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Restaurant Food Preparer Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Restaurant Food Preparers Job Overview

Restaurant food preparers cook a wide selection of dishes, preparing most orders individually. They usually prepare, season and cook a wide range of regional and continental dishes. They are helped by food preparation workers who peel and cut vegetables, prepare poultry, trim meat, and perform other duties like keeping work areas clean and monitoring temperatures of ovens and stovetops. Restaurant food preparers determine serving sizes, plan menus, order food supplies and oversee kitchen operations to ensure uniform quality and good presentation of meals. The specific duties of restaurant food preparers are often determined by the restaurant in which they work.

Restaurant Food Preparers Schools and Degrees

Many school districts, in cooperation with State departments of education, provide on-the-job training and summer workshops for cafeteria kitchen workers who want to become chefs. Food service management companies or hotel and restaurant chains also offer paid internships and summer jobs to those starting out in the field.

The American Culinary Federation accredits more than 200 formal academic training programs and sponsors apprenticeship programs around the country. Typical apprenticeships last 2 years and combine classroom training and work experience. Accreditation is an indication that a culinary program meets recognized standards regarding course content, facilities, and quality of instruction.

Job Requirements

The American Culinary Federation certifies pastry professionals, personal chefs and culinary educators, in addition to various levels of chefs. Certification standards are based primarily on experience and formal training. Although certification is not required, it can help to prove accomplishment and lead to advancement and higher-paying positions.

Restaurant food preparers should be efficient, quick and work well in a team. They should have creativity and an intense sense of taste and smell. Personal cleanliness is essential because most states require health certificates indicating that workers are free from communicable diseases.

Nature of Work

Restaurant food preparers work in diverse environments depending on the type and quantity of food prepared and also on the local laws governing food service operations. Restaurant kitchens usually have modern equipment, air conditioning and convenient work areas.

Restaurant Food Preparers Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, restaurant food preparers held about 850,000 jobs in the U.S. Jobs are expected to grow by 12% in the next ten years. Employment is highest in the following industries:

  • Drinking places, alcoholic beverages
  • Full-Service Restaurants
  • Limited-Service Eating Places
  • Other Amusement and Recreation Industries
  • Traveler Accommodation

The mean hourly wage for restaurant food preparers in the US is about $9.62, while the mean annual wages are around $20,020.

Job Numbers and Growth

There are an estimated 850,000 restaurant food preparers nationally. Most recently, workers have experienced a very high level of joblessness. An estimated 9% of employees did not have employment in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Restaurant food preparers -of-a-feather seem to flock to Palm Coast (Florida), Myrtle Beach (South Carolina), and Bay City (Michigan). They are less likely to be found around Dalton (Georgia), Idaho Falls (Idaho), and Trenton (New Jersey).

Compensation of workers is best in Bridgeport (Connecticut), Las Vegas (Nevada), and New Haven (Connecticut), and much worse in Longview (Texas), Great Falls (Montana), and Albany (Georgia).

Training and Education

Employees often find employers are looking for long-term on-the-job training. Restaurant food preparers, in 5% of cases, have bachelor's degree or higher. After high school, 19% of workers pursued some additional career education. Employees, in 77% of cases, had only a high school education. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Restaurant food preparers employed part-time are 30% of the total. Workers, in about 1% of cases, work for themselves.


Career Video for Restaurant Food Preparers

Restaurant Food Preparers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anniston$19,000350+25%
Auburn$18,000500+89%
Birmingham$19,0003,510-1%
Decatur$19,000260-20%
Dothan$18,000480+33%
Florence$19,000380+25%
Gadsden$20,000290+50%
Huntsville$20,0001,280-7%
Mobile$21,0001,020-15%
Montgomery$20,0001,400+25%
Tuscaloosa$21,000650+16%

Alaska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anchorage$26,0001,090+4%
Fairbanks$27,000210+13%

Arizona

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Flagstaff$22,000710+115%
Kingman$20,000450+47%
Phoenix$23,00013,000+2%
Prescott$22,000480+27%
Tucson$21,0002,940+18%
Yuma$20,000460+26%

Arkansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Fayetteville$21,000960-26%
Fort Smith$19,000680-10%
Hot Springs$19,000410+92%
Jonesboro$19,000210-28%
Little Rock$22,0002,110-8%
Pine Bluff$16,000110-42%

