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Retail

Cook, Restaurant

Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

Annual openings

5,919

Median wage

$41,600

Typical education

Education not reported

Growth 2026–2032

+10%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

Education not reported

Credential requirement

Credential requirements not reported

Previous experience as a Restaurant Cook is highly valued by Public Health employers when hiring a Compliance Officer/Inspector.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Automation exposure

High exposure

Many tasks are repeatable, so technology could reshape the day-to-day over time.

A typical day

  1. Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
  2. Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
  3. Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
  4. Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
  5. Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
  6. Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
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