Occupation

Food Preparation Workers

Human Advantage 60%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
4.5 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

Also Known As: Cafeteria Aide, Carver, Caterer, Caterer Helper, Catering Assistant, Chicken and Fish Butcher, Coffee Brewer, Coffee Maker +65 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
  2. Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
  3. Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
  4. Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.
  5. Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers.
  6. Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
  7. Weigh or measure ingredients.
  8. Vacuum dining area and sweep and mop kitchen floor.
  9. Inform supervisors when equipment is not working properly and when food and supplies are getting low, and order needed items.
  10. Wash, peel, and cut various foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to prepare for cooking or serving.
  11. Prepare a variety of foods, such as meats, vegetables, or desserts, according to customers' orders or supervisors' instructions, following approved procedures.
  12. Assemble meal trays with foods in accordance with patients' diets.
  13. Stock cupboards and refrigerators, and tend salad bars and buffet meals.
  14. Use manual or electric appliances to clean, peel, slice, and trim foods.
  15. Load dishes, glasses, and tableware into dishwashing machines.
  16. Portion and wrap food, or place it directly on plates for service to patrons.
  17. Add cutlery, napkins, food, and other items to trays on assembly lines in hospitals, cafeterias, airline kitchens, and similar establishments.
  18. Place food trays over food warmers for immediate service, or store them in refrigerated storage cabinets.
  19. Prepare and serve a variety of beverages, such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
  20. Mix ingredients for green salads, molded fruit salads, vegetable salads, and pasta salads.
  21. Receive and store food supplies, equipment, and utensils in refrigerators, cupboards, and other storage areas.
  22. Stir and strain soups and sauces.
  23. Make special dressings and sauces as condiments for sandwiches.
  24. Scrape leftovers from dishes into garbage containers.

Supplemental Tasks (7)

  1. Distribute food to waiters and waitresses to serve to customers.
  2. Operate cash register, handle money, and give correct change.
  3. Distribute menus to hospital patients, collect diet sheets, and deliver food trays and snacks to nursing units or directly to patients.
  4. Package take-out foods or serve food to customers.
  5. Cut, slice or grind meat, poultry, and seafood to prepare for cooking.
  6. Butcher and clean fowl, fish, poultry, and shellfish to prepare for cooking or serving.
  7. Keep records of the quantities of food used.

Emerging Tasks

New and evolving responsibilities for this role:

  • Check and log refrigerator, freezer, and cooler temperatures.

Education & Training

Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
69%
Some College Courses
22%
Doctoral Degree
4%
Less than a High School Diploma
3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
1%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software

Software (15)

  • Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
  • CBORD Foodservice Suite
  • CBORD NetRecipe
  • Culinary Software Services ChefTec
  • EGS CALCMENU
  • Master Cook Deluxe Professional Cook
  • Mealmaster Cookbook Wizard
  • MicroBlast Recipe Wizard for Windows
  • Quizlet
  • Recipe software
  • ValuSoft MasterCook
  • YouTube
  • iPro

Tools & Equipment (51)

  • Belt conveyors
  • Blenders
  • Bread slicers
  • Brick ovens
  • Cappuccino machines
  • Charbroilers
  • Choppers
  • Coffee brewing machines
  • Coffee grinders
  • Combination slicers/electronic portion scales
  • Commercial cooking ovens
  • Commercial dishwashers
  • Commercial microwave ovens
  • Commercial ranges
  • Commercial stand mixers
  • Cotton candy machines
  • Dicers
  • Dishwashing machines
  • Dough mixers
  • Drink dispensers
  • Electric fryers
  • Electric meat and cheese slicers
  • Electric meat grinders
  • Electronic chicken rotisseries
  • Espresso machines
  • Food processors
  • Food scales
  • Frozen custard machines
  • Frozen drink machines
  • Griddles
  • Grills
  • Ice machines
  • Knives
  • Measuring utensils
  • Milkshake and smoothie machines
  • Mixing machines
  • Oriental ranges
  • Personal computers
  • Pizza ovens
  • Point of sale POS interface scales
  • Point of sale POS systems
  • Popcorn machines
  • Pressureless steamers
  • Roasting equipment
  • Snow cone machines
  • Soda machines
  • Soft-serve ice cream machines
  • Steam tables
  • Thermal label printing scales
  • Toasters
  • Tomato slicers

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Culinary & Food Services Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Zone 1
Fast Food and Counter Workers 93% match
Zone 2
Food Preparation Workers You are here
Zone 3
Chefs and Head Cooks 75% match

Resume Builder

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Related Occupations

Compare skills gap with any of these related roles.

Cooks, RestaurantClosely Related Cooks, Short OrderClosely Related Fast Food and Counter WorkersClosely Related Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaClosely Related Butchers and Meat CuttersClosely Related Cooks, Fast Food Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
Show all 20 related occupations
Dishwashers Baristas Chefs and Head Cooks Cooks, Private Household Bakers Food Service Managers First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Food Batchmakers Waiters and Waitresses Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Real Talk

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