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Imagine you’re standing inside a bustling restaurant kitchen for the first time, hearing the symphony of sizzling pans and rapid-fire orders. Your heart races—part excitement, part nerves. This is it. Your chance to turn your passion for food into a real career.
The idea of getting started in a professional kitchen can feel daunting, but with the right approach, you could land your first culinary job and begin building a rewarding career. From understanding entry-level positions and salary expectations to developing essential skills and networking effectively, strategic preparation can make a difference in your job search.
Whether you’re a recent culinary school graduate or someone looking to transition into the food industry, knowing how to navigate professional kitchens, build relationships, and advance your career may help you pursue growth opportunities in this competitive field.
Understanding Entry-Level Positions and Salary Expectations
Before you start your job search, it can be helpful to understand the different entry-level positions available and what you can expect to earn. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics, entry-level cooks across the U.S. earned roughly $17.19/hr or $35,760/year in May 2024. The kitchen staff sector has shown positive growth, with salaries increasing 5.1% in 2025.
Common entry-level positions include:
| Position | Average Starting Wage | Primary Responsibilities | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prep Cook | $13-21/hour¹ | Chopping vegetables, making sauces, ingredient preparation | Developing knife skills and kitchen fundamentals |
| Line Cook | $14-23/hour² | Cooking during service at specific stations (grill, sauté) | Building speed and communication under pressure |
| Catering Assistant | $13-24/hour³ | Large-volume food preparation and event service | Understanding event logistics and volume cooking |
| Roundsman | $18-23/hour4 | Filling in at different stations as needed | Exploring multiple kitchen areas quickly |
Wage ranges based on available data from Indeed and ZipRecruiter as of August 2025. Rates may vary by location, employer, and experience.
As you advance, chefs can earn a median salary of $63,000 per year (as of Sept. 2025), showing the career growth potential in culinary arts. Salary rates may vary by location, employer, and experience.
Essential Skills for Working in a Professional Kitchen
Professional kitchens can require both technical abilities and workplace skills. Developing these core competencies may help you pursue success in entry-level positions and advance your culinary career.
Knife Skills and Food Safety
Proper knife technique forms the foundation of much kitchen work. As a prep cook, you can spend hours each day chopping vegetables, breaking down proteins, and making uniform cuts that can ensure even cooking. Line cooks rely on consistent knife work to prep garnishes and components during service.
A strong understanding of food safety principles can protect both customers and your career. This can include proper food storage temperatures, how to prevent cross-contamination, and maintaining personal hygiene standards. Entry-level positions like prep cooks and line cooks must follow strict protocols, and food safety knowledge is often required through certifications.
Basic Cooking Methods
Developing core cooking skills can make it easier to step into new stations and explore different cuisines. Key methods can include:
- Sautéing – Quick cooking in a hot pan with minimal fat, essential for line cooks working sauté stations and preparing vegetables, proteins, and finishing dishes.
- Braising – Slow cooking with moisture, important for prep cooks preparing stocks, sauces, and tenderizing tougher cuts of meat for daily specials.
- Grilling – Direct heat cooking that requires an understanding of temperature control and timing, crucial for grill station cooks in casual dining and steakhouse environments.
- Roasting – Dry heat cooking in ovens, used by line cooks for proteins and vegetables, and by prep cooks for large-batch cooking and mise en place preparation.
Communication and Teamwork
Clear communication can help keep kitchens running smoothly during busy service periods. Entry-level cooks should know kitchen terminology so they can call out orders clearly and coordinate with other stations. Being curious while practicing from mistakes may help you grow in your role.
“I always asked questions … An executive chef wants to teach, but he doesn’t want to keep teaching you (the same thing) over and over again,” industry recruiter Brian Blum of Gecko Hospitality said during an interview on The Ultimate Dish podcast.
Additionally, being bilingual may enhance your career prospects.
“I would say if there’s one language you should know as a chef or a cook or anyone in a kitchen, it’s Spanish,” Blum said.
