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SOC 35-2021 · O*NET 35-2021.00
Food preparation workers carry out work involving this occupation's materials, processes, quality requirements, and deliverables. Specific duties, training, qualifications, agreements, and authorization must be checked against the original requirements of the location and employer.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((0+0+75)/3+0.5)=25; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
Assessing responsibility | Real fit depends on whether you can do three things within the same shift: prepare food correctly by following procedures (check, wash, and cut ingredients; prepare cold foods and drinks to order; portion and plate); maintain food safety and hygiene (hand and utensil hygiene, separation of raw and cooked foods, temperature records, and retained samples); and maintain records that can be checked (ingredient usage, refrigerator and freezer temperatures, and reports of equipment faults and abnormal ingredients). Test this through a verifiable experience, such as observing or helping in a canteen or kitchen, completing food safety and hygiene training with a practical assessment, or undertaking a simulated preparation and hygiene exercise, rather than relying solely on an interest questionnaire.
Caution signals | O*NET also reports daily time pressure (36%), continual or almost continual repetitive motions (17%), high responsibility for others' health and safety (25%), and serious consequences of error (65% consider them serious), because errors involving food safety, allergens, and hygiene directly affect others' health. The work involves cuts from knives, slicers, and grinders; slippery floors; burns from hot beverages and foods; and prolonged standing and walking. If you find sustained standing, repetitive washing and cutting, or remaining sufficiently alert to food safety and hygiene demands difficult, treat these as practical costs requiring careful consideration.
Occupational definition | Food preparation workers help kitchens wash and cut ingredients, prepare cold foods and beverages, portion food, assemble plates, record temperatures and usage, store and restock supplies, and clean and sanitize. O*NET's overview mainly concerns preparation other than cooking, but its tasks also include assisting with cooking, hot beverages, dishwashing, and some cashier duties. Distinguish adjacent roles by their main duties rather than absolutely excluding individual processes.
Career direction comparison
Introduction | The comparison uses four columns: career direction, core work and outputs, key differences, and which choices it may suit. These roles often connect through kitchen workflows, but workflow connections do not make them interchangeable. Moving between directions requires learning the relevant processes, utensils, and hygiene procedures.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| This occupation: Food Preparation Workers | Outputs are foods and ingredients ready for cooking or direct service: ingredient checks, washing and cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, portioning and plating, temperature and usage records, and cleaning and sanitizing. | Centers on food preparation other than cooking: washing and cutting raw ingredients, making cold foods, salads, and beverages, portioning and plating, recording temperatures and usage, and cleaning and sanitizing. | May better suit people willing to follow washing, cutting, and portioning procedures while maintaining hygiene. Those who prefer heating food and creating finished dishes may find an adjacent direction more suitable. |
AI impact on this career
Editorial analysis | Washing, cutting, meal assembly, and hygiene require physical operations. Record organization and inspection reminders are possible support uses. Assess traditional software, temperature sensors, and generative AI separately. No measured exposure level, adoption rate, or replacement rate for this occupation is available; do not label it medium-low exposure. AI Impact Score 25% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((0+0+75)/3+0.5)=25; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Classification comparison | U.S. SOC 35-2021 / O*NET-SOC 35-2021.00 covers food preparation workers performing duties other than cooking. Mainland China uses national economic industry classifications and relevant categories such as accommodation and food services. The classifications and statistical definitions differ; no numerical conversion is made.
Occupational definition | Food preparation workers help kitchens wash and cut ingredients, prepare cold foods and beverages, portion food, assemble plates, record temperatures and usage, store and restock supplies, and clean and sanitize. O*NET's overview mainly concerns preparation other than cooking, but its tasks also include assisting with cooking, hot beverages, dishwashing, and some cashier duties. Distinguish adjacent roles by their main duties rather than absolutely excluding individual processes.
Insufficient evidence: No monthly wage data for this occupation in mainland China verifiable by city or region have been obtained. Recruitment offers, industry averages, and secondhand accounts are not substituted.
U.S. wage reference
The 2025 median annual wage of $35,320 and hourly wage of $16.98 have been verified. The original percentiles 25,810 / 29,950 / 38,540 / 45,340 were not obtained from official tables this round and remain pending verification. Percentiles do not establish experience, region, or working hours.
| Position in wage statistics | Annual wage reference | Conversion limitations | Understanding this position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10th percentile: $25,810 per year (2025, BLS OEWS) | Originally registered percentile; official table verification pending this round | 10th percentile; not the wage for beginners, part-time workers, or people working short hours. |
| Median (50%) | Median annual wage: $35,320 (2025, BLS OEWS presented through O*NET; median hourly wage: $16.98) | Official annual wages, not individual take-home pay |
Career fit guide
Assessments cannot predict practical competence. First use a fictional checklist to observe checking and handovers, then experience real tasks with training, supervision, and permission. A single experience does not establish fit.
You may be better suited if： Fit signals: Willing to follow procedures to prepare clean ingredients and consistent cold foods and drinks while maintaining hygiene, temperature, and usage records.
Situations requiring caution： Caution signals: Difficulty accepting prolonged standing and walking and repetitive procedures, or insufficient patience and alertness for food safety, hygiene, and allergen control.
Try an entry-level exercise： Validation suggestion | First observe checks using fictional materials. Real experience requires training and supervision. A single exercise does not establish overall fit.
Work pressures, risks, and professional boundaries
Direct answer | Occupational risk extends beyond cutting vegetables to three types of failure with serious consequences: food safety and hygiene control failures (expired or spoiled ingredients, temperatures beyond limits, raw/cooked cross-contamination, and allergen contamination); inadequate operational safety controls (cuts from knives, slicers and grinders, slips on wet floors, and burns from hot drinks, foods and equipment surfaces); and record and handover errors (inaccurate usage, temperature and cleaning records preventing identification and traceability).
Evidence scope | O*NET tasks and context support preparation, recordkeeping, hygiene, and collaboration requirements. Failure scenarios are editorial extrapolations, not accident rates. The Food Safety Law supports only Chinese production and business responsibilities and process controls. Wage projections and NIST are not substitutes for food safety evidence.
Typical scenario：Scenario | To finish meal preparation, workers use near-expiry ingredients that are already spoiled or have damaged packaging, without rechecking refrigeration temperatures.
Entry, qualifications, and career development
Preparation suggestion | Check job conditions, receive mentoring in preparation, utensils, and hygiene, and pass assessment before undertaking authorized processes. Moving into cooking, team leadership, nutrition, or maintenance requires additional skills and qualifications; these are not a universal promotion ladder. BLS's typical U.S. profile is no formal education, no related experience, and short-term on-the-job training, which does not establish Chinese entry requirements.
Career outlook and transitions to related occupations
BLS35-2021 currently reports 2025 employment of 908,500, a projected net decrease of 27,200 over 2025—2035, growth of -3.0%, and average annual openings of 135,700. Openings mainly reflect replacement needs. The matrix includes self-employment and is neither AI attribution nor actual recruitment. The 2025 median wage is $35,320. This page has not obtained precise Chinese occupational statistics.
United States · SOC 35-2021（Food Preparation Workers）
Approximately 908,500 employed (2025 base year); declining growth (-3.0%); approximately 135,700 average annual openings
Employment size, growth rate, and job openings
Total employment turns downward, but openings remain large and arise almost entirely from replacement needs such as departures, occupational transfers, and retirement. Openings and net change therefore point in different directions and must not be conflated.
Under O*NET-SOC 35-2021.00, workers perform various food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea. Duties include checking ingredients and shelf life; washing, peeling, slicing, and cutting while separating raw and cooked foods; preparing cold foods, salads, sauces, and drinks to order or instruction; portioning, packaging, plating, and distributing according to menus; measuring and recording food, refrigerator and freezer temperatures and ingredient usage; and cleaning and sanitizing work areas, utensils, and tableware and disposing of waste. Excluded are cooking and heating, recipe and dish decisions, food ingredient and mixing equipment operation, cooking-equipment parameter control, dedicated dishwashing, and general cleaning unrelated to food service.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
Fit signals | O*NET highlights working indoors in an environmentally controlled setting daily (88%), wearing common protective or safety equipment daily (74%), constant contact with others (42%), daily face-to-face discussions with individuals and teams (62%), daily telephone communication (46%), the importance of repeating the same tasks (47% rate it extremely important), the importance of exactness or accuracy (46% rate it extremely important), standing more than half the time (36%), walking or running more than half the time (35%), and using hands more than half the time (34%). If you are willing to follow procedures for washing, cutting, portioning, and hygiene while maintaining a steady pace, this occupation's everyday demands may align more closely with your working style.