California

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bakersfield$23,000970-45%
Chico$22,000470+10%
El Centro$20,000300-1%
Fresno$22,0001,530-32%
Hanford$23,00090-45%
Madera$22,000110-48%
Merced$21,000360+5%
Modesto$23,0001,000-7%
Napa$29,000830+113%
Oakland$25,0005,680-19%
Oxnard$24,0002,050+3%
Redding$24,000610+50%
Riverside$24,0008,610-2%
Sacramento$24,0005,030-17%
Salinas$25,0001,340+33%
San Diego$24,0009,370+2%
San Francisco$27,0008,910+30%
San Jose$24,0005,160-18%
San Luis Obispo$25,0001,180+88%
Santa Ana$24,00010,600+1%
Santa Barbara$25,0001,550+41%
Santa Cruz$26,000560+2%
Santa Rosa$24,0001,560+29%
Stockton$23,000970-31%
Vallejo$23,000720-8%
Visalia$22,000510-41%
Yuba City$24,000240+7%

Colorado

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boulder$24,0001,580+51%
Colorado Springs$22,0002,300+38%
Denver$23,0009,630+12%
Fort Collins$23,0001,470+90%
Grand Junction$25,000510+50%
Greeley$21,000730+58%
Pueblo$20,000550+71%

Connecticut

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bridgeport$32,0002,030-31%
Hartford$24,0002,740-30%
New Haven$30,0001,060-43%
Norwich$27,0001,020+28%
Waterbury$25,000250-40%

Delaware

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Dover$23,000390+19%
Wilmington$24,0002,120-4%

District of Columbia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Washington$25,00014,590-8%

Florida

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Cape Coral$23,0002,500+81%
Deltona$22,0001,510+50%
Fort Lauderdale$24,0006,040+21%
Fort Walton Beach$22,0001,090+133%
Gainesville$20,0001,200+64%
Jacksonville$22,0005,010+22%
Lakeland$20,0001,300+2%
Miami$24,0007,200+6%
Naples$27,0002,010+161%
Ocala$20,000890+50%
Orlando$24,00012,420+73%
Palm Bay$23,0001,680+30%
Palm Coast$22,000220+217%
Panama City$22,000870+106%
Pensacola$22,0001,270+31%
Port St Lucie$23,0001,320+62%
Punta Gorda$21,000410+79%
Sarasota$24,0003,050+74%
Sebastian$23,000610+114%
Tallahassee$20,0001,080+2%
Tampa$23,0009,260+11%
West Palm Beach$26,0005,710+57%

Georgia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albany$15,000350-5%
Athens$20,000590+27%
Atlanta$22,00016,2600%
Augusta$19,0001,750+29%
Brunswick$21,000590+138%
Columbus$21,000940+35%
Dalton$19,000210-56%
Gainesville$18,000360-16%
Hinesville$17,00090+34%
Macon$18,000680+8%
Rome$18,000220+5%
Savannah$23,0001,180+21%
Valdosta$19,000170-49%
Warner Robins$19,000330+12%

Hawaii

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Honolulu$26,0003,510+19%

Idaho

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Boise$22,0001,550-14%
Coeur Dalene$23,000760+131%
Idaho Falls$22,000120-57%
Lewiston$20,000170+36%
Pocatello$24,000240+41%

Illinois

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bloomington$23,000670+55%
Champaign$20,000570-3%
Chicago$23,00019,360-26%
Danville$21,000120-16%
Decatur$21,000530+92%
Kankakee$20,000260+20%
Peoria$21,000890-20%
Rockford$20,000870-12%
Springfield$22,0006500%

Indiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$19,000270+17%
Bloomington$20,000660+57%
Columbus$21,000270+9%
Elkhart$21,000610-26%
Evansville$20,0001,200+5%
Fort Wayne$20,0001,460+4%
Gary$20,0001,380-26%
Indianapolis$23,0005,130-16%
Kokomo$18,000280+38%
Lafayette$19,000510+9%
Michigan City$19,000270+8%
Muncie$17,000360+35%
South Bend$22,000940+7%
Terre Haute$19,000350-18%

Iowa

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ames$19,000300+37%
Cedar Rapids$20,000830-4%
Davenport$21,0001,180-2%
Des Moines$21,0002,290+4%
Dubuque$21,000400+31%
Iowa City$19,0001,090+147%
Sioux City$19,000340-22%
Waterloo$19,000830+55%

Kansas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawrence$20,000470+77%
Topeka$19,000620-12%
Wichita$20,0001,660-19%

Kentucky

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bowling Green$20,000560+62%
Elizabethtown$19,000360+42%
Lexington$20,0002,550+58%
Louisville$21,0003,330-21%
Owensboro$19,000390+37%

