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Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Occupation Detailed Description

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

The main tasks and work activities of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria are to clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment, inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards, serve food or beverages, cook foods. In general, for the Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria, service Orientation, monitoring, speaking, judgment and Decision Making and other 9 skills are required.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Job Description
EducationThese occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related ExperienceSome previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria jobs. 71.14% of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 14.21% of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
1.94%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
71.14%
Post-Secondary Certificate
14.21%
Some College Courses
5.85%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.08%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
6.78%

Tasks and Work Activities of Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

  • Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
  • Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
  • Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served.
  • Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
  • Monitor use of government food commodities to ensure that proper procedures are followed.
  • Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
  • Compile and maintain records of food use and expenditures.
  • Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals.
  • Bake breads, rolls, or other pastries.
  • Train new employees.
  • Take inventory of supplies and equipment.
  • Monitor menus and spending to ensure that meals are prepared economically.
  • Plan menus that are varied, nutritionally balanced, and appetizing, taking advantage of foods in season and local availability.
  • Requisition food supplies, kitchen equipment, and appliances, based on estimates of future needs.
  • Determine meal prices, based on calculations of ingredient prices.
  • Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety.
  • Rotate and store food supplies.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
  • Inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards.
  • Serve food or beverages.
  • Cook foods.
  • Cut cooked or raw foods.
  • Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
  • Monitor food services operations to ensure procedures are followed.
  • Clean tableware.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Coordinate activities of food service staff.
  • Prepare breads or doughs.
  • Train food preparation or food service personnel.
  • Maintain food, beverage, or equipment inventories.
  • Plan menu options.
  • Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
  • Determine prices for menu items.
  • Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
  • Move equipment, supplies or food to required locations.

Skills and Abilities for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Quality Control AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Operation MonitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • 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.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • 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 ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • 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).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • 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.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • 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.
  • Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Domestic apple corere.g. Apple corers
  • Blast freezerse.g. Blast chillers
  • Commercial use blenderse.g. Blenders
  • Commercial use cutlerye.g. Bone saws
  • Commercial use graterse.g. Box graters
  • Commercial use barbeque ovense.g. Braziers
  • Commercial use food slicerse.g. Bread slicers
  • Commercial use broilerse.g. Broilers
  • Cappuccino or espresso machinese.g. Cappuccino makers
  • Carbonated beverage dispensere.g. Carbonated beverage dispensers
  • Cash registerse.g. Cash registers
  • 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
  • Ice cream machinese.g. Commercial ice cream machines
  • Commercial use convection ovense.g. Commercial kitchen convection ovens
  • Commercial use steamerse.g. Commercial kitchen steamers
  • Commercial use microwave ovense.g. Commercial microwave ovens
  • Commercial use mixerse.g. Commercial stand mixers
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Food ProductionKnowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.