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Chefs and Head Cooks Occupation Detailed Description

Chefs and Head Cooks career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Chefs and Head Cooks

The main tasks and work activities of Chefs and Head Cooks are to check quality of foods or supplies, order materials, supplies, or equipment, coordinate activities of food service staff, inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards. In general, for the Chefs and Head Cooks, monitoring, speaking, coordination, social Perceptiveness and other 17 skills are required.
Chefs and Head Cooks Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Chefs and Head Cooks jobs. 11.11% of Chefs and Head Cooks have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 22.22% of Chefs and Head Cooks have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
11.11%
Post-Secondary Certificate
22.22%
Some College Courses
7.41%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
44.44%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
14.82%

Tasks and Work Activities of Chefs and Head Cooks

  • Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
  • Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
  • Check the quantity and quality of received products.
  • Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
  • Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
  • Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
  • Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.
  • Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
  • Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.
  • 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.
  • Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.
  • Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
  • Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.
  • Recruit and hire staff, such as cooks and other kitchen workers.
  • Meet with customers to discuss menus for special occasions, such as weddings, parties, or banquets.
  • Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.
  • Meet with sales representatives to negotiate prices or order supplies.
  • Arrange for equipment purchases or repairs.
  • Record production or operational data on specified forms.
  • 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.
  • Training and Teaching OthersIdentifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Coaching and Developing OthersIdentifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProviding guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
  • Developing and Building TeamsEncouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
  • Monitoring and Controlling ResourcesMonitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Check quality of foods or supplies.
  • Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
  • Coordinate activities of food service staff.
  • Inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards.
  • Create new recipes or food presentations.
  • Train food preparation or food service personnel.
  • Estimate supplies, ingredients, or staff requirements for food preparation activities.
  • Plan menu options.
  • Determine prices for menu items.
  • Cook foods.
  • Coordinate timing of food production activities.
  • Perform human resources activities.
  • Communicate with customers to resolve complaints or ensure satisfaction.
  • Plan special events.
  • Schedule equipment maintenance.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Manage food service operations or parts of operations.

Skills and Abilities for Chefs and Head Cooks

  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Management of Material ResourcesObtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
  • Quality Control AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Management of Financial ResourcesDetermining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Trunk StrengthThe ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Domestic apple corere.g. Apple corers
  • Blast freezerse.g. Blast chillers
  • Commercial use blenderse.g. Blenders
  • Commercial use cutlerye.g. Bone saws
  • Commercial use cutlerye.g. Boning knives
  • Commercial use graterse.g. Box graters
  • Commercial use barbeque ovense.g. Braziers
  • Commercial use food slicerse.g. Bread slicers
  • Commercial use broilerse.g. Broilers
  • Commercial use icing sets or bagse.g. Cake decorating tools
  • Cappuccino or espresso machinese.g. Cappuccino makers
  • Carbonated beverage dispensere.g. Carbonated beverage dispensers
  • Commercial use cutlerye.g. Chefs' knives
  • Commercial use coffee grinderse.g. Commercial coffee grinders
  • Commercial use coffee or iced tea makerse.g. Commercial coffeemakers
  • Commercial use dishwasherse.g. Commercial dishwashers
  • Commercial use microwave ovense.g. Commercial microwave ovens
  • Commercial use convection ovense.g. Convection ovens
  • Commercial use conveyer toasterse.g. Conveyer ovens
  • Domestic whipped cream makere.g. Cream whippers
  • Food ProductionKnowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge 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.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Personnel and Human ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge 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.