Line Cook job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

14

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$37,390

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Cooks, Restaurant (O*NET-SOC 35-2014.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters. importance 4.7 of 5
2. Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices. importance 4.7 of 5
3. Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons. importance 4.7 of 5
4. Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock. importance 4.7 of 5
5. Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience. importance 4.7 of 5
6. Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff. importance 4.6 of 5
7. Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods. importance 4.5 of 5
8. Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment. importance 4.5 of 5
9. Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking. importance 4.4 of 5
10. Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils. importance 4.4 of 5
11. Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods. importance 4.3 of 5
12. Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption. importance 4.2 of 5
13. Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries. importance 3.9 of 5
14. Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches. importance 3.7 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Handling and Moving Objects, Performing General Physical Activities, Getting Information, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings and Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Keep records and accounts.
• Prepare relishes and hors d'oeuvres.
• Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.
• Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.
• Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
• Plan and price menu items.

Knowledge areas: Food Production and English Language.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Facebook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Food safety labeling systems. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years of work experience in a related occupation as typical.
• Training on the job: BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a line cook.

The most common answer among line cooks surveyed by O*NET is a high school diploma or equivalent (47%).

Job title: Line Cook
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Line Cook to prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
- Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
- Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
- Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
- Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
- Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
- Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists less than 5 years in a related occupation as typical; adjust to this role]
- Strength in time management, speaking and critical thinking
- Working knowledge of Food Production and English Language
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Facebook or Microsoft Excel]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $37,390 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $17.98. BLS estimates about 1,409,890 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Cooks, Restaurant to grow 12.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 218,600 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full line cook salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real line cook posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only line cook work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (time management and speaking); line cook interview questions turns them into practice questions.