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How exposed to AI is a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria?

Of the 17 tasks O*NET lists for cooks, institution and cafeteria, 1 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 14 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Cafeteria CookCookDietary CookDinner CookFood Service SpecialistFood Service WorkerPrep Cook (Preparatory Cook)School CookSous Chef
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
17
tasks rated for this occupation
7%
hold a degree, from a survey of 41
393k
people do this job in the US
9 of 16
least protected in food preparation

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

1
  • Plan menus that are varied, nutritionally balanced, and appetizing, taking advantage of foods in season and local availability

Only with software built on top

2
  • Monitor and record food temperatures to ensure food safety
  • Compile and maintain records of food use and expenditures

Cannot be sped up

14
  • Cook foodstuffs according to menus, special dietary or nutritional restrictions, or numbers of portions to be served
  • Rotate and store food supplies
  • Wash pots, pans, dishes, utensils, or other cooking equipment
  • Apportion and serve food to facility residents, employees, or patrons
  • Clean and inspect galley equipment, kitchen appliances, and work areas to ensure cleanliness and functional operation
  • Clean, cut, and cook meat, fish, or poultry
  • Direct activities of one or more workers who assist in preparing and serving meals
  • Train new employees
  • Take inventory of supplies and equipment
  • Requisition food supplies, kitchen equipment, and appliances, based on estimates of future needs
  • Bake breads, rolls, or other pastries
  • Monitor use of government food commodities to ensure that proper procedures are followed
  • Monitor menus and spending to ensure that meals are prepared economically
  • Determine meal prices, based on calculations of ingredient prices
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.