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Chefs and Head Cooks

Medium50.31%
Salary Range
Low (10th %)$36,040
Median$58,920
High (90th %)$93,900

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Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.

The occupation "Chefs and Head Cooks" has an automation risk of 50.3%, only slightly below the base risk of 51.2%. This indicates a moderate likelihood of automation impacting this field, primarily due to the repetitive and procedural nature of several core tasks. For example, monitoring sanitation practices, checking the quality of food products, and determining production schedules are tasks that can be systematized and reliably completed by machines or AI systems. Automation technologies, such as smart kitchen sensors and scheduling software, are already being implemented in many professional kitchens, further contributing to this risk. However, there are significant aspects of the chef and head cook role that remain resistant to automation. Tasks like meeting with sales representatives to negotiate prices, interacting with customers to plan special event menus, and demonstrating new cooking techniques to staff require high degrees of human interaction, judgment, and creativity. These activities involve not only interpersonal skills but also the ability to adapt to unique situations and preferences, making them less susceptible to automation. Robots and AI are currently incapable of replicating the nuanced social skills and real-time problem-solving necessary for these responsibilities. A major bottleneck to automation in this occupation is the need for originality, with an assessed importance of 3.4–3.5%. Originality allows chefs to create unique recipes, adapt menus for special occasions, and innovate new cooking methods. This creative capacity is difficult to encode into algorithms or automate through machines since it relies heavily on personal experience, intuition, and cultural understanding. Thus, while automation may handle routine and repetitive tasks within a kitchen, the creative and human-centric elements embodied by chefs and head cooks continue to safeguard portions of the profession from full automation.

Filter by Automatable Status
Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
Partially Automatable
Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
Partially Automatable
Check the quantity and quality of received products.
Partially Automatable
Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
Partially Automatable
Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.
Partially Automatable
Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.
Automatable
Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
Partially Automatable
Recruit and hire staff, such as cooks and other kitchen workers.
Partially Automatable
Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
Automatable
Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.
Partially Automatable
Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
Partially Automatable
Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.
Automatable
Record production or operational data on specified forms.
Automatable
Arrange for equipment purchases or repairs.
Partially Automatable
Collaborate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes or menus, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability of ingredients or the likely number of customers.
Partially Automatable
Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.
Non-Automatable
Meet with customers to discuss menus for special occasions, such as weddings, parties, or banquets.
Non-Automatable
Meet with sales representatives to negotiate prices or order supplies.
Partially Automatable
Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
Non-Automatable
Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.
Partially Automatable
Plan, direct, or supervise food preparation or cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel.
Partially Automatable

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsGetting InformationEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProcessing InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsAnalyzing Data or InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsThinking CreativelyUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesScheduling Work and ActivitiesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesDocumenting/Recording InformationDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsAssisting and Caring for OthersSelling or Influencing OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsTraining and Teaching OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCoaching and Developing OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentWorking with ComputersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment

Food Service Managers
Medium50.23%
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.
Dietetic Technicians
Medium45.45%
Assist in the provision of food service and nutritional programs, under the supervision of a dietitian. May plan and produce meals based on established guidelines, teach principles of food and nutrition, or counsel individuals.
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Medium56.86%
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in preparing and serving food.
Cooks, Fast Food
Medium42.99%
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Medium50.81%
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
Cooks, Private Household
Medium35.98%
Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.
Cooks, Restaurant
Medium34.49%
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
Cooks, Short Order
Medium38.18%
Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
Food Preparation Workers
Medium37.56%
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Medium41.33%
Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages.
Baristas
Medium53.32%
Prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.
Waiters and Waitresses
Medium42.54%
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
Medium45.98%
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Low22.61%
Facilitate food service. Clean tables; remove dirty dishes; replace soiled table linens; set tables; replenish supply of clean linens, silverware, glassware, and dishes; supply service bar with food; and serve items such as water, condiments, and coffee to patrons.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Medium58.98%
Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.
Bakers
Medium64.40%
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
Butchers and Meat Cutters
Medium38.24%
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
Medium53.38%
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
Food Batchmakers
Medium63.36%
Set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
High69.97%
Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.
Bartenders
Medium41.90%
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.

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