On average, line cooks work between 50 and 70 hours each week, frequently on weekends, evenings and for up to 12 hours each day.
How many hours do cooks work?
As a guide, the standard chef position demands 50-plus hours a week, including nights, weekends and holidays. For a chef job in a restaurant, expect to work 7 days a week for 12 to 14 hours each shift. And that’s pretty much the industry standard.
Do line cooks get breaks?
It’s fairly common for line cooks to not take breaks, or not take as many as other professions. Occasionally they are denied breaks, but that should be rare these days. But many just don’t take them. … You might get a couple of breaks close together, or at the end of the shift.
How much do line cooks make an hour?
The average salary for a line cook is about $12 an hour. A line cook with experience or a culinary school background or degree can earn up to $18.25 an hour. Depending on the restaurant, line cooks can share tips with servers.
Why do line cooks say all day?
In chef slang, the expression all day is used to indicate the total number of orders needed. As tickets come in, a chef will shout out the orders followed by all day.
Do cooks make good money?
As of May 2016, median pay for chefs and head cooks is $43,180 a year or $20.76 an hour; this means that half of chefs earned more than that and half made less money. … Chefs working for restaurants averaged $43,750 a year, while chefs working for performing arts companies did better and earned $69,150 a year on average.
How hard is it to be a chef?
But in reality, the road to becoming a chef takes time to travel. It requires countless hours of hard work, especially in the early years. … There are no strict educational or training requirements to become a chef. For most, the knowledge and skills are simply gained during those long hours in the kitchen.
Why do cooks get paid so little?
Hours are long too. It’s often 6-7 days a week, 12-15 hours per day. If you calculate it by the hour and the value of overtime, many chefs are barely working minimum wage, and earn less per actual hour than the hourly staff. … The entire industry is low paid.
Do dishwashers get breaks?
If you’re washing dishes it’s best if you don’t take a break. By the time you’re done with your break all those plates and kitchen stuff are already stacked up. Pretty good ones. Most only had 6 hr shifts so you only got one break.
Is being a line cook stressful?
I was a line cook for years and I will say that was the most difficult and stressful job I have ever had. The stress was so much that after work I would be having panic attacks and feel like I needed to drink heavily to get back to a feeling of being normal. There are several things that make the job stressful.
Where do cooks get paid the most?
Not only are wages for chefs and head cooks in Hawaii the highest in the country, they also surpass – by a big margin – the average wage earned by a Hawaiian.
Is cooking a good career?
Working as a Chef Offers Freedom and Creativity
Working as a chef gives you more freedom and allows you to be more creative than just about any other career. Cooking also encourages you to make adjustments and create new and interesting flavors.
Why do cooks say 86?
The term originated in the soup kitchens of the Great Depression, where the standard pot held 85 cups of soup, so the 86th person was out of luck. Many say the term has military roots. The term originated during the Korean war, a reference to the F-86 fighter jet; when an F-86 shot down an enemy plane, it was 86’d.
What does 6 all day mean?
According to this site on restaurant phrases, all-day means: that you are counting particular items on the ticket rail, as in “Yes, chef, there are six chicken saltimbocca all-day, three beef tenderloin all-day,” and so on.
Why do chef coats have 2 rows of buttons?
The jacket’s buttons are made of knotted cloth that hold up better through frequent washing and cleaning. There are two rows of buttons, so the chef can cook with the jacket buttoned on the second row, then, if meeting clients or customers, re-button to the first row to hide stains from cooking.