This checklist is for self-reflection only. It is not a hiring standard, ability score, or assessment of food safety. This page follows the U.S. O*NET-SOC 35-2021.00 occupation, Food Preparation Workers (the fixed index assigns this asset the Chinese name meaning Food Preparation Workers; its main scope is performing various food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea).
Practice scenario | An entirely fictional canteen needs to prepare a batch of cold foods and side dishes for service. Draft preparation and hygiene records explaining: (1) how to check ingredient names, quantities, and condition against orders or instructions and check storage temperatures; (2) how to wash, peel, slice, and cut ingredients with manual or powered utensils; (3) how to prepare cold foods, salads, and beverages using approved procedures, then portion, package, and plate them; (4) how to record ingredient usage and refrigerator and freezer temperatures and identify abnormalities; (5) how to clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, and tableware before and after work and report equipment faults or abnormal ingredients. Answer using public information and simulated data, without any real company, product, or customer information.
Safe work sample (an entirely fictional task package): Given a simulated cold-food and side-dish preparation list with one salad, one cold platter, two beverages, an allergen warning, and refrigeration temperature requirements, spend 60 minutes drafting preparation and hygiene records. Include ingredient checks (names, quantities, condition, and shelf life), a washing and cutting plan (utensils and sequence), a preparation and portioning plan (orders or instructions, portions, and plating), hygiene and sanitizing procedures (hands, utensils, and worktops), temperature and storage records (refrigerator and freezer readings), and abnormality handling and reporting procedures. Specify situations requiring work to stop and be reported rather than handled independently, such as spoiled ingredients, temperatures outside limits, equipment faults, and allergen contamination.
Environment and pace | 88% of respondents work indoors in controlled environments daily, and 36% face daily time pressure; 36% stand more than half the time and 35% walk more than half the time. These figures are respondent percentages, not measures of every kitchen's peak workload or every individual's working hours. Check actual shifts and workload at the site.
Boundaries with adjacent duties | This page covers O*NET-SOC 35-2021.00. Adjacent but distinct occupations include Cooks, Fast Food (heating and cooking food); Fast Food and Counter Workers (taking orders, serving food, and taking payments); Dishwashers (cleaning tableware and kitchens); Butchers and Meat Cutters (breaking down and cutting large pieces of meat); Baristas (preparing espresso drinks and providing counter service); and Waiters and Waitresses (taking orders, delivering dishes, and providing table service). Their processes, utensils, and authorization differ from this occupation. Cooking decisions, cutting and grading, and food safety incident determinations belong to the relevant positions and authorities; workers in this occupation must not replace their judgments or sign-offs.
Difference from dishwashers: Their main duties are washing tableware and utensils and cleaning kitchens. This occupation also washes and cuts ingredients, prepares cold foods and beverages, portions food, and records temperatures and usage, giving it a broader scope of food safety and hygiene responsibility.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Meat cutting and choice priorities | Before choosing this occupation, compare actual task proportions (washing and cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, portioning and plating, cleaning, and records), qualification and training routes (on-the-job training, food safety and hygiene training, and allergen management training), shifts and physical demands (standing and walking, early and late shifts, weekends and holidays, and peak-time pressure), and progression routes (fast-food cook, barista, butcher or meat cutter, or first-line food preparation and serving supervisor). Restaurants, canteens, hospital and institutional kitchens, and food retail differ considerably; check actual recruitment requirements and site observations. | Difference from butchers-and-meat-cutters: They break down, cut, grade, and package large pieces of meat, poultry, and fish, using more specialized processes and knife skills. This occupation only cuts and debones as needed for preparation and does not assume responsibility for meat breakdown and grading or specialist retail compliance. |
| Authority and AI analysis | AI task exposure | Digital tools may assist with order and usage records, inventory and restocking reminders, refrigerator and freezer temperature logs and alerts, hygiene checklists, and scheduling. On-site workers remain responsible for judging ingredient and equipment condition, washing and cutting, preparing cold foods and drinks, portioning and plating, implementing hygiene procedures, and handling abnormalities. Task exposure does not mean job replacement. | Responsibility boundaries cannot be inferred from similar job titles. Even within food service, heating and cooking, cold-food preparation, dishwashing, meat cutting, counter beverages, and customer service differ in materials, processes, utensils, and authorization. Moving between roles requires learning the new processes, utensils, and hygiene procedures; judgment and sign-off authority from the former role does not carry over. Food safety incident handling and equipment repairs must be undertaken by the responsible parties. |
| Systems and human control | Human control points and review | On-site staff, supervisors, or food safety leads must judge ingredient usability, wash, cut and prepare food, measure temperatures and manage storage, implement hygiene and sanitizing procedures, portion and plate, and record and report. Any tool-generated conclusions about temperatures, inventory, inspections, or records require human review before use, with a documented checking trail. | Data and system requirements | Before adoption, check whether usage and temperature records can be traced to original shifts and batches; how equipment fault and maintenance records are defined; version control for orders, menus, and preparation instructions; retention periods for allergen and temperature records; whether paper records can be used when networks or equipment fail; and whether dashboards and checklists use consistent definitions. |
| Responsibilities and failure risks | Failure risks | Unreviewed tool output may directly lead to expired or spoiled ingredients being used, temperature abnormalities being missed, allergen contamination, inaccurate usage records, or unconfirmed service or withdrawal decisions being implemented as established plans. These can cause food safety incidents and health risks to customers and patients. Before implementation, identify who reviews the output and which original records they use. | Remaining responsibility | Decisions that must not receive automatic clearance include whether ingredients can be used, refrigeration and freezing temperatures comply, raw and cooked foods are separated, cleaning and sanitizing are complete, food can continue to be served, and items must be withdrawn or discarded. Tool output does not itself constitute an acceptability finding or authorization decision. |
| Evidence and trial-use suggestions | Practical response | Introduce digital tools first into low-risk steps that can be reversed and audited, such as organizing order and usage records, temperature logs and alerts, inventory and restocking reminders, and hygiene checklists. Follow confirmation by supervisors and food safety leads and actual food service conditions. Decide whether to expand use based on error records and food safety incidents, while always retaining human confirmation of ingredient, temperature, and food-service judgments. | Employment evidence boundaries | Employment and wage data for this occupation must be distinguished by statistical scope. U.S. O*NET and BLS figures are estimates under specific definitions and cannot be directly extrapolated to mainland China or other regions. Chinese industry-category average wages are background proxies, not occupational wage findings. All generated content should be traceable to original inputs and sources; fluent wording must not be treated as evidence of correctness. |
| Cross-market boundaries and Chinese evidence gaps | Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained public occupational wage statistics precisely matching Food Preparation Workers. Industry averages, recruitment offers, and third-party estimates are not used to fill the gap. | Cross-market statistical boundaries | Mainland China and the United States use different industry and occupational classifications. Mainland China publishes average wages of urban-unit employees by national economic industry category, without separately reporting this occupation; the United States provides estimates by SOC occupation and industry. The figures cannot be combined or converted, and industry averages cannot substitute for occupational wages. |
| Checking Chinese and U.S. figures | Checking U.S. data | May2025 wages and 2025—2035 projections are explained as separate programs. OEWS includes tips and production bonuses and excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and employer benefits. Wage data exclude self-employment, while the employment matrix includes it. | Mainland China wage evidence review points | This page provides only statistical definitions, industry background proxies, and identified evidence gaps, without estimating this occupation's pay. Before using any figure, confirm whether its scope (industry category / occupation), reference period, measurement unit, and covered population are comparable to this occupation. |
Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, tableware, and silverware; dispose of waste and clean bins and floors.
Use manual or powered utensils to wash, peel, slice, cut, and grind fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and shellfish, keeping raw and cooked foods separate.
