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Selection and Buying of Produce
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Basic Nutrition
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Basic Food Preparation
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Menu Planning
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Food Safety and Sanitation
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Baking Fundamentals
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Beverage and Wine Management
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Catering
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Table Service
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Cost Control
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Restaurant Management
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Guest Relations Management
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State and Local Hospitality Laws
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Labor Regulations
There are certificate programs that prepare students for entry-level employment in the food service domain. On the other hand, associate’s and bachelor’s degrees are often pursued by individuals desirous of working as chefs, head cooks, bakers, food and beverage services managers, etc.
Depending on the chosen program, you will need between 1 to 4 years to complete a culinary arts degree. Prerequisites usually include a high school diploma. As a food services professional, you may also apply for a certification from the American Culinary Federation.
This piece will tell you about the 5 highest-paying jobs in the US that you can pursue with a culinary arts degree. In many cases, a high school diploma is enough to get your foot in the door. However, a culinary arts degree will certainly give you the edge and enable you to progress rapidly.
These rankings are based on information gathered from the most up-to-date records of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food Preparation and Serving Occupations.
Chefs and Head Cooks
Chefs and Head Cooks are responsible for overseeing food preparation at restaurants, hotels, community clubs and other similar places. They manage and direct kitchen staff while also handling any food-related issues. Following are some duties that chefs and head cooks perform on a regular basis.
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Inspecting all food supplies for hygiene and freshness.
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Developing recipes and creating presentation plans for different dishes.
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Supervising the work of other cooks and food preparation workers.
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Ensuring the cleanliness and functionality of food preparation equipment as well as work areas.
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Planning the menu, including specials for specific days.
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Making sure the quality of all served meals is up to the mark.
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Maintenance of food inventory.
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Hiring, training and supervising cooks as well as the rest of the food preparation team.
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Implementing appropriate food safety standards and sanitation practices.
To become a Chef or Head Cook, you should ideally have a certificate or an associate’s degree in culinary arts. A Bachelor’s degree will help you even more. However, you may be able to start a kitchen apprenticeship with just a high school diploma and then work your way up the career ladder.
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Annual Mean Salary, 2019
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$56,310
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Entry-Level Education
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High School Diploma or Certificate/Associate’s/Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts
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Job Outlook, 2018-28
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11%
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Top Paying State, 2019
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Hawaii
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$78,640
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Top Paying Industry, 2019
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Office Administrative Services
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$72,930
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Cooks
Cooks prepare many different types of food (soups, entrees, salads, main courses and desserts) in a restaurant, hotel or private kitchen. Following is a list of typical responsibilities undertaken by a cook on the job.
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Ensuring proper freshness and hygiene levels of all food ingredients.
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Maintaining sanitized work stations along with clean and functional kitchen equipment/utensils.
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Measuring, weighing and mixing ingredients as per the developed recipes.
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Grilling, baking, boiling, steaming and/or frying the meats (red and white), vegetables, fish, etc.
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Making sure that the produce in storage is utilized within an appropriate timeframe and before it goes bad.
You only need a high school diploma to become a Cook. But, you should ideally have a degree in culinary arts (certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree) because that will enhance your employability and career prospects.
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Annual Mean Salary, 2019
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$28,700 (Cooks, Restaurant)
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Entry-Level Education
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High School Diploma or Certificate/Associate’s/Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts
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Job Outlook, 2018-28
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11%
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Top Paying State, 2019
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Hawaii
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$35,900
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Top Paying Industry, 2019
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Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services
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$36,620
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Food Preparation Workers
Food Preparation Workers perform various tasks in a kitchen under the supervision of head cooks, food service managers and chefs. Following are some of their major responsibilities.
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Cutting and preparing meat/seafood/vegetables for cooking.
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Brewing tea, coffee and other hot and cold drinks.
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Preparing salads, sauces, cold foods, etc.
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Cleaning the work area and cooking equipment/utensils.
There are no specific formal education requirements for becoming a Food Preparation Worker. However, a high school diploma is usually preferred by employers. You can also get a culinary arts degree which will help you transition into roles with greater responsibility over time.
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Annual Mean Salary, 2019
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$25,820
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Entry-Level Education
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High School Diploma or Certificate in Culinary Arts (No Specific Education Requirements)
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Job Outlook, 2018-28
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8%
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Top Paying State, 2019
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District of Columbia
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$33,620
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Top Paying Industry, 2019
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Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools
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$33,320
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Bartenders
Bartenders mix and prepare drinks at a bar. They also serve customers either directly or through waiters. Some of their duties are listed below.
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Pouring and serving beer, wine, champagne and many other drinks at a bar.
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Mixing and preparing different types of drinks as per the recipe.
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Cleaning and sanitizing the chairs, bar and work area.
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Checking customer IDs before serving them to make sure they are of legal drinking age.
No formal education is needed to work as a Bartender. However, most employers tend to prefer high school diploma holders. Having a culinary arts degree will also give you the edge over others.
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Annual Mean Salary, 2019
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$28,000
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Entry-Level Education
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High School Diploma or Certificate in Culinary Arts (No Specific Education Requirements)
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Job Outlook, 2018-28
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8%
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Top Paying State, 2019
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Hawaii
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$58,830
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Top Paying Industry, 2019
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Independent Artists, Writers and Performers
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$32,270
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Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers
Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers are responsible for various food preparation, customer service and cleaning duties. Following are some of their major responsibilities.
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Greeting customers upon arrival, guiding them to a table, answering their queries about the menu, etc.
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Taking customers’ food and drink orders.
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Keeping all assigned work stations, tables and serving counters clean.
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Preparing items like coffee, tea, salads, etc. when instructed to do so.
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Accepting payments from customers.
To work as a Food and Beverage Serving and Related Worker, you don’t need any specific education. But, employers are likely to hire high school diploma and culinary arts degree holders.
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Annual Mean Salary, 2019
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$23,250 (Fast Food and Counter Workers)
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Entry-Level Education
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High School Diploma or Certificate in Culinary Arts (No Specific Education Requirements)
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Job Outlook, 2018-28
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14%
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Top Paying State, 2019
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District of Columbia
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$33,660 (Fast Food and Counter Workers)
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Top Paying Industry, 2019
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Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation
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$40,190 (Fast Food and Counter Workers)
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