Food & BeverageCompare

Cook

O*NET: Cooks, Restaurant·35-2014.00

The Verdict:Cooks rely on sensory skills—tasting, smelling, adjusting heat and texture in real time amid variable ingredients and rush orders. Hands-on work with knives, grills, and platters in dynamic kitchens resists robotic replication. Software aids planning and inventory, boosting efficiency, but human creativity, speed, and adaptation ensure the role's endurance over the next decade.

Resilience Score

/100

Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$37k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+14.9%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 1 of 20 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
16 of 20 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 15% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

1exposed

3AI leverage

16human-essential

View all 20 tasks

AI Can Handle This1 task

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Keep records and accounts.

AI Leverage3 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Estimate expected food consumption, requisition or purchase supplies, or procure food from storage.

Consult with supervisory staff to plan menus, taking into consideration factors such as costs and special event needs.

Plan and price menu items.

Human Advantage16 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.

Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.

Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.

Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.

Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.

Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.

Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.

Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.

Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.

Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.

Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.

Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption.

Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.

Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.

Prepare relishes and hors d'oeuvres.

Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.

Resilience Landscape

Cook lands in Stable, Lower Pay

Higher Resilience Paths in Food & Beverage

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+2 pts more resilient

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