Prepare cold foods, salads, sauces, dressings, and beverages according to orders or instructions; stir and strain soups and sauces.
Portion and package foods, place them on plates or trays, put them in hot-holding or refrigerated equipment, and distribute them according to menus or orders.
Measure and record food, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures; store ingredients in designated containers and areas; restock cupboards and refrigerators and take inventory.
Record ingredient usage, report equipment faults and low stock and request purchases, and complete shift handovers and cleaning.
China coverage boundaries | NBS publishes industry average wages for urban legal entities. Part-time work, hourly work, or seasonal contracts alone do not establish exclusion from coverage. This page has not obtained a precise occupational figure; industry averages provide background only.
Insufficient evidence: No occupationally verifiable median wage for food preparation workers in mainland China has been obtained. Industry-category averages are not substituted.
Cross-market statistical boundaries | Mainland China's industry average wages and U.S. occupational wages differ in statistical populations, periods, and definitions. This page presents them separately with limitations, without currency conversion or treating industry averages as occupational wages.
| Cooks, Fast Food | Produces hot dishes through ingredient preparation and seasoning, heating and finishing, plating, and food service. | Centers on heating and cooking: deciding cooking doneness and finished output and taking responsibility for doneness and taste, usually without auxiliary duties such as cold-food preparation and dishwashing. | May better suit people willing to make heating and doneness judgments and take responsibility for finished food. Those who prefer raw-ingredient handling and hygiene control may prefer this occupation. |
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| Fast Food and Counter Workers | Outputs are completed orders, food service, and payments: taking orders and communicating preparation needs, serving food and setting tables, and handling payments and settlement. | Centers on taking orders, serving food, and customer service: interacting with customers, operating the register, and serving orders, usually without responsibility for kitchen preparation or hygiene records. | May better suit people who prefer customer interaction and a front-counter pace. Those who prefer kitchen preparation and procedural work may prefer this occupation. |
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| Dishwashers | Produces clean tableware and kitchen environments through utensil washing and sanitizing, floor cleaning and waste removal, and cleaning records. | Centers on washing tableware and utensils and cleaning kitchens: operating dishwashing equipment and cleaning floors and bins, usually without responsibility for food preparation or temperature records. | May better suit people willing to do cleaning and repetitive physical work with less involvement in food preparation. Those who prefer preparation processes may prefer this occupation. |
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| Butchers and Meat Cutters | Produces cut and graded meat through breakdown and deboning, cutting and trimming, and weighing, packaging, and labeling. | Centers on breaking down, cutting, grading, and packaging large pieces of meat, poultry, and fish, using specialized knife and cutting skills and often involving specialist retail and compliance requirements. | May better suit people willing to practice knife, cutting, and grading skills over the long term. Those who only want to cut ingredients for preparation may choose this occupation. |
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| Baristas | Produces beverages and counter service through extraction and milk steaming, beverage preparation and presentation, order-taking and payments, and counter cleaning. | Centers on espresso and beverage preparation and counter service: grinding, extraction, milk steaming and latte art, customer interaction, and counter cleaning. | May better suit people who prefer beverage techniques and the pace of counter service. Those who prefer ingredient preparation and hygiene control may prefer this occupation. |
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Conclusion | The core distinction between this occupation and adjacent occupations is whether the work concerns raw ingredients, heat processing, tableware, meat cuts, or customer service. This occupation centers on washing and cutting, preparing cold foods and drinks, portioning, and hygiene. Fast-food cooks heat and cook finished foods; fast food and counter workers take orders, serve food, and take payments; dishwashers clean tableware and kitchens; butchers and meat cutters break down and cut large pieces of meat; and baristas prepare espresso drinks and provide counter service. Utensils, processes, and authorization differ; judgment and sign-off authority cannot simply carry over between roles.
Transition | This page compares adjacent roles according to whether they handle raw ingredients, heat processing, tableware, meat cuts, or customer service to help you decide which kind of food-service work you want to pursue over time. In every direction, readiness for work depends on understanding processes, utensils, and food safety procedures, working consistently according to procedures, and passing a practical assessment accepted by the employer or supervisor. Interest questionnaires only help generate questions.
Technical feasibility: A task may technically be affected by a tool. This is only a feasibility judgment; it does not establish permission to use the tool or organizational adoption.
Institutional adoption: Introduction depends on company policies, food safety and hygiene requirements, and store procedures. Introducing tools does not transfer food safety responsibility.
Job outcomes: Whether task changes increase or reduce jobs depends on business formats, order composition, central-kitchen arrangements, automation levels, and employment arrangements. Outcomes cannot be inferred directly from technical feasibility.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check ingredient names, quantities, and condition; wash, peel, slice, and cut while separating raw and cooked foods | Ingredient checks, washing, and cutting | Tools may assist usage and batch registration; people make judgments | People judge ingredient usability and perform knife work; tools only assist recordkeeping |
| Prepare cold foods, salads, sauces, and beverages according to orders or instructions | Cold-food and beverage preparation | Tools may help display recipes and orders; people prepare the food | People make recipe, portion, and hygiene judgments |
| Portion, package, and plate food and place it in hot-holding or refrigerated equipment | Portioning, plating, and serving | Tools may assist order and menu checks; people perform operations | People make portioning, plating, and food-service judgments |
| Measure and record food, refrigerator, and freezer temperatures, store ingredients, and replenish stock | Temperature measurement, storage, and restocking | Tools may assist temperature logs and inventory reminders; people take measurements | People measure temperatures and make storage judgments |
| Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, and tableware and dispose of waste | Hygiene, cleaning, and sanitizing | Checklist and scheduling tools may assist; people do the cleaning | People are responsible for on-site execution and hygiene confirmation |
| Record ingredient usage and temperatures and complete shift handovers | Usage records and handovers | Traceability systems and template tools may assist | People are responsible for truthful records and communication |
| Report equipment faults, low stock, and abnormal ingredients and request purchases | Reporting equipment and ingredient abnormalities | Alert and purchasing-request systems may assist; people handle the situation | People are responsible for judgments and reporting |
Evidence introduction | Citation rules: cite only sources supporting this page's claims; specify jurisdiction, period, and statistical scope. General research focused on broad occupational groups must not be used to infer changes in individual jobs in this occupation. A technology list does not establish adoption. Sources cannot replace actual on-site judgments of ingredients and hygiene.
Introduction to differences | The following compares adjacent roles by what AI mainly changes and what remains a human responsibility. The conclusion is consistent: tools may enhance records, reminders, inventory, and scheduling; on-site workers remain responsible for ingredient and hygiene judgments, washing, cutting and preparation, temperature measurement and storage, portioning, and food service. Technical feasibility, organizational adoption, and job outcomes must be assessed separately.
AI primarily changesUsage and temperature records, inventory and restocking reminders, and cleaning and checklist tracking are candidates for tool assistance; actual efficiency has not been verified
Human responsibility remainsOn-site ingredient and hygiene judgments, washing and cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, and abnormality handling
AI primarily changesOrder and menu summaries and preparation and staffing plans are candidates for tool assistance
Human responsibility remainsIngredient usability judgments, temperature measurement and storage, portioning and plating, and confirmation of service or withdrawal
AI primarily changesDraft data summaries, procedure comparisons, and training materials are candidates for tool-generated drafts
Human responsibility remainsImplementing food safety, hand and utensil hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing, and responsibility sign-offs
Responsibility introduction | Tools can help deliver efficiency, but people retain judgment and consequences. The following five steps identify human responsibilities that must remain before and after adopting any digital tool.
Food safety and hygiene judgments: On-site staff determine ingredient usability, temperature compliance, and raw/cooked separation and allergen control. Tools do not determine safety.
Correct preparation processes: Washing and cutting sequences, cold-food and beverage recipes and portions, and storage conditions require human review against the shift's procedures and instructions before use.
On-site execution and hygiene control: On-site workers wash and cut, prepare and portion, measure temperatures and store food, and clean and sanitize under the shift's procedures.
Truthful, traceable records: Usage, temperature, cleaning, and abnormality records must reflect actual processes. Do not use tools to create unverified records or retrospective entries.
Escalation and confirmation: Decisions involving ingredient withdrawal, temperatures beyond limits, equipment faults, and suspension of food service require documented confirmation by a supervisor or food safety lead.
