Assistant Cooks prepare, cook, and assemble a wide variety of foods including short-order grill, breakfasts, sandwiches, simple salads, vegetables, and desserts. They may carve cooked meats, poultry, fish, and game. Assistant Cooks must also have strong working knowledge of table service, sanitation, soups, sauces, and more.
Job Related Skills, Interests and Values
- Preparing and cooking individual dishes or complete meals; assisting the Cook or Chef
- Preparing soups, sauces, salads, and dressings
- Helping plan menus, determine size of food portions, and estimate food requirements/costs
- Communicating effectively with suppliers
- Performing job duties with care and creativity
- Maintaining personal cleanliness
What Preparation and Training Do You Need?
- Grade 10 legal minimum, though secondary school diploma is often required by employers
- High school students may benefit from co-op or enrolment in OYAP
- While not mandatory, completion of 2,640-hour apprenticeship, including on-the-job and in-school training, is recommended
What's Your Future as a Assistant Cook (415B)?
- May work shifts, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays
- Often under pressure to produce meals quickly; exposed to sharp knives, hot appliances, and dangerous equipment; cuts and burns are occupational hazard
- May progress to Cook, Chef, of hospitality management position
- Employers include institutions, restaurants, catering companies, hospitals, health and social services firms, and recreational chains or resorts
Wage Rate
Apprentice wage starts at minimum wage and increases with skill and experience. Fully qualified workers earn an average of $16.00-$22.50 per hour.
Self-Rating
Assistant Cook (415B)
| Ask Yourself: | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Do you like to create and experiment with new ideas for recipes? | ||
| Do you have good reading, writing, mathematical, measuring and problem-solving skills? | ||
| Can you work under pressure? Can you make quick decisions? | ||
| Are you able to follow Health & Safety guidelines? | ||
| Are you able to stand or sit for long periods of time? | ||
| Are you detail-oriented? Do you have the ability to work closely with others? Do you have good listening skills? | ||
| Are you an organized person? Do you enjoy working with your hands and different equipment? |
If you checked YES to the majority of these questions, a career as an Assistant Cook (415B) may be for you!
You might want to look at these similar trades as well;
- Baker
- Chef
- Restaurant Manager/Owner Operator
- Instructor
Bakers prepare dough for pies, different types of bread, and other sweet goods. They also prepare batters for different types of muffins, cookies, and cakes for sale in retail food establishments (ie. grocery stores), restaurants, or other establishments. Bakers may also frost and decorate cakes or other baked goods.
Chefs work in a variety of food service establishments including restaurants, hotels, spas, and country clubs. They are responsible for everything in the kitchen, from developing the menu and hiring staff to purchasing ingredients, selecting dinnerware, and assisting with restaurant design. Chefs have an advanced knowledge of food preparation and management, as well as knowledge of human resources, administrative procedures, and business management.
Institutional cooks prepare quality food according to budgetary requirements and using bulk-cooking methods in conventional, cook chill, or cook freeze environments. They meet individual dietary needs including health or religious requirements and ethnic preferences. Institutional cooks use approved recipes, appropriate ingredients, and specialized equipment for modification techniques to achieve the prescribed or recommended textures. They consider regular and prescribed therapeutic diets, modification of textures, and viscosity of fluids when preparing food and beverages.