Description

Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.

Interests

Realistic
Conventional
Social

Learn More about Interests

Work Values

Independence
Achievement
Relationships

Learn More about Work Values

Work Styles

Dependability
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Independence
Initiative

Learn More about Work Styles

Tasks

Peel, wash, trim, and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries.
Cool, package, label, and freeze foods for later consumption and provide instructions for reheating.
Plan menus according to employers' needs and diet restrictions.
Shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment.
Prepare meals in private homes according to employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.

Work Activities

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Getting Information
Thinking Creatively
Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Detailed Work Activities

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Technology Skills

Accounting software
Video creation and editing software
Data base user interface and query software
Electronic mail software
Internet browser software

Abilities

Near Vision
Fluency of Ideas
Problem Sensitivity
Deductive Reasoning
Finger Dexterity

Skills

Critical Thinking
Service Orientation
Active Listening
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
Food Production
Sales and Marketing
Administration and Management
Mathematics

Most Common Education Level

The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.

Certificates

These are the certification(s) applicable to Cooks, Private Household:

Certificate name

Certified Personal Chef

Certifying Organization

United States Personal Chef Association

Type

Advanced

Certificate name

Certified Fundamentals Cook

Certifying Organization

American Culinary Federation, Inc.

Type

Core

Certificate name

ProChef Level II Certification

Certifying Organization

The Culinary Institute of America

Type

Advanced

Certificate name

Personal Certified Chef

Certifying Organization

American Culinary Federation, Inc.

Type

Core

Certificate name

Home Food Safety

Certifying Organization

Global Foodservice Institute

Type

Core

Certificate name	Certifying Organization	Type
Certified Personal Chef	United States Personal Chef Association	Advanced
Certified Fundamentals Cook	American Culinary Federation, Inc.	Core
ProChef Level II Certification	The Culinary Institute of America	Advanced
Personal Certified Chef	American Culinary Federation, Inc.	Core
Home Food Safety	Global Foodservice Institute	Core

Income Percentile

The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.

Income Percentile	Annual Income
Low (10%)	$32,087
Median (50%)	$45,116
High (90%)	$64,002

Income by Experience

This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).

Experience	Income
Entry Level	N/A
Mid Level	N/A
Senior Level	N/A
Expert Level	N/A

Employability

There are currently 37,800 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to decrease to 35,400 positions, reflecting a projected decline of -6%.

The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.

Projected Job Growth of -6%

Related Careers

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria

Median Annual Income

$33,531

Projected Job Growth

+3 %

Career Cluster(s)

Public Service & Safety

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

RealisticConventional

Cooks, Restaurant

Median Annual Income

$34,943

Projected Job Growth

+17 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Chefs and Head Cooks

Median Annual Income

$54,435

Projected Job Growth

+8 %

Career Cluster(s)

Management & Entrepreneurship

Most Common Education Level

High school diploma or equivalent

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

EnterprisingRealisticConventional

Cooks, Short Order

Median Annual Income

$32,798

Projected Job Growth

-4 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Cooks, Fast Food

Median Annual Income

$31,302

Projected Job Growth

-14 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

Food Preparation Workers

Median Annual Income

$32,148

Projected Job Growth

-4 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

RealisticConventional

Food Service Managers

Median Annual Income

$59,889

Projected Job Growth

+2 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

High school diploma or equivalent

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization or department that serves food and beverages.

EnterprisingConventionalRealistic

Bakers

Median Annual Income

$35,731

Projected Job Growth

+5 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.

RealisticConventional

Baristas

Median Annual Income

$30,315

Projected Job Growth

+6 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.

RealisticConventionalSocial

Fast Food and Counter Workers

Median Annual Income

$30,315

Projected Job Growth

+6 %

Career Cluster(s)

Hospitality, Events, & Tourism

Most Common Education Level

No formal educational credential

Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages.

RealisticConventionalEnterprising

The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.