Undetected temperatures beyond limits can cause food spoilage and food safety incidents
Control: Temperatures require on-site human measurement and recording. Tools only support recording and reminders; identify the reviewer
Skipping hygiene steps can cause cross-contamination and customer health risks
Control: Hand, utensil, and worktop hygiene must be performed and documented on site; tools do not replace actual cleaning
Customer and business information may be disclosed improperly or misused
Control: Limit uses and retention periods; do not upload sensitive materials to external services
Inaccurate usage, temperature, and cleaning records undermine traceability and assignment of responsibility
Control: Records must reflect actual processes; generating unverified records is prohibited
Responsibility may be unclear when a food safety incident occurs
Control: Before adopting tools, identify and document those responsible for review and withdrawal
Use tools for reversible support tasks: usage and temperature records, inventory and restocking registers, and checklist filing. All ingredient usability and hygiene judgments must follow on-site checks and supervisor review.
Use digital tools for usage and temperature records, inventory queries, and cleaning and checklist reminders. Personally carry out washing and cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, hygiene procedures, and abnormality handling.
Use tools for scheduling and preparation plans, checklist and corrective-action tracking, and temperature and inventory alerts. Ingredient release or withdrawal, confirmation of food service, and abnormality handling require documented on-site review.
Use tools for data summaries, procedure comparisons, and draft training materials. Food safety judgments and hygiene and temperature standards require human confirmation against the shift's procedures and regulations.
Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupational measurements sufficient to estimate a replacement proportion over a specified period and cannot promise no short-term replacement. Tool effects, organizational adoption, and job outcomes require separate checks.
Source: O*NET 35-2021.00 (tasks and work context)Original source ↗
Checking suggestion | O*NET lists database, office, and spreadsheet software. Check the target site's order, temperature, and inspection-record systems. A technology list does not establish widespread adoption or generative AI use.
Source: O*NET software information and this page's checking suggestionsOriginal source ↗
Judging ingredient freshness and spoilage, knife and cutting proficiency, separating raw and cooked foods and controlling allergens, strictly following temperature and hygiene requirements, and maintaining pace and teamwork during peak periods.
Source: O*NET35-2021 tasks and editorial synthesis of capabilitiesOriginal source ↗
O*NET supports this page's U.S. 35-2021 task scope and cannot be treated as Chinese occupational statistics. See Chinese wage sections and source cards for industry proxies and precise occupational gaps. This page has not obtained occupational adoption rates or employment figures for China.
Source: The linked O*NET source supports only the U.S. scope; see this page's source cards for Chinese information and gapsOriginal source ↗
First establish who reviews tool output, which original records they use, and how to revert after errors, and check food safety and hygiene procedures. Ingredient usability, temperature, and service or withdrawal judgments must not receive automatic tool clearance.
Source: NIST AI RMF (governance principles)Original source ↗
Limit the uses and retention periods of customer and patient information and order, menu, and usage data. Do not upload unauthorized customer information or supplier materials to external services.
Source: NIST AI RMF governance principles; company policies and applicable laws require separate checksOriginal source ↗
Assess three evidence layers: technical feasibility, institutional adoption, and job outcomes. Consider local food-service formats, central kitchens, and automation levels rather than relying only on tool demonstrations.
Source: ILO task exposure methodology and this page's three-layer checking suggestionsOriginal source ↗
Summary | Administrative work becomes easier; responsibility remains. Tools can organize records, provide timely reminders, and simplify scheduling, but on-site workers and supervisors remain responsible for ingredient freshness, raw/cooked separation and allergen control, temperature compliance, proper hygiene, and accountability for deviations.
Insufficient evidence: No monthly wage data for this occupation in mainland China verifiable by city or region have been obtained. Recruitment offers, industry averages, and secondhand accounts are not substituted.
Insufficient evidence: No monthly wage data for this occupation in mainland China verifiable by city or region have been obtained. Recruitment offers, industry averages, and secondhand accounts are not substituted.
Mainland China section | As of this research round, this page has not obtained public occupational wage statistics precisely matching this occupation in mainland China. It provides only statistical definitions, industry background proxies, and identified evidence gaps, without estimated pay.
| Educational background | Common role directions | Notes and checking suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| Lower secondary education or below | Preparation assistants and cleaners (handling, organizing, cleaning, and simple cutting assistance) | Learn hygiene and utensil use under a shift leader's guidance, without independent responsibility for ingredient release or food service. |
| Upper secondary or secondary vocational education | Food Preparation Workers | Learn washing, cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, and hygienic operations through on-the-job training. Independent work requires assessment and supervisor approval. |
| Associate degree (food service, food, or nutrition related) | Team leaders and food safety and nutrition roles | Focuses on on-site management, food safety, and meal assembly, but authority for ingredient release and food-service suspension must be separately granted for the role. |
| Bachelor's degree or above | Store management, food safety, and operations management | Management and professional roles require additional on-site experience and the relevant qualifications or appointments. |
Scope | NBS2025 accommodation and food services averages of 62,461 yuan per year for non-private units and 55,123 for private units are industry averages, not this occupation's wages. O*NET reports accommodation and food services at 57% and retail at 26%; hospitals and other institutions require checking their unit's industry. Part-time and seasonal arrangements do not automatically imply exclusion. Chinese and U.S. wages and projections must not be combined or converted.
A major employing industry. Demand varies with customer traffic and service periods, including early and late shifts, weekends, and holidays.
Involves therapeutic diets, meal assembly, and tray portioning, with strict hygiene and nutrition requirements.
Involves cold foods, beverages, and ready-to-eat preparation, with a fast production pace and demanding cleaning requirements.
AI analysis | Record and reminder assistance and boundaries around on-site judgments can be explored. No measured occupational exposure level or adoption rate is available; medium-low exposure cannot be claimed.
| The median is the 50th percentile; it does not establish starting pay or a pay-rise trajectory. |
| 90th percentile | 90th percentile: $45,340 per year (2025, BLS OEWS) | Originally registered percentile; official table verification pending this round | 90th percentile; not the wage for experienced workers or workers in high-cost regions. |
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Wages · Median annual wage：Median: $35,320 per year (May2025, national BLS OEWS)；Scope | U.S. national median wage. Boundary | Not a starting wage or individual income. OEWS includes tips and production bonuses and excludes premiums such as overtime and benefits.
Wages · 10th percentile：10th percentile: $25,810 per year (May2025, national BLS OEWS)；Scope | The 10th percentile is a position in the wage distribution. Boundary | It does not indicate starting wages, experience, part-time hours, or an individual's probability of earning that wage.
Wages · 25th percentile：25th percentile: $29,950 per year (May2025, national BLS OEWS)；Scope | The 25th percentile is a position in the wage distribution. Boundary | It does not indicate starting wages, experience, part-time hours, or an individual's probability of earning that wage.
Wages · 75th percentile：75th percentile: $38,550 per year (May2025, national BLS OEWS)；Scope | The 75th percentile is a position in the wage distribution. Boundary | It does not indicate starting wages, experience, part-time hours, or an individual's probability of earning that wage.
Wages · 90th percentile：90th percentile: $45,340 per year (May2025, national BLS OEWS)；Scope | The 90th percentile is a position in the wage distribution. Boundary | It does not indicate starting wages, experience, part-time hours, or an individual's probability of earning that wage.
The median is the distribution's midpoint. Percentiles cannot explain causal effects of experience, region, or shifts.
OEWS includes tips and production bonuses and excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and benefits. It covers full-time and part-time employees, excluding the self-employed.
The relationship between duties and pay requires checking the target contract. Skills do not automatically guarantee an upper wage level. The projections matrix includes self-employment and differs from OEWS.
Usage suggestion: Consider medians, percentiles, and employment figures together, checking local markets and target employers. Do not infer individual pay from a single figure.
| Industry | Median wage for this occupation within the industry | How to interpret this value |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Services | $60,990 per year (May2025, median for this occupation in the industry) | Selected from the official table of industries with the highest annual medians; does not indicate major employer size, individual wages, or job demand. |
| Office Administrative Services | $48,090 per year (May2025, median for this occupation in the industry) | Selected from the official table of industries with the highest annual medians; does not indicate major employer size, individual wages, or job demand. |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $46,960 per year (May2025, median for this occupation in the industry) | Selected from the official table of industries with the highest annual medians; does not indicate major employer size, individual wages, or job demand. |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $45,490 per year (May2025, median for this occupation in the industry) | Selected from the official table of industries with the highest annual medians; does not indicate major employer size, individual wages, or job demand. |
Checking suggestion | Compare regional wages for the same occupation and living costs; do not infer causes of differences from national percentiles.
