Jobs / Physical work / 35-2021.00

Food Preparation Workers

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

US jobs
893,600
Median wage
$35,320 a year
Job family
Physical work

Can agents do the work of food preparation workers?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Physical work:

  • Task levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection covers this work yet.
  • Project levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection covers this work yet.

Unexplored territory

No benchmark in this atlas covers this work yet.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
  • Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
  • Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
  • Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.
  • Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers.
  • Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
  • Weigh or measure ingredients.
  • Vacuum dining area and sweep and mop kitchen floor.
  • Inform supervisors when equipment is not working properly and when food and supplies are getting low, and order needed items.
  • Wash, peel, and cut various foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to prepare for cooking or serving.
  • Prepare a variety of foods, such as meats, vegetables, or desserts, according to customers' orders or supervisors' instructions, following approved procedures.
  • Assemble meal trays with foods in accordance with patients' diets.
Other job titles for this occupation (74)

Cook · Cook Aide · Deli Clerk (Delicatessen Clerk) · Diet Aide · Dietary Aide · Food Prep (Food Preparer) · Food Service Aide · Food Service Worker (FSW) · Line Cook · Nutrition Aide · Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member) · Cafeteria Aide · Carver · Caterer · Caterer Helper · Catering Assistant · Chicken and Fish Butcher · Coffee Brewer · Coffee Maker · Cold Meat Cook · Crew Mess Attendant · Culinary Worker · Deli Slicer (Delicatessen Slicer) · Dishwasher · Expo (Expeditor) · Food Expeditor (Food Expo) · Food Handler · Food Order Expediter (Food Order Expo) · Food Preparation Kitchen Aide (Food Prep Kitchen Aide) · Food Preparation Worker (Food Prep Worker) · Food Server · Food Service Specialist · Food Tray Assembler · Fruit and Vegetable Parer · Kitchen Assistant · Kitchen Clerk · Kitchen Crew · Kitchen Crew Member · Kitchen Food Assembler · Kitchen Helper · Kitchen Runner · Kitchen Staff · Kitchen Steward · Kitchen Team Crew Member · Kitchen Team Member · Kitchen Utility Associate · Kitchen Utility Worker · Kitchen Worker · Line Server · Meat Clerk · Mess Attendant · Nutrition Helper · Pantry Cook · Pantry Goods Maker · Pantry Goods Worker · Pantry Worker · Parer · Pastry Cook Helper · Peeler · Pie Cutter · Pizza Maker · Prepared Foods Team Member · Produce Production Team Member · Raw Shellfish Preparer · Restaurant Crew Member · Restaurant Team Member · Restaurant Worker · Salad Bar Clerk · Salad Maker · Sandwich Artist · Sandwich Maker · Seafood Preparer · Slicer · Steward