4 looks like: Introduce clients to a new line of products
  • Communications and Media2.52.7
  • Law and Government2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Biology2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Foreign Language2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Mechanical2.42.6
  • Design2.32.5Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Therapy and Counseling2.22.6
  • Engineering and Technology2.12.5Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.12.4Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Transportation2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Building and Construction2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Geography1.92.3Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Physics1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Telecommunications1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • History and Archeology1.71.5Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Philosophy and Theology1.71.6Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Fine Arts1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Attend a popular music concert

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Expression4.14.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Problem Sensitivity4.14.1Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Information Ordering4.03.8Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Deductive Reasoning3.94.1Level 5 looks like: Decide what factors to consider in selecting stocks
  • Speech Clarity3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Inductive Reasoning3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Near Vision3.83.5Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
Show all 52
  • Speech Recognition3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Written Comprehension3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Originality3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Redesign job tasks to be interesting for employees
  • Selective Attention3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Category Flexibility3.33.3Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Fluency of Ideas3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Think of as many ideas as possible for the name of a new company
  • Time Sharing3.33.3Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visualization3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Finger Dexterity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Manual Dexterity3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Number Facility3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Trunk Strength3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Written Expression3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Far Vision3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Mathematical Reasoning3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Decide how to calculate profits to determine the amounts of yearly bonuses
  • Memorization3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Recite the first names of the five people you just met
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Flexibility of Closure2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Control Precision2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Auditory Attention2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Dynamic Strength2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Stamina2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.42.6Level 3 looks like: Carve roast beef in a cafeteria
  • Speed of Closure2.32.3Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Reaction Time2.12.4Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Static Strength2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Depth Perception2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Rate Control2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Response Orientation2.02.0Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Glare Sensitivity1.90.9
  • Explosive Strength1.80.9
  • Peripheral Vision1.80.9
  • Sound Localization1.80.8
  • Spatial Orientation1.80.8
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.60.8
  • Night Vision1.50.6

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Training and Teaching Others4.14.3Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Developing and Building Teams4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.95.1Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Getting Information3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.95.0Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.95.1Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
Show all 41
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.84.3Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.74.6Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.74.4Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.74.5Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Thinking Creatively3.73.9Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.63.2Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.45.2Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.43.0Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Staffing Organizational Units3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Interview candidates for a sales position and make hiring recommendations
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.22.7
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.22.6
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.24.2Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Working with Computers3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.03.8Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Processing Information3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.72.2Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.72.8
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.22.3Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • E-Mail4.9
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.8
  • Time Pressure4.8
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.7
  • Contact With Others4.6
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.6
  • Spend Time Standing4.6
  • Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings4.5
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.5

Technology

24 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (3)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot
  • Microsoft Outlookhot

Hot (4; 3 more marked hot above)

  • Facebook
  • Google Sheets
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (17)
  • ADP eTIME
  • Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro
  • Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
  • CostGuard
  • Culinary Software Services ChefTec
  • Delphi Technology
  • EGS CALCMENU
  • Email software
  • Enggist & Grandjean EGS F&B Control
  • GNOME Gnutrition
  • GroupMe
  • IPro Restaurant Inventory, Recipe & Menu Software
  • Menu planning software
  • Nutrition analysis software
  • ReServe Interactive
  • Sage MAS 90 ERP
  • SoftCafe MenuPro

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Bakers
  2. Cooks, Restaurant
  3. Cooks, Private Household
  4. Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  5. Food Service Managers
  6. Cooks, Short Order
  7. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
  8. Food Batchmakers
  9. Waiters and Waitresses
  10. Dietetic Technicians

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

Compare any occupation →

Other O*NET occupations whose importance ratings on the 35 skills both rate are nearest to this one's, with the biggest differences named. A plain rule, not a hidden score.

Use this in your own job architecture

BlissPoint Organization Viewer can link a role directly to this occupation and suggest these skills as that role's starting requirements.

Try it free →

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.