Checking suggestion | Compare contracts and benefits at target institutions. Wages by business format have not been obtained; schools and hospitals cannot be claimed to pay more invariably.
Checking suggestion | Check shift allowances, part-time hours, tip distribution, and seasonal contracts separately. Do not present common arrangements as national measurements.
Scope | BLS2025 matrix base-year employment of 908,500 includes self-employment； the self-employed share is 1.0%. Boundary | This differs from the OEWS employee wage program； do not mix in older employment counts.
Scope | U.S. projected employment growth category: declining. Boundary | Total employment declines while average annual openings remain large, mainly because of replacement needs； the two must not be conflated.
Scope | Openings in U.S. employment projections. Boundary | Average annual openings for 2025—2035 arise almost entirely from replacement needs and do not guarantee individual employment.
O*NET occupational interest baseline
Realistic–ConventionalInterest experience: Enjoy following procedures to prepare clean ingredients, make consistent cold foods and drinks, and complete hygiene and temperature records.
Understanding the interest code: RC combines Realistic interests (hands-on and physical activities and handling materials and utensils) with Conventional interests (organizing work by procedures and standards). It explains task preferences, not predicted performance.
Which Holland interest types are closer to food preparation work?
Holland (RIASEC) | Helps you understand your relative Realistic and Conventional preferences. This occupation's O*NET interest code is RC (Realistic–Conventional), corresponding to hands-on and physical activities and procedural work. The questionnaire only generates questions; it does not determine suitability or readiness for work.
Do not use it this way: If you strongly dislike prolonged standing and walking, repetitive washing and cutting, or lack patience for food safety and hygiene requirements, a high interest questionnaire score cannot remove these practical costs.
Assess my Holland career interestsWhich Big Five traits are more relevant to this work?
Big Five | Use questionnaires to reflect on checklist adherence, hygiene checks, and communication under pressure. This page has no research showing personality scores predict adjustment to this occupation.
Do not use it this way: Do not use a personality assessment saying you are unsuitable as grounds to give up or avoid entering the occupation. Rely on on-site experience and practical assessment.
View my Big Five personality traitsCan MBTI determine whether food preparation work suits me?
MBTI | Typology supports reflection on communication preferences. This occupation requires procedural communication with cooks, servers, and supervisors; preferences do not determine competence.
Do not use it this way: Use types only as a reference for communication styles, not to infer whether you or others can do preparation and hygiene work well.
Understand my MBTI preferencesCan the Enneagram show whether this occupation suits me?
Enneagram | Helps observe reactions under pressure. During peak periods or ingredient abnormalities, reporting as required matters more than a type label.
Do not use it this way: Do not explain food safety or hygiene failures through type labels. Check whether procedures, utensils, and authorization were adequate.
Explore my Enneagram patternsCan I work in food preparation if I struggle with mathematics?
Intelligence and reasoning | Mainly reflects general learning and problem-solving abilities. This occupation relies more on observing ingredient condition, sustained attention, and hand-eye coordination.
Do not use it this way: Scores do not establish whether you can learn cutting, preparation, and hygienic operations. Test this through practice and practical assessments.
Understand my intelligence and reasoning performanceDoes food preparation work require high emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence | This occupation often works with cooks, servers, and supervisors. Emotional regulation and communication affect efficiency during peak periods and abnormality handling.
Do not use it this way: Emotional skills can improve through on-site experience and deliberate practice; assessment scores need not limit you.
Understand my emotional intelligence abilitiesFits better when: Has hygiene and procedural awareness and is willing to take responsibility for washing, cutting, portioning, and temperature records
Watch for: This occupation is not recommended if you find prolonged standing and walking, repetitive washing and cutting, and food safety requirements difficult to accept.
Explore related career: This occupation's direction (Food Preparation Workers)Fits better when: Can take responsibility for heating, doneness, and finished output while focusing on the cooking station's pace
Watch for: This direction is not recommended if you do not want responsibility for heat processing and finished food and only want raw-ingredient handling and hygiene work.
Explore related career: Fast-food cook directionFits better when: Check customer interaction, service procedures, and physical demands for the specific constituent occupation.
Watch for: If you dislike customer interaction, check the actual duties of specific constituent occupations instead of judging the entire group unsuitable from its name.
Explore related career: Food and beverage serving and related occupational groupFits better when: Can perform cleaning and repetitive physical work consistently
Watch for: This direction is not recommended if you are unwilling to do cleaning and repetitive physical work over the long term.
Explore related career: Dishwasher directionFits better when: Has knife, cutting, and grading skills and is willing to take specialist retail and compliance responsibilities
Watch for: This direction is not recommended if you are unwilling to practice knife, cutting, and grading skills over time and accept grading responsibility.
Explore related career: Butcher and meat cutter directionFits better when: Has beverage preparation and counter-service skills and can accept counter pace and customer interaction
Watch for: This direction is not recommended if you have little interest in beverage extraction techniques and customer interaction.
Explore related career: Barista directionWhat personalities suit this work? Responsibility, patience, and hygiene awareness matter more than a particular personality type. The O*NET interest code RC (Realistic–Conventional) can provide a starting point for exploration.
Introversion neither rules out exploration nor guarantees fit. O*NET62% report daily face-to-face discussions and 42% constant contact. Observe handovers and abnormality reporting; social intensity cannot be labeled moderate.
What should you prepare before entering? Understand the actual work pace: prolonged standing and walking, peak-time pressure, early and late shifts, weekends, and holidays. Prepare basic food safety and hygiene knowledge. Preparation assistant or cleaning roles can be a starting point.
What are the main pressures? Food safety, allergen, and hygiene errors directly affect others' health (65% in O*NET report serious consequences of error). Peak periods also bring pressure to produce food on time (36% report daily time pressure).
Are there physical requirements? Workers need to stand and walk for long periods, move ingredients and utensils, and use knives and cutting tools. Employment, medical examination, and health-certificate requirements depend on employers and local regulations; this page provides no medical assessment.
BLS typically identifies no formal education, no related experience, and short-term on-the-job training for this exact occupation. O*NET Job Zone1–2 is a grouping and does not establish a universal upper-secondary requirement. Check actual job conditions separately.
Can long-term work harm the body? Cuts from knives and slicers, slips on wet floors, burns from hot drinks, foods, and equipment surfaces, prolonged standing, and repetitive motions are practical costs. Use protective equipment, take breaks, and follow procedures.
Career development and transitions? Workers may progress from preparation assistance to skilled preparation and team leadership, or move into adjacent roles such as fast-food cook, barista, dishwasher, butcher or meat cutter, and first-line food preparation and serving supervisor. Changing directions requires learning new processes and utensils.
Typical U.S. training differs from Chinese entry requirements. Article 44 of China's Food Safety Law requires food safety knowledge training for enterprise employees. Article 45 requires annual health examinations and certification for workers handling ready-to-eat food; this must not be extended to every role.
First observe ingredient, temperature, and allergen information and handover checks using a fictional checklist. Real knife operations and food service require training, supervision, and permission. A paper exercise cannot prove hygienic or physical competence.
Possible consequence：Expired or spoiled ingredients or those with damaged packaging are used, or refrigerator and freezer temperatures beyond limits go undetected. Food safety incidents and health risks to customers and patients may lead to closures and recalls
How to reduce risk：Check shelf life and packaging at receiving and storage, store at required temperatures, and measure and record regularly. Immediately isolate, stop using, and report spoiled ingredients or temperatures beyond limits
Evidence：O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information · China's Food Safety Law
Typical scenario：Scenario | Raw meat and ready-to-eat cold foods share a chopping board and knives, and preparation continues without procedural sanitizing.