Louisiana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Alexandria$21,000300-17%
Baton Rouge$21,0001,750-29%
Houma$18,000430-28%
Lafayette$20,000840-10%
Lake Charles$23,000420-22%
Monroe$20,000380-22%
New Orleans$21,0003,840+11%
Shreveport$22,0001,170+2%

Maine

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bangor$20,000400+3%
Lewiston$23,000340+17%
Portland$26,0001,360+2%

Maryland

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Baltimore$25,0006,340-29%
Bethesda$27,0002,860-26%
Cumberland$18,000300+47%
Hagerstown$23,000420-33%
Salisbury$21,000290-7%

Massachusetts

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Barnstable Town$29,0001,370+116%
Boston$27,00011,400-3%
Brockton$29,000440-21%
Framingham$26,000920-13%
Haverhill$27,000510+7%
Lawrence$24,000530+54%
Leominster$24,000270-9%
Lowell$26,000610-21%
New Bedford$25,000490+24%
Pittsfield$28,000480+156%
Springfield$25,0001,850-8%
Taunton$26,000320+17%
Worcester$27,0001,430-13%

Michigan

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ann Arbor$24,000800-26%
Bay City$18,000520+162%
Detroit$24,0005,660+17%
Flint$24,0001,020+15%
Grand Rapids$21,0002,870+12%
Holland$20,000780+21%
Jackson$23,000280-10%
Kalamazoo$21,000860-2%
Lansing$21,0001,300+2%
Monroe$22,000270+18%
Muskegon$19,000470+29%
Niles$22,000230-39%
Saginaw$20,000610+30%
Warren$24,0006,080-23%

Minnesota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Duluth$20,0001,100+35%
Minneapolis$24,00013,310+8%
Rochester$23,000450-23%
St Cloud$20,000710+10%

Mississippi

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Gulfport$22,0001,370+98%
Hattiesburg$19,0003400%
Jackson$19,0001,680-1%
Pascagoula$22,000310+12%

Missouri

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Columbia$20,000790+55%
Jefferson City$19,000400-5%
Joplin$18,000530+7%
Kansas City$22,0007,580+7%
Springfield$19,0001,630+27%
St Joseph$21,000530+78%
St Louis$23,0009,700+5%

Montana

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Billings$21,000730+45%
Great Falls$16,000490+149%
Missoula$20,000550+78%

Nebraska

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lincoln$21,0001,020-4%
Omaha$21,0002,710-14%

Nevada

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Carson City$24,000290+93%
Las Vegas$29,00012,320+95%
Reno$25,0001,930+41%

New Hampshire

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Manchester$25,000630-5%
Nashua$24,000730-18%
Portsmouth$26,000530+56%
Rochester$24,000410+20%

New Jersey

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Atlantic City$26,0002,510+162%
Camden$24,0001,930-46%
Edison$24,0005,330-25%
Newark$27,0003,720-46%
Ocean City$25,000450+87%
Trenton$27,000590-58%
Vineland$22,000160-54%

New Mexico

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Albuquerque$21,0002,600-1%
Farmington$21,000300-4%
Las Cruces$18,000650+75%
Santa Fe$24,000780+103%

New York

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Binghamton$23,000490-27%
Buffalo$24,0002,530-31%
Elmira$24,000260+29%
Glens Falls$24,000380+21%
Ithaca$23,000500+102%
Kingston$28,000320-11%
Nassau$29,0005,420-37%
New York$30,00024,090-32%
Poughkeepsie$26,000980-38%
Rochester$25,0002,080-39%
Syracuse$22,0001,310-37%
Utica$26,000440-46%

North Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Asheville$21,0002,190+87%
Burlington$21,000460+29%
Charlotte$23,0005,840-4%
Durham$23,0001,520-17%
Fayetteville$18,000890+14%
Goldsboro$18,000330+52%
Greensboro$20,0002,320-7%
Greenville$19,000580+33%
Hickory$19,000790-26%
Jacksonville$20,000510+116%
Raleigh$22,0003,980+15%
Rocky Mount$18,000380+8%
Wilmington$22,0001,540+65%
Winston Salem$20,000980-31%

North Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bismarck$18,000590+75%
Fargo$21,000780+5%
Grand Forks$20,000360+26%

Ohio

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Akron$22,0001,620-29%
Canton$20,0001,050-8%
Cincinnati$22,0007,570+6%
Cleveland$23,0006,400-12%
Columbus$21,0006,970+9%
Dayton$20,0002,610-1%
Lima$19,000420+35%
Mansfield$21,000350+13%
Sandusky$21,000480+139%
Springfield$20,000230-17%
Toledo$20,0001,940-7%
Youngstown$20,0001,500-3%

