63,000+ Prep Cook jobs in United States (2024)

FAQs

Is prep cook a good job? ›

Prep Cook Job Advancement and Industry Demand

While the role of a prep cook is an entry-level position in the culinary industry, it can lead to various job advancement opportunities. With experience and additional training, a prep cook can progress to positions such as line cook, sous chef, or even head chef.

Prep cooks usually work behind the scenes alongside others in the kitchen and are an indispensable part of any high-volume operation. They directly contribute to the smooth running of the kitchen by assisting cooks, chefs, and other kitchen staff in several versatile roles.

Prep Cook Job Responsibilities:

Measure ingredients and seasonings to be used in cooking. Prepare cooking ingredients by washing and chopping vegetables, cutting meat, and other meal prep. Set up workstations and ingredients so that food can be prepared according to recipes.

While it is possible to earn $100,000 a year as a chef, it isn't typical to earn that much. The median annual salary for chefs is $56,520.

Kitchen Porter (aka Kitchen Assistant, Kitchen Hand, Prep Cook)​ These are workers that assist with rudimentary tasks within the kitchen and are less likely to have any formal culinary training.

The person in this role will perform routine kitchen tasks, such as setting up workstations and ingredients, preparing food items according to recipes and following all health and safety standards as required by state law and resort policies. This role works in a busy, fast-paced environment as part of a cohesive team.

Prep cooks usually work in commercial kitchens, such as those found in restaurants, hotels, or catering companies. The work environment is usually fast-paced and stressful, especially during busy periods, but this will depend on your organization.

Line cooks are more experienced and often higher trained member of kitchen staff than a prep cook. The prep cook prepares the ingredients that the line cook then uses when cooking the meals at the restaurant. Becoming a line cook may be a natural next step for prep cooks when advancing in their careers.

The average cost of hiring a personal chef to prepare meals for the week can range from $150 to $400 per service day plus the cost of groceries, depending on the company. This cost typically includes the chef's fee, meal planning, and preparation.

Prep Cook (Kitchen Porter, Kitchen Hand, Kitchen Assistant) Prep cooks, also known as kitchen porters, kitchen hands, or kitchen assistants, play a crucial role in commercial kitchens by preparing ingredients, chopping vegetables, and assisting with food preparation tasks.

How hard is it to be a prep cook? ›

You need excellent knife skills to safely and quickly prepare food, and you need communication skills to follow instructions and collaborate with your coworkers. Experience working in a kitchen is helpful when you look for jobs as a prep cook, but a prep cook can sometimes be considered to be an entry-level position.

Prep cooks are almost always non-tipped employees, but if a restaurant tips out the kitchen, their income will be very slightly supplemented by a little extra cash each week — usually up to $50 per shift, if they're lucky.

Depending on your budget, prep cooks may simply wear white clothing as a sense of unity. Even a casual setting can benefit from a linen rental provider by taking away one to-do for the team to handle.

Executive Chef (Chef de Cuisine)

Also known as a head chef or a master chef, an executive chef is the overall kitchen boss. This position is the pinnacle of any chef career.

They report that there are 129,810 chefs in the US with average salaries of $56,920. The top 10% of earners make $84,570 annually. Chron.com reports that the highest-earning chefs make $76,280, which is more than $36 an hour, and that the lowest-earning chefs make $23,630 annually, or $11.36 an hour.

Getting “rich” as a chef is incredibly rare, unless you start out that way. The way to wealth in food service is either climb the corporate ladder for decades or get your own place, run it for decades, and buy the real estate that the restaurant lives in.