Institution and cafeteria cooks are usually employed by hospitals, schools, or cafeterias where they prepare food in large quantities. This job is a unique combination of culinary work and human services.
These cooks bake pastries like rolls and breads, cook foods according to menus, meet the dietary needs of those being served, clean, cut, and cook meats, and serve dishes.
They also maintain and clean kitchens, galleys and serving areas, wash and clean cooking equipment, make sure regulations are being met, and keep records of food uses and expenses. Institution and cafeteria cooks may perform some managerial duties like training new employees and overseeing the work of other employees as they prepare and serve food.
Institution and cafeteria cooks use things like knives, shears, broilers, stoves, slicers, fryers, ovens, and pots and pans on a daily basis, and that’s just the beginning. They also use data entry, spreadsheet, project management, point of sale, and word processing software to make things in the kitchen run smoothly.
People who love to spend time in the kitchen preparing delicious meals, are service oriented, and are good at listening, communicating, reasoning, using their hands, math, monitoring, critical thinking, and time management will probably do very well with this career. Job opportunities for institution and cafeteria cooks are expected to increase.
Regardless of their background or experience, students can embark on a rewarding career as an institution and cafeteria cook in many locations.
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