Life As an Institution and Cafeteria Cook
Institution & Cafeteria Cook Example Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
List of Institution & Cafeteria Cook Job Duties
- Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation.
- Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment.
- Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons.
- Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry.
- Determine meal prices, based on calculations of ingredient prices.
- Monitor menus and spending to ensure that meals are prepared economically.
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What Every Institution & Cafeteria Cook Should Know
Institution and Cafeteria Cooks state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Food and Nutrition Services Assistant
- Second Cook and Baker
- Dietary Cook
- Camp Cook
- PM Head Cook
Job Opportunities for Institution and Cafeteria Cooks
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 424,800 jobs in the United States for Institution and Cafeteria Cook. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 32,600 new jobs for Institution and Cafeteria Cook by 2026. There will be an estimated 64,400 positions for Institution & Cafeteria Cook per year.

The states with the most job growth for Institution & Cafeteria Cook are Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Alabama, Wyoming, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of an Institution & Cafeteria Cook
Institution and Cafeteria Cooks make between $18,840 and $39,880 a year.

Institution and Cafeteria Cooks who work in Connecticut, Hawaii, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Institution and Cafeteria Cooks in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $22,100 |
Alaska | $37,670 |
Arizona | $28,120 |
Arkansas | $22,320 |
California | $35,680 |
Colorado | $29,630 |
Connecticut | $38,580 |
Delaware | $32,620 |
District of Columbia | $37,270 |
Florida | $27,280 |
Georgia | $26,160 |
Hawaii | $38,110 |
Idaho | $24,960 |
Illinois | $27,550 |
Indiana | $25,200 |
Iowa | $27,110 |
Kansas | $24,190 |
Kentucky | $25,630 |
Louisiana | $21,990 |
Maine | $30,910 |
Maryland | $33,010 |
Massachusetts | $37,300 |
Michigan | $28,410 |
Minnesota | $32,810 |
Mississippi | $20,460 |
Missouri | $24,900 |
Montana | $27,060 |
Nebraska | $26,950 |
Nevada | $32,780 |
New Hampshire | $33,100 |
New Jersey | $34,050 |
New Mexico | $25,020 |
New York | $34,800 |
North Carolina | $25,240 |
North Dakota | $31,370 |
Ohio | $27,260 |
Oklahoma | $21,650 |
Oregon | $31,920 |
Pennsylvania | $29,180 |
Rhode Island | $36,060 |
South Carolina | $22,960 |
South Dakota | $26,230 |
Tennessee | $25,580 |
Texas | $24,770 |
Utah | $27,870 |
Vermont | $31,380 |
Virginia | $29,400 |
Washington | $34,230 |
West Virginia | $24,200 |
Wisconsin | $28,960 |
Wyoming | $30,580 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Institution and Cafeteria Cooks
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Institution and Cafeteria Cooks may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Data entry software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Point of sale POS software
- IBM Lotus 1-2-3
- GNOME Gnutrition
How to Become an Institution & Cafeteria Cook
What education or degrees do I need to become an Institution and Cafeteria Cook?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Institution and Cafeteria Cooks?

Below are examples of industries where Institution and Cafeteria Cooks work:

Related Careers
Those interested in being an Institution and Cafeteria Cook may also be interested in:
Those who work as an Institution and Cafeteria Cook sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Army Europe Images via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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