Food ServiceO*NET: 35-2014.00
Will AI Replace Cooks, Restaurant?
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
87out of 100
Critical Risk
AI Risk Score
87/100
Risk Level
Critical
Job Zone
2/5
Entry
Total Tasks Analyzed
14
🤖 What AI Can Do
- ▸Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
👤 What Requires Humans
- ▸Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
Task Breakdown
🤖AI Can Automate (1)
- Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock.
👤Requires Humans (1