Food Preparation Workers

Overview

Food Preparation Workers has a national median salary of $35,320 per year, with -3% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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

Work Values

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
• Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
• Distribute food to waiters and waitresses to serve to customers.
• Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
• Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Handling and Moving Objects

Detailed Work Activities

• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for no formal educational credential.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Food Preparation Workers:

Video Resources