Education:
45%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
38%
Less than a High School Diploma
Food Preparation Worker
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Job Outlook:
Decline
Education:
None
Salary
High:
$38,780.00
Average:
$30,720.00
Hourly
Average:
$14.77
What they do:
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
On the job, you would:
- Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
- Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
- Portion and wrap food, or place it directly on plates for service to patrons.
Important Qualities
Dexterity. Food preparation workers must be able to quickly and safely chop vegetables, cut meat, and perform other tasks with sharp knives.
Interpersonal skills. Food preparation workers must work well with kitchen staff to ensure that dishes are prepared properly and on time.
Listening skills. Food preparation workers must understand customers’ orders and follow directions from cooks, chefs, or food service managers.
Physical stamina. Food preparation workers stand on their feet for long periods while they prepare food, clean work areas, or lift pots from the stove.
Physical strength. Food preparation workers may need to move heavy food supply items and kitchen equipment.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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77% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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76% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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75% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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73% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
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72% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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70% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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70% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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67% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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66% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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65% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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95% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. | |
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83% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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61% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. | |
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61% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Clean tableware.
Cook foods.
Assess equipment functioning.
Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
Report information to managers or other personnel.
Operate cash registers.
Process customer bills or payments.
Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Clean food service areas.
Arrange food for serving.
Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
Serve food or beverages.
Package food or supplies.
Arrange food for serving.
Package food or supplies.
Arrange food for serving.
Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
Measure ingredients.
Assist chefs or caterers with food or drink preparation.
Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.
Remove trash.
Serve food or beverages.
Prepare hot or cold beverages.
Move equipment, supplies or food to required locations.
Cook foods.
Remove trash.
Cut cooked or raw foods.
Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
Cook foods.
Distribute resources to patrons or employees.
Record operational or production data.
Clean tableware.
Cut cooked or raw foods.
Cut cooked or raw foods.
Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.
Mix ingredients.
Present food or beverage information or menus to customers.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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89% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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85% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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85% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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83% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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81% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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81% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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81% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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80% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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80% | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? | |
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73% | Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running? | |
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71% | Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? | |
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71% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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69% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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69% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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68% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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67% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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67% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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76% | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. | |
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71% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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67% | Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. | |
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67% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
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67% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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65% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
What Food Preparation Workers Do
Food preparation workers clean and sanitize work areas.
Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking. Their duties include preparing cold foods, slicing meat, peeling and cutting vegetables, brewing coffee or tea, and doing many other food service tasks.
Duties
Food preparation workers typically do the following:
- Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, and dishes
- Weigh or measure ingredients, such as meats and liquids
- Prepare fruit and vegetables for cooking
- Cut meats, poultry, and seafood and prepare them for cooking
- Mix ingredients for salads
- Keep food in suitable containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage
- Take and record the temperature of food and food storage areas
- Place food trays over food warmers for immediate service
Food preparation workers help cooks and other kitchen staff by preparing ingredients for dishes. Common duties include slicing and dicing fruits, vegetables, and meat; making salads, sandwiches, and other cold food items; and keeping salad bars and buffet tables stocked and clean. They usually work under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers.
Food preparation workers also retrieve pots and pans, clean and store kitchen equipment, and unload and store food supplies. When needed, they retrieve food and equipment for cooks and chefs. In some kitchens, food preparation workers use a variety of commercial kitchen equipment, such as commercial dishwashers, blenders, slicers, or grinders.
In addition, these workers may stock and use soda machines, tea brewers, and coffeemakers to prepare beverages for customers.
Work Environment
Food preparation workers held about 931,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of food preparation workers were as follows:
| Restaurants and other eating places | 54% |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 19 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 6 |
| Special food services | 5 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 3 |
Food preparation workers held about 886,700 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of food preparation workers were as follows:
The work is often strenuous. Food preparation workers may stand for hours at a time while cleaning or preparing ingredients. Some are required to move heavy pots or food supplies.
The fast-paced environment in kitchens may be hectic, especially during peak dining hours. Ensuring that dishes are prepared properly and on time may be stressful.
Injuries and Illnesses
Food preparation areas in kitchens have potential safety hazards, such as hot ovens and slippery floors. As a result, food preparation workers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. The most common risks include minor slips, falls, cuts, and burns. To reduce these risks, workers often wear gloves, aprons, and nonslip shoes.
Work Schedules
Part-time work is common for food preparation workers. Work schedules may vary to include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, or holidays.
Those in school cafeterias may have more regular schedules and may work only during the academic year, usually 9 or 10 months. In establishments that offer seasonal employment, food preparation workers may be hired for only a few months each year.
Getting Started
How to Become a Food Preparation Worker
Food preparation workers typically learn their skills on the job from an experienced worker.
Food preparation workers typically do not need a formal educational credential or previous work experience to enter the occupation. They learn their job tasks through on-the-job training.
Education
There typically are no formal education requirements for becoming a food preparation worker. However, employers may require or prefer that candidates have some high school education or a diploma.
Training
Food preparation workers typically get short-term on-the-job training, which usually lasts several weeks. Trainees typically learn basic kitchen duties from an experienced worker. Their training also may include basic sanitation and workplace safety regulations, as well as instructions on how to handle and prepare food.
Advancement
Opportunities for food preparation workers to advance depend on their training and work experience. Food preparation workers may advance to become assistant cooks or line cooks as they learn basic cooking skills.
Job Outlook
Employment of food preparation workers is projected to decline 5 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Despite declining employment, about 157,100 openings for food preparation workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Restaurants and cafeterias may customize their food orders from wholesalers and distributors in an effort to lower costs. For example, they may order prewashed, precut, or preseasoned ingredients, which is expected to reduce the need for food preparation workers. Additionally, some establishments prefer to employ fast food and counter workers, who both prepare and serve food to customers, which also may reduce the need for food preparation workers.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about job opportunities, contact local employers and local offices of the state employment service.
For more information about food preparation workers, visit
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of food preparation workers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bakers |
Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods. |
No formal educational credential | $32,780 |
|
Butchers |
Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale. |
No formal educational credential | $36,930 |
|
Chefs and Head Cooks |
Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $56,520 |
|
Cooks |
Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. |
See How to Become One | $30,910 |
|
Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers |
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers. |
No formal educational credential | $28,130 |
|
Bartenders |
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff. |
No formal educational credential | $29,380 |