SOUTH AFRICA 路 SALARY IN RANDS

Cooks, Restaurant

What the work involves, the skills employers want, and how to get started in South Africa.

  • Appetizer Preparer
  • Back Line Cook
  • Banquet Cook
  • Breakfast Cook
  • Broil Cook
  • Cook
  • Fry Cook
  • Grill Cook
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What is a cooks, restaurant?

A Cook in a restaurant is a culinary professional responsible for preparing, cooking, and presenting food in a dining establishment. They work in various types of restaurants, from fast food to fine dining, and may specialize in different cuisines or cooking styles. Cooks are essential to the kitchen team, often collaborating with chefs and other kitchen staff to ensure the efficient operation of the kitchen.

Their daily tasks typically include reading and following recipes, managing food inventory, ensuring quality and safety standards are met, and maintaining a clean and organized workspace. Cooks must have a strong understanding of various cooking techniques, food safety practices, and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. Additionally, they often interact with customers, especially in open kitchen settings, and may assist in menu planning or food preparation for special events.

Overall, a Cook plays a crucial role in the dining experience, contributing not just to the food's taste and presentation but also to the overall ambiance and satisfaction of the patrons.

What the work actually is

  • Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
  • Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
  • Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
  • Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
  • Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.

Skills employers expect

Skills

  • Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities

  • Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Information Ordering The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Manual Dexterity The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Speech Recognition The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Knowledge

  • Food Production Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Production and Processing Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

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How people get into it

Education of new hires

High school diploma or equivalent
or: GED, High School Equivalency Certificate
Less than high school diploma
Post-secondary certificate
Awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in Personnel Services, Engineering-related Technologies, Vocational Home Economics, Construction Trades, Mechanics and Repairers, Precision Production Trades)

A normal week

  • Getting Information
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  • Handling and Moving Objects
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials

Tools used on the job

Technology

  • Spreadsheet software Microsoft Excel
  • Electronic mail software Microsoft Outlook
  • Point of sale POS software Point of sale POS restaurant software
  • Office suite software Microsoft Office software
  • Word processing software Microsoft Word

Tools

  • Commercial use cutlery Boning knives 路 Chefs' knives 路 Paring knives
  • Domestic knives Cimeter knives 路 Filet knives 路 Utility cutlery
  • Commercial use ovens Conveyor ovens 路 Rotating rack ovens 路 Salamander ovens
  • Commercial use blenders Blenders
  • Commercial use griddles Griddles

Who it suits

Realistic

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Conventional

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Enterprising

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

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Questions people ask

How much does a cooks, restaurant earn in South Africa?

Cooks, Restaurant salaries in South Africa vary by experience, province and employer.

What is a cooks, restaurant?

Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices, Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock and Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.

How do I know if this career fits me?

Take the free Assessify career assessment. It matches your answers to careers and shows the South African salary next to each one.