Oklahoma

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Lawton$17,000300+41%
Oklahoma City$19,0004,090+6%
Tulsa$19,0002,890-2%

Oregon

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bend$25,000770+84%
Corvallis$22,000320+83%
Eugene$23,000950-2%
Medford$23,000770+47%
Portland$23,0008,590+21%
Salem$24,000790-19%

Pennsylvania

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Allentown$24,0001,770-22%
Altoona$20,000440+22%
Erie$23,000930+15%
Harrisburg$24,0001,570-26%
Johnstown$23,000420+24%
Lancaster$21,000990-37%
Lebanon$22,000250-8%
Philadelphia$29,0009,700-25%
Pittsburgh$24,0008,480+9%
Reading$25,000780-27%
Scranton$20,0001,970+15%
State College$22,000500+48%
Williamsport$20,000270-10%
York$23,0001,210+2%

Rhode Island

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Providence$25,0004,090+6%

South Carolina

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Anderson$21,000710+95%
Charleston$23,0002,230+14%
Columbia$21,0002,340-1%
Florence$18,000380-27%
Greenville$21,0001,720-16%
Myrtle Beach$22,0002,220+193%
Spartanburg$20,000890+13%
Sumter$18,000150-25%

South Dakota

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Rapid City$20,000360-5%
Sioux Falls$22,000480-46%

Tennessee

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Chattanooga$20,0001,100-29%
Clarksville$18,000600+29%
Cleveland$21,000210+4%
Jackson$20,000330-4%
Johnson City$20,000590+29%
Kingsport$22,000650-11%
Knoxville$22,0002,910+29%
Memphis$23,0004,400+4%
Morristown$16,000230-16%
Nashville$22,0006,150+18%

Texas

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Abilene$19,000400+7%
Amarillo$20,000760+20%
Austin$21,0005,280+2%
Beaumont$19,000830-19%
Brownsville$16,000620-22%
College Station$18,000790+66%
Corpus Christi$17,0001,530+33%
Dallas$21,00015,030+4%
El Paso$17,0001,660-5%
Fort Worth$20,0007,410+26%
Houston$19,00018,980+7%
Killeen$18,000670-12%
Laredo$19,000420-18%
Longview$17,000480-18%
Lubbock$18,0001,170+51%
Mcallen$17,0001,400-3%
Midland$21,000520+29%
Odessa$20,000320-5%
San Angelo$19,000330+40%
San Antonio$22,0005,240-9%
Sherman$20,000230+1%
Texarkana$18,000340+5%
Tyler$19,000620+9%
Victoria$18,000220-19%
Waco$17,000780+28%
Wichita Falls$21,000310-10%

Utah

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Ogden$23,000850-35%
Provo$23,000740-31%
Salt Lake City$23,0003,860-10%
St George$23,000420+47%

Vermont

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Burlington$25,000900+29%

Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Blacksburg$20,000410+11%
Charlottesville$22,0001,000+71%
Danville$22,000240+22%
Harrisonburg$21,000440+37%
Lynchburg$20,000470-26%
Richmond$22,0003,290-19%
Roanoke$22,0001,110+8%
Virginia Beach$22,0006,020+17%
Winchester$22,000410+32%

Washington

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Bellingham$24,000910+85%
Bremerton$23,000850+65%
Kennewick$23,000490-12%
Longview$22,000310+67%
Mount Vernon$25,000550+111%
Olympia$26,000810+38%
Seattle$26,00011,500+17%
Spokane$23,0001,600+16%
Tacoma$25,0002,180+21%
Wenatchee$23,000420+82%
Yakima$23,000540+9%

West Virginia

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Charleston$18,000750-20%
Huntington$18,000960+33%
Morgantown$19,000450+65%
Parkersburg$18,000460+8%
Weirton$18,000340+39%
Wheeling$19,000530+38%

Wisconsin

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Appleton$20,000850+17%
Eau Claire$20,000340-28%
Fond$21,000150-41%
Green Bay$21,0001,030-5%
Janesville$20,000360-9%
La Crosse$22,000430+3%
Madison$23,0002,040-9%
Milwaukee$22,0004,380-24%
Oshkosh$20,000440-16%
Sheboygan$22,000240-30%
Wausau$24,000270-34%

Wyoming

City and AreaMedian SalaryEmployeesJob Density
Casper$22,000310+42%
Cheyenne$21,000340+35%

Salary and employment data obtained from the United States Department of Labor. Individual salaries depend on location, education and career background. Thanks to CityTownInfo.com for this restaurant food preparer schools and jobs info.

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