| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Restaurants and Food Service |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Head Chef |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 1 to 4 years cooking in a kitchen |
Cook job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Cook
Department: Restaurants and Food Service
Reports to: Head Chef
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Cook prepares and cooks dishes to the menu and recipe in a restaurant, canteen or kitchen. They handle prep, cooking and plating for their dishes, keep the station clean, and maintain taste and portion. The role is the backbone of many everyday kitchens. A good Cook turns out consistent, tasty food on time, follows hygiene and portion rules, manages their station well, and can handle a busy service without dropping quality.
Key responsibilities
- Prepare and cook dishes to the menu, recipe and portion.
- Do the daily prep for the dishes on the station.
- Set up and stock the station before each service.
- Keep taste, portion and presentation consistent across all orders.
- Keep the station and equipment clean and food safe.
- Store and rotate ingredients correctly to avoid any spoilage.
- Cook to order and to time during a busy service.
- Support other cooks and helpers when the kitchen is busy.
- Report low stock and equipment problems to the chef.
Requirements
- Certificate in cookery or hands on training
- Hands on cooking experience
- Food safety awareness
- 1 to 4 years cooking in a kitchen
KRAs and KPIs for a Cook
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Food quality | Dishes cooked to the recipe taste and portion standard |
| Consistency | Same taste and portion across orders and days |
| Timing | Dishes cooked to time through a busy service |
| Hygiene | Station kept clean and food safe at all times |
| Wastage | Ingredient wastage held within the target |
| Readiness | Station prepped and stocked before every service |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Cooking ranges and equipment, Knives and prep tools, Weighing scale, Storage containers, Temperature logs.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Cook, Chef de Partie, Kitchen Supervisor
Interview questions for a Cook
- How do you keep a dish tasting the same every time?
- How do you prep and set up your station for service?
- How do you cope when many orders come at once?
- How do you control portion on the dishes you cook?
- How do you keep your station clean and food safe?
- How do you avoid wasting ingredients on your station?
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What does a Cook do?
A Cook prepares and cooks dishes to the menu and recipe. They do prep, cooking and plating for their station, keep taste and portion consistent, and keep the station clean and food safe. They cook to order and to time during service. Their job is consistent, tasty food ready when guests want it.
What is the difference between a Cook and a Chef?
A Cook prepares food to set recipes on a station. A Chef, from commis up to head chef, is part of a trained brigade with a career ladder, taking on section leadership, menu work and kitchen management. The chef title carries training and rank; cook is a broader everyday role.
What qualifications does a Cook need?
A cookery certificate or hands on training, with cooking experience. Food safety awareness helps. Employers value consistency, speed, portion control and clean, safe working. Many cooks learn on the job and grow into senior cook, chef de partie or supervisor roles.