Roles most affected：Preparation workers; businesses, customers, and patients
Possible consequence：Raw and cooked foods are not separated, utensils and worktops are not sanitized, or allergens contaminate food. Cross-contamination and allergic reaction risks affect safe food service
How to reduce risk：Separate raw and cooked foods and allergens under current procedures. Suspected contamination requires isolation, withdrawal from use, and reporting, with disposal decisions made by authorized staff. Suspicion alone does not automatically grant discard authority.
Evidence：O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information · China's Food Safety Law
Typical scenario：Scenario | Using a chipped knife or cutting without required hand protection creates a laceration risk.
Roles most affected：Preparation workers; businesses
Possible consequence：Improper use of cutting, slicing, and grinding utensils or damaged utensils creates risks of cuts, broken blades, and foreign objects
How to reduce risk：Use knives, hand guards, and slicers according to procedures and immediately withdraw damaged utensils. Keep knives sharp and worktops slip-resistant; handle waste and foreign objects under procedures
Evidence：O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information · O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information
Typical scenario：Scenario | Water on the floor is not cleaned promptly, and a worker slips while carrying hot soup and is burned.
Roles most affected：Preparation workers and others; businesses and customers
Possible consequence：Wet floors or improper handling of hot drinks, foods, equipment surfaces, or cleaning chemicals causes injuries such as slips, burns, and chemical burns
How to reduce risk：Promptly clear spills and water from floors. Wear slip-resistant shoes and heat-resistant and protective equipment. Dilute, use, and label cleaning chemicals according to procedures
Evidence：O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information · O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information
Typical scenario：Scenario | Several orders are prepared at once and usage, cleaning, and temperature records are not completed truthfully, preventing identification when a customer complains.
Roles most affected：Preparation and receiving workers; businesses and customers
Possible consequence：Missing or inconsistent usage, temperature, cleaning, and abnormality records break traceability, preventing problem identification and expanding the affected scope
How to reduce risk：Record usage, refrigerator and freezer temperatures, cleaning, and abnormalities under the shift's procedures; check retained samples against batch numbers. Immediately isolate and report record or label errors
Evidence：O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information · China's Food Safety Law
Typical scenario：Scenario | During a peak period, a worker stands and repeatedly cuts for hours without rotation and develops marked lower-back and wrist discomfort.
Roles most affected：Preparation and support workers; businesses
Possible consequence：Prolonged standing and walking, repetitive cutting and washing, and rushing peak-period orders cause musculoskeletal strain and fatigue-related errors
How to reduce risk：Rotate roles and take work breaks, use slip-resistant and protective equipment, organize work by shift, and promptly report unusual discomfort
Evidence：O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information · O*NET Food Preparation Workers detailed information
| Career direction | Starting tasks | Evidence to prepare | Work samples possible without experience | Distinction from this occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast-food cooks | Assist with ingredient preparation and supplies, heating and finishing food, and plating | Food safety and cooking training records and evidence of job shadowing | A fictional dish's heating parameters and production record | Responsible for heating and cooking and deciding doneness and finished output; this occupation does not perform heat processing |
| Fast food and counter workers | Assist with taking orders, serving food and setting tables, and taking payments | Customer service and register-operation training records | A fictional order-taking and food-service checklist | Mainly takes orders and payments and provides customer service; this occupation prepares food in the kitchen |
| Dishwashers | Wash tableware and utensils and clean kitchen floors and remove waste | Cleaning and hygiene training records | A fictional cleaning and sanitizing checklist | Mainly washes tableware and cleans; this occupation also prepares ingredients and records temperatures |
| Butchers and meat cutters | Assist with breaking down and cutting meat, weighing, and packaging | Knife and cutting training and evidence of job shadowing | A fictional cutting, weighing, and packaging record | Breaks down and grades large pieces of meat, poultry, and fish; this occupation only cuts for preparation |
| Baristas | Assist with counter ingredient preparation and cleaning and beverage production | Beverage preparation and counter training records | A fictional beverage extraction and recipe record | Prepares espresso and other drinks and provides counter service; this occupation mainly prepares food in the kitchen |
Check target employers' education, experience, and training conditions. Secondary or higher vocational education is not guaranteed to provide a competitive advantage.
Meeting education requirements does not establish preparation proficiency, food safety competence, or independent authorization.
Some positions require training in knives and cutting utensils, allergen management, and cleaning-chemical safety.
Roles involving therapeutic diets and nutritious meal assembly in institutional canteens may have additional training and authorization requirements. Follow employer and local requirements.
Work context emphasizes daily controlled indoor work (88%), daily common protective equipment (74%), standing (36%) and walking (35%) more than half the time, the importance of accuracy (46% rate it very important), and serious consequences of error (65%).
Interest and personality data support only self-questioning, not hiring or performance conclusions.
A blank ingredient-check and shelf-life record form.
A blank washing and cutting plan form covering utensils, sequence, and raw/cooked separation.
A blank preparation and portioning record form covering portions and plating.
A blank temperature and storage record form for refrigerator and freezer readings.
A process flowchart: ingredient checks—washing and cutting—cold-food and beverage preparation—portioning and plating—temperature and usage records—cleaning and sanitizing.
A pen and calculator for trial portion and usage calculations.
A timer with a 60-minute limit.
Complete trial portion and usage calculations and describe at least two situations that could create food safety risks, with corresponding measures.
Specify situations requiring work to stop and be reported rather than handled independently, such as spoiled ingredients, temperatures beyond limits, allergen contamination, and equipment faults.
Specify utensils, sequence, and raw/cooked separation arrangements for washing and cutting.
For abnormalities, specify warning signs, response steps, and reporting recipients.
Indicate whether each step was completed independently or with guidance.
Identify steps requiring reporting rather than independent judgment.
Record review comments, dates, and supporting grounds for later reflection.
Show the process and records from ingredient checks through cleaning and handover, along with the finished output.
The summary must contain no customer names, contact details, or other identifiable or sensitive information.
Identify information sources and assumptions and distinguish measured from estimated values.
Explain who reviewed tool output before use.
If tool parameters such as yield rates or portion-tolerance assumptions are assumed values, label them as assumptions.
| Stage | Points that may be checked | Observable evidence | Boundary notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resume and initial screening | Basic hygiene and food safety knowledge, acceptance of physical demands and scheduling, and health certification | Training records, on-site practice, and verifiable descriptions of previous work | Self-assessment cannot replace evidence of food safety and hygiene training |
| Interview | Understanding of washing and cutting, raw/cooked separation, temperature control, and allergens | Judgments about abnormal ingredients, hygiene, and utensils during on-site questions | Scenario answers cannot replace practical assessment |
Record the preparation-area environment, utensil types, and peak-period pace you observe.
Write down the practical cost you find hardest to adjust to and decide whether you can accept it.
List key requirements under the shift's procedures: water temperature and sanitizing, raw/cooked separation, refrigeration and freezing temperature ranges, and allergen warnings.
Describe responses and reporting recipients for two typical risks: spoiled ingredients and raw/cooked cross-contamination.
Use the hygiene checklist to identify at least two nonconformities and record corrective measures.
| Qualification or preparation item | Applicable population | Role in this occupation | Universally required? | Requirements to obtain it | Approximate investment | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper-secondary education or equivalent (a common requirement for some positions) | All entrants | Affects initial screening; some employers have no mandatory requirement | Not universally required | Complete upper-secondary education or obtain equivalent recognition | Depends on the educational stage | Education does not determine practical ability |
Typical scope：Assist with handling, washing, simple cutting, and cleaning under a shift leader; do not independently take ingredient-release or food-service responsibility.
Readiness evidence：Shadowing records and leader feedback; ability to explain hygiene points and temperature-record requirements.
Credential boundary：Food safety and hygiene training records.
Next moves：Follow a shift leader to learn utensils, hygiene procedures, and preparation workflows, recording daily learning points.
Typical scope：Independently complete ingredient checks, washing and cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, portioning and plating, and temperature and usage records, documenting and reporting abnormalities under procedures.
Readiness evidence：Cutting, preparation, hygiene, and temperature records over multiple consecutive shifts, with supervisor review comments.
Credential boundary：On-the-job training records; utensil operation, hygiene, and allergen management training.
Next moves：Build proficiency across preparation processes and peak periods; practice preparation sequencing and collaboration.
