How to become a Cook
Also called: Assistant cook, Cafeteria cook, Canteen cook, Central kitchen cook, Coffee house cook, Commis cook 2, Commis cook 3, Executive cook, Hotel cook, Mess cook (ship), Pastry cook (restaurant), Private service cook
Cook prepares, seasons, bakes and cooks dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants according to defined Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or senior cook’s requirements, and in a timely manner. He/she ensures appropriate portioning and serving size for waste control. He/she may order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu. He/she may also supervise the kitchen assistants’ work outputs on a daily basis (i.e. ingredient preparation, packaging) and ensure that workstations and cooking equipment are cleaned and maintained on a regular basis.
Main tasks
- Planning meals, preparing and cooking foodstuffs
- Checking the quality of food and ensuring appropriate portioning and serving size for waste control
- Assembling ingredients and/or kitchen equipment prior to preparation of menu dishes
- Weighing, measuring and mixing ingredients according to recipes and personal judgement
- Regulating the temperature of ovens, grills, roasters and other cooking equipment
- Inspecting and cleaning the kitchen, kitchen equipment and serving areas to ensure safe and sanitary food handling practices
- Operating large–volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Work-study diploma. Related ITE work-study diplomas: Work-Study Diploma in Culinary Arts & Management. You are employed by a company and study at ITE at the same time. Peernovo matched these from course names.
- Polytechnic or ITE: ITE course (Nitec or Higher Nitec). Related ITE courses: Higher Nitec in Culinary Arts. Peernovo matched these from course names; ITE does not publish which jobs each course leads to.; Polytechnic diploma. Related diplomas: Diploma in Culinary & Catering Management (Temasek Polytechnic); Diploma in Restaurant & Culinary Management (Republic Polytechnic). Peernovo matched these from course names; polytechnics do not publish which jobs each course leads to.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $24,336 a year. The middle half earn $18,000 to $35,460 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Cook?
Ways in include: ITE course (Nitec or Higher Nitec); Polytechnic diploma; Work-study diploma.
How much does a Cook earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $24,336 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $18,000 to $35,460.
Will AI change the work of a Cook?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026