Cooks make the meal the customer requested and verify the order to make sure all of the items the customer wanted are present. Cooks have to be familiar with the restaurant's menu so they know what makes up the different meals and how each is prepared. The professional cook should first of all have the elementary knowledge of using kitchen equipment and be aware of the techniques of food preparation, such as peeling, cutting, seasoning, marinating, baking, roasting, broiling, frying and so on. Aside from cooking the food as ordered, sometimes it is necessary to develop new recipes or make special dishes for customers with food allergies. Besides those exceptions, food products always have to be prepared and portion prior to cooking according to standard portion sizes and recipe specifications. Cooks have to follow proper plate presentation and garnish set up for all dishes and always complete required tasks within assigned time frames

By the end of the shift, cooks maintain, clean and sanitize work station area including tables, shelves, grills, broilers, fryers, pasta cookers, sauté burners, convection ovens, flat top range and refrigeration equipment.

Working as a cook can be a great job for those who dream of being a chef or those who already have some experience and would like to unfold their skills. If you're a hard worker with a flair for creating food, you could be promoted from line cook to sous chef to head chef within a matter of years. With hard work, a passion for cooking and a little education, chefs and cooks in the hotel restaurants can choose almost any food service career path they like.

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