Many kitchens operate with Spanish-speaking teams, making bilingual skills valuable for effective communication and leadership.
Understanding the Kitchen Brigade
Professional kitchens operate under the brigade de cuisine system. Understanding this hierarchy can help you navigate relationships and advancement:
- Executive Chef – Oversees all operations, menu development, and staff management
- Sous Chef – Second-in-command, managing daily operations and supervising line cooks
- Chef de Partie – Station chefs for specific areas like grill, sauté, or garde manger
- Line Cooks – Work under supervision preparing food during service
- Prep Cooks – Handle ingredient preparation and basic cooking tasks
- Commis Chef – Entry-level position for recent graduates developing fundamentals
Knowing where you fit and respecting the chain of command may demonstrate professionalism that employers value.
How You Can Get Your First Professional Kitchen Job
Landing your first kitchen job can entail a different approach than traditional job searches. The culinary industry values practical skills, personality fit, and genuine passion for food service. Understanding the unique hiring practices of restaurants and food service establishments may help you stand out from other candidates.
Here’s an approach to how you could secure your first professional kitchen position:
5 Steps to Land Your First Kitchen Job
1. Research Local Kitchen Opportunities Start by identifying restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and corporate dining facilities in your area. Check their websites for job postings and get to know their cuisine style and service level.
2. Prepare Your Application Materials Create a resume highlighting any food service experience, culinary education, and relevant skills. Include food safety certifications and any volunteer cooking experience.
3. Apply During Strategic Times The job search process for kitchen positions differs from other industries. Many kitchens prefer walk-in applications during slower periods (typically 2-4 p.m.), allowing managers to meet candidates personally. Industry networks and referrals can often lead to promising opportunities.
4. Prepare for the Interview Kitchen interviews are typically informal but focused on your attitude and willingness to learn. Come prepared to discuss your food service experience, why you want to work in that specific kitchen, and your availability. Dress professionally but practically—clean clothes you can move in. Be ready to answer questions about handling pressure, working as part of a team, and your long-term culinary goals.
5. Complete a Stage (Working Interview) Many kitchens use a “stage”—a working interview where you demonstrate skills during actual service. This might involve basic knife work, following recipes under pressure, or working alongside line cooks. Arrive early, bring your own knife if you have one, and focus on following directions precisely. Show enthusiasm, ask clarifying questions, and maintain a positive attitude even when things get hectic.
From knife skills to teamwork, honing the basics in a professional kitchen can build the foundation for your culinary future.
Finding Kitchen Jobs in Your Area
Once you understand the hiring process, it’s time to focus your search on the right types of establishments. Different kitchen environments offer unique advantages for new cooks, and knowing where to look can save you time and help you find opportunities that could match your career goals.
Best Places to Look for Opportunities:
- Restaurant districts in your city typically have the highest concentration of openings. These areas often have multiple establishments within walking distance of one another, making it efficient to apply to several places in one day.
- Hotel and resort properties often hire multiple kitchen positions simultaneously, especially during busy seasons. These environments can provide structured training programs and exposure to large-volume cooking.
- Corporate/Institutional dining facilities (hospitals, universities, office complexes) usually offer more regular hours and predictable schedules compared to traditional restaurants.
- Catering companies can provide diverse experience with events and off-site cooking. You can learn to adapt to different kitchen setups and to handle logistics.
Timeline and expectations: Job search timelines vary significantly based on location, experience level, and the type of establishment you’re targeting. Having an externship or strong references can significantly improve your prospects.
What Employers Look For
- Culinary/kitchen skills
- Reliability and strong work ethic
- Willingness to learn and take direction
- Basic food safety knowledge
- Positive attitude and team orientation
Evaluating Potential Employers
Look for kitchens where feedback is constructive, where safety protocols are followed, and where you see opportunities to learn and grow. High turnover and a lack of organization can be red flags.
Once you’ve successfully landed your first kitchen position, your focus may shift to making a strong impression and building your skills during those important first weeks on the job.
Surviving Your First Month
In the first couple of weeks, you’ll likely focus on understanding kitchen layout, safety procedures, and basic prep tasks. Don’t worry if you feel slow initially—speed comes with practice. Ask questions about recipes and techniques, but be mindful of timing during busy service periods.
By the end of your first month, you’ll probably be building confidence and improving your knife skills and cooking techniques. You’ll start understanding the rhythm of service periods and practicing clear communication during busy shifts.
Common Challenges
Starting in a professional kitchen comes with unique challenges: physical demands like long hours and hot conditions, a faster pace than culinary school, direct or blunt communication styles and hierarchy structures, plus immediate feedback during service periods.
Effective strategies:
Success in your first month can depend on demonstrating the right attitude and work habits from day one. Here are some tips:
- Arrive early and stay late to show commitment
- Keep a positive attitude during difficult shifts
- Apply feedback from mistakes quickly and don’t repeat them
- Build relationships with coworkers during slower periods
- Focus on consistency before trying to innovate
When mistakes happen: If you make a major mistake, own it immediately, apologize sincerely, and ask how to fix it. Most chefs respect honesty and the willingness to improve.
Work Your Way Up
It’s rare that anyone leaving culinary school jumps straight to a high-paying job as an executive or sous chef. Your first job in a professional kitchen may be as a roundsman, catering assistant, prep or line cook. These jobs may offer an opportunity to develop your skills.
Blum offers the example of someone who starts as a prep cook in a restaurant and looks for ways to chip in and improve.
“After about 30-45 days, you’ve mastered being a prep cook,” he says. “. . . Maybe you ask (a higher-up), ‘Hey, will you teach me how to write a prep list, so I can do it and then you don’t have to?’ You’re taking that off of your sous, off of your exec chef, bringing it onto your back.”
After you become good at your role and have established good working relationships, Blum recommends asking for more tips.
“(You might say) ‘Hey, I noticed you’re purchasing produce today. Can you teach me how to do that?’ And learn how to do it. Then, ask, ‘Can I take that off your hands?'” Blum says.
Key advancement strategies:
- Become skilled in your current role completely before seeking additional responsibilities
- Cross-train on multiple stations to become more valuable
- Volunteer for challenging tasks during busy periods
- Practice expo/expediting work to develop leadership skills
Timing your next move: Focus on developing your current role for at least 6-12 months before considering advancement. However, if you’re not gaining new skills or the environment is not conducive to learning, it may be time to move on sooner.
What Omni Hotels & Resorts Executive Chef Josh Hasho looks for when hiring culinary students
Focus on a Balanced Culinary Education
It’s important to be prepared before you begin actively searching for a job in a professional kitchen, and culinary school can help prepare you with skills and experience you may need.
Culinary school graduates can bring a diverse set of skills to employers, such as knowledge of business operations, management, and customer experience enhancement. On the other hand, those without a formal culinary education often only have experience in a single aspect of the foodservice industry – which may limit future job opportunities.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
A hands-on industry externship can be a great way to get training in a professional kitchen—and possibly secure your first job by the end of it. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts’ curriculum requires students to participate in externships where they have the opportunity to work with a mentor and apply their skills in professional kitchens, possibly with some of the top employers in the food industry.
One of the advantages of a formal culinary education can be that students receive career assistance while in school and support after graduation. Career Services staff can provide resume writing assistance, job application and interview preparation, industry referrals, and networking opportunities.
Charting Your Path in the Culinary World
Most experienced chefs started in entry-level positions. What often separates those who advance from those who don’t is attitude, work ethic, and continuous learning. Building your network and taking advantage of educational opportunities may help position you for growth in the culinary industry.
Considering a culinary education? Contact us to explore how Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts may help you develop foundational skills for working in professional kitchens.
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This article was originally published on December 11, 2015, and has since been updated.
Sources:
¹ Indeed: Prep cook salary in United States
² Indeed: Line cook salary in United States
³ Indeed: Catering assistant salary in United States
4 ZipRecruiter: Roundsman Salary