Typical scope：Handle multiple preparation processes and lead a team through peak preparation and handovers, taking responsibility for hygiene checks and reviewing abnormality handling.
Readiness evidence：Peak preparation and abnormality-response records; team output and hygiene conditions.
Credential boundary：Team-leader training records; employer appointment or leadership authorization.
Next moves：Learn preparation planning, loss and inventory control, and practice on-site communication and handovers.
Typical scope：Manage preparation schedules, meal preparation and inventory arrangements, hygiene, temperatures and food safety; handle abnormalities and coordinate with front-of-house staff and suppliers.
Readiness evidence：Output, hygiene, and safety records for assigned shifts.
Credential boundary：Employer appointment; operations management and food safety training records.
Next moves：Systematically learn preparation standards and cost and inventory definitions, and participate in store and canteen operations planning.
Typical scope：Measure and record food, refrigerator and freezer temperatures under procedures; check and record hygiene and sanitizing implementation, ensuring truthful, timely, traceable data.
Readiness evidence：Temperature and hygiene inspection records and their review status.
Credential boundary：Food safety and hygiene training; no independent release authority.
Next moves：Learn temperature and hygiene assessment standards and common causes of deviations.
Typical scope：Inspect ingredient shelf life, storage, raw/cooked separation, and allergen management; check preparation and cleaning processes and track corrective actions.
Readiness evidence：Food safety inspection records and completion of corrective actions.
Credential boundary：Food safety role training and employer appointment.
Next moves：Learn food safety and hygiene regulations and inspection procedures and master common failure determinations and responses.
Typical scope：Help develop hygiene, temperature, and cleaning standards and inspection procedures; handle abnormalities and corrective actions and train staff.
Typical scope：Perform daily inspections, cleaning, maintenance, and spare-parts registration for utensils, slicers, and washing equipment; assist maintenance under procedures and keep records.
Readiness evidence：Inspection and maintenance records and fault statistics.
Credential boundary：Equipment maintenance training; no authority to decide shutdown repairs.
Next moves：Learn utensil and equipment structures and common fault identification; master shutdown and safety procedures.
Typical scope：Handle common utensil and equipment faults, replace wear parts, and complete maintenance records and handovers.
Readiness evidence：Fault-handling records and equipment availability data.
Credential boundary：Maintenance technical training; employer appointment.
Next moves：Build fault-handling experience across equipment and utensils and compile a common-problem reference.
Typical scope：Coordinate preparation plans, inventory, and ordering; arrange shifts, record usage and losses, and handle last-minute adjustments.
Learn hygiene procedures, utensil use, and protection requirements under a shift leader, assisting with handling, washing, and simple cutting. Do not independently take ingredient-release or food-service responsibility.
Independently complete routine ingredient checks, washing and cutting, cold-food and beverage preparation, portioning and plating, and temperature and usage records; report abnormalities through procedures.
Handle multiple preparation processes and peak-period scheduling, lead a small team through preparation and handover, and take responsibility for hygiene checks and reviewing abnormality handling.
Contribute to preparation standards, hygiene and temperature control, and inventory management; determine withdrawal and disposal and train others. Requires corresponding role authorization.
Does not establish：The projections matrix includes self-employment, at 1.0% for this occupation. Do not mix it with OEWS employee coverage. Projections are not actual recruitment.
United States · SOC 35-2021（OEWS May 2025）
Median annual wage: $35,320 (median hourly wage: $16.98); percentiles: $25,810 / $29,950 / $38,540 / $45,340
Wages (median and percentiles)
The median is not starting pay. Original percentiles were not obtained from official tables this round and await verification. Experience, region, or shifts cannot be listed as measured causes of differences.
Does not establish：OEWS includes tips and production bonuses and excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, benefits, and self-employment. Occupational wages by industry were not obtained.
Mainland China · National Bureau of Statistics average wages of urban-unit employees (industry categories)
Insufficient evidence: This page has not obtained occupational wage and employment statistics precisely matching this occupation in mainland China. It only registers definitions and authorized sources and provides no estimates.
Industry average wages (background proxy)
Industry averages are not occupational statistics. Part-time, hourly, or seasonal status does not automatically imply exclusion; check the unit and employment relationship.
Does not establish：Industry-based annual releases differ from U.S. occupational wage definitions; do not combine or convert them.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Heating equipment operation, heat and doneness control, and production records
Build next：Requires additional heating, cooking, and doneness judgment skills
View career profileTransfers：Customer communication, payments and settlement, and food-service coordination
Build next：The target is the food and beverage serving and related occupational group. Choose a constituent occupation first, then develop customer service, ordering, payment, or table-service skills.
View career profileTransfers：Dishwashing equipment operation, cleaning and sanitizing, and waste handling
Build next：Requires additional dishwashing equipment, cleaning-process, and sanitizing skills
View career profileTransfers：Breakdown and deboning, cutting and trimming, and weighing, packaging, and labeling
Build next：Requires additional knife, breakdown, grading, and packaging skills
View career profileTransfers：Grinding and extraction, milk steaming and latte art, counter cleaning, and customer interaction
Build next：Requires additional beverage extraction and counter-service skills
View career profileTransfers：Order records, dish delivery and table setting, and table service
Build next：Requires additional dish delivery and table-service skills
View career profileTransfers：Scheduling and preparation planning, hygiene inspections, and abnormality handling
Build next：Requires additional scheduling, preparation planning, and on-site management skills
View career profileTransfers：Menu and finished-dish design, cost control, and kitchen management
Build next：Requires additional dish design, finished-food production, and kitchen management skills
View career profileFast-food cooks heat and cook food and decide doneness and finished output; dishwashers mainly wash tableware and utensils and clean kitchens; butchers and meat cutters break down, cut, and grade meat, poultry, and fish; fast food and counter workers take orders, serve food, and take payments; and baristas prepare espresso drinks and provide counter service. This occupation centers on washing and cutting, preparing cold foods and drinks, portioning and plating, and recording temperatures and usage. Its authorization and outputs differ from those roles.
The 2025 median annual wage was $35,320 (median hourly wage $16.98). Employment was approximately 902,700 in 2024 (BLS projections base year; OEWS May 2025 shows approximately 893,600). Total employment is projected to decline over 2024—2034 (approximately -1% or lower), while average annual openings remain around 148,000, almost entirely from replacement needs. These figures use U.S. O*NET/BLS definitions and do not apply to other jurisdictions. OEWS excludes tips.
Mainland China has not established public occupational wage statistics precisely matching this occupation. NBS publishes average wages of urban-unit employees by industry category, such as accommodation and food services: 62,461 yuan per year for urban non-private units and 55,123 for urban private units. These are industry figures without occupational distinctions and serve only as background proxies. This page retains a visible Insufficient evidence marker in the mainland China section and does not substitute industry averages, recruitment offers, or third-party estimates.
O*NET work context reports daily controlled indoor work at 88%, daily common protective or safety equipment at 74%, standing more than half the time at 36%, walking or running more than half the time at 35%, hand use more than half the time at 34%, and daily time pressure at 36%. Role rotation, protective equipment, and breaks can reduce strain, but knife cuts, wet floors, burns from hot drinks, foods and equipment surfaces, and prolonged standing and walking remain practical costs.
Effects mainly concern records, reminders, and scheduling. Tools can assist usage and temperature records, inventory and restocking reminders, cleaning and checklist tracking, preparation and staffing plans, and order and menu summaries. On-site staff and supervisors remain responsible for ingredient and hygiene judgments, washing, cutting and preparation, portioning and plating, temperature measurement and storage, and abnormality handling and reporting. Task exposure does not mean job replacement.
O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 1-2 (SVP below 6.0). Upper-secondary education or equivalent is usually sufficient, some positions do not require formal educational credentials, and skills are mainly learned through short-term on-the-job training. Actual employer recruitment conditions and local worker health management requirements apply.
Being trained, certified, health-certified, and appointed by an employer are four distinct statuses. Food safety and hygiene training is generally required. Positions handling ready-to-eat foods often require worker health management and health certification under local rules. Utensil and equipment operation and allergen management may require specialized training. Preparation items on this page are not any institution's formal qualification list.
Common failures include expired or spoiled ingredients and refrigeration or freezing temperatures beyond limits, raw/cooked cross-contamination and allergen contamination, cuts from knives and slicers, wet floors and burns from hot drinks, foods and equipment, errors in usage, temperature and cleaning records, and strain from prolonged standing, walking, and repetitive movements. Key controls are following and documenting food safety and hygiene procedures and isolating, withdrawing, and escalating through procedures.
Under U.S. definitions, total employment is projected to decline over 2024—2034 (approximately -1% or lower), while average annual openings remain large and almost entirely reflect replacement needs. Projections are not individual opportunities; actual opportunities depend on local food-service formats and automation levels. Adjacent directions include fast-food cook, barista, dishwasher, butcher and meat cutter, fast food and counter worker, waiter or waitress, and first-line food preparation and serving supervisor, requiring new processes and utensils to be learned. Food safety and store operations management are also possible directions.
Source card | Research process: First check O*NET-SOC 35-2021.00 occupational scope, tasks, and work context; then obtain wage and employment data from BLS OEWS May 2025 and BLS 2025—2035 employment projections; finally use NBS 2025 industry-category average wages for accommodation and food services as mainland China background proxies. U.S. and mainland China data are shown separately without combination or conversion. On 2026-10-11, functioning May2025 Profiles national five-percentile data and precise industry selections were added; the previous access restriction had been lifted.
This round on 2026-10-11 checked O*NET35-2021 tasks, context, interests and median wages, the exact BLS2025—2035 row, and OEWS methodology. NBS industry proxies and China's Food Safety Law are used within their scope. Shared older projections and wage percentiles received additional checks; historical review conclusions were not inherited. On 2026-10-11, functioning May2025 Profiles national five-percentile data and precise industry selections were added; the previous access restriction had been lifted.
Source card | Source register: The register lists O*NET occupational profiles and details, BLS OEWS, BLS employment projections, NBS industry average wages, and FermatMind statistical-scope rules. Each fact's source_refs points to an id in that register.
Limitations：U.S. occupational information does not automatically establish mainland Chinese licensing, institutional authorization, or employer requirements.
Limitations：Certification entries do not replace local licenses, employment qualifications, or authorization for independent action.
Limitations：Projected increases or average annual openings must not be interpreted directly as individual income or hiring guarantees.
Limitations：Wage statistics and employment projections are separate programs and cannot be combined into individual starting pay or income guarantees.
Limitations：The gap in precise mainland Chinese occupational wages remains visible; industry proxies are not presented as occupational wages.
Limitations：Not an external source of occupational facts and does not replace official statistics or jurisdictional rules.
Limitations：Statistical methodology cannot substantiate specific occupational percentile figures, individual starting wages, or employment projection coverage.
Limitations：Not an estimate of occupational adoption, replacement, or employment causality.
Limitations：Not evidence of occupational adoption, equipment safety, or food regulations. Risk-control suggestions still require implementation by specific organizations.
Limitations：Does not automatically confer personal licensing, release, or repair authority.
Limitations：Highest-paying industry selections are not a ranking of main employers, EP employment, or individual income
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Remaining gaps: precise mainland Chinese occupational and regional wage and employment data, specific recruitment samples, and causal evidence on AI adoption were not obtained. U.S. national five-percentile and specific industry wage data for this occupation have now been checked. These do not provide combined wages for older broad industry scenarios, which were replaced with selections from explicit official categories. Conflicts involving shared source metadata and protected Hero and FAQ facts are listed in the report. This round does not establish full-page consistency or independent acceptance.
MBTI (English) · Big Five (English) · MBTI (Chinese) · Big Five (Chinese)
Insufficient evidence: No wage data for mainland Chinese food preparation workers verifiable by region or employment arrangement have been obtained. Individual offers and secondhand accounts are not substituted.
U.S. wage coverage | OEWS surveys wages of full-time and part-time employees and excludes self-employment. Wages include items such as tips. The median is not a starting wage or a contract offer applicable to any region.
U.S. wage evidence—measurement units | Figures are published in dollars per hour and dollars per year. Annual mean wages assume full-time, year-round work. Converting hourly and annual figures does not establish an individual's actual income, which also depends on hours, part-time work, and seasonality.
Occupational scope | This page corresponds to 35-2021. Fast-food cooks 35-2011, chefs 35-1011, fast food and counter workers 35-3023, waiters and waitresses 35-3031, dishwashers 35-9021, and butchers 51-3021 are explained separately. Baristas are the detailed O*NET occupation 35-3023.01, which differs from the OEWS35-3023 wage aggregate.
Common materials: produce, meat, seafood and shellfish, salad and sauce ingredients, coffee, tea and beverage ingredients, disposable gloves, aprons and slip-resistant shoes, cleaning and sanitizing supplies, and packaging and portioning containers.
Portion, temperature, and hygiene requirements follow preparation instructions and food safety and hygiene procedures in effect for the shift.
End with a reflection on the consequences of shortening particular steps.
The sample only demonstrates your ability to organize tasks and records in this occupation's working style; it does not prove qualifications or competence.
| Practical assessment or trial work |
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| Follow procedures to wash, cut, prepare, and portion while maintaining hygiene |
| Trial-work cutting and preparation records and temperature and cleaning records |
| Passing trial work does not confer any statutory qualification |
| Onboarding and probation | Follow food safety and hygiene procedures and report abnormalities | Hygiene and temperature records and abnormality reporting and corrective-action records | Suitability and confirmation of employment depend on employer assessments |
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Record their objections and your responses without avoiding counterexamples.
If continuing, list capabilities and training still needed and your next actions.
| Food safety and hygiene training |
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| All preparation and food-service workers |
| Develop basic skills in hygienic operations, cleaning and sanitizing, temperature control, and allergen management |
| Generally required |
| Complete employer or third-party training and assessment |
| Depends on actual courses, mentoring, and assessment arrangements |
| Training records do not replace on-site food safety responsibility |
| Worker health management or health certification | Workers handling ready-to-eat food | Meet employment entry and public health requirements | Depends on regulations and the role | Undergo examinations and obtain certification under local requirements | Depends on local procedures | This page provides no medical examination conclusion; local regulations and employer rules apply |
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| Equipment and utensil operation training | Workers using slicing, cutting, and washing equipment | Develop safe utensil use, cleaning, maintenance, and emergency-response skills | Depends on the process | Complete employer or third-party training and assessment | Depends on actual courses, mentoring, and assessment arrangements | Training records do not replace on-site equipment safety responsibility |
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| Allergen management and cleaning-chemical safety training | Workers involved in preparation and cleaning | Reduce cross-contamination and chemical-burn risks | Common requirement | Complete employer or third-party training and assessment | Depends on actual courses, mentoring, and assessment arrangements | Cannot replace on-site procedural compliance and labeling management |
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| Team leader and food safety role training | People seeking promotion | Prepare for ingredient release, hygiene checks, and on-site management responsibilities | Not universally required | Undertake training and practice through the company's progression route | Depends on actual courses, mentoring, and assessment arrangements | Management authority requires formal employer appointment |
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Readiness evidence：Standards documents and training records; nonconformities and corrective actions.
Credential boundary：Role authorization; corresponding professional training or qualifications.
Next moves：Participate in store and canteen assessments and monthly reviews.
Typical scope：Make technical judgments about therapeutic diets, nutritious meal assembly, and preparation standards, coordinating with kitchens and healthcare or school staff.
Readiness evidence：Meal plans and handling records; outcomes of coordination among parties.
Credential boundary：Relevant professional qualifications or employer appointment.
Next moves：Track nutrition and food safety trends and compliance requirements; build a meal assembly and preparation reference library.
Readiness evidence：Preparation and inventory records and improvements in losses.
Credential boundary：Operations and inventory management training; employer appointment.
Next moves：Learn customer traffic and usage forecasting and loss costs; master ordering and storage-window arrangements.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for kitchen output, hygiene, and safety compliance, coordinate front-of-house staff and suppliers, and handle disputes under regulations and contracts.
Readiness evidence：Output and compliance findings; team training and policy documents.
Credential boundary：Relevant management qualifications or employer appointment.
Next moves：Improve food safety, hygiene, and utensil safety systems and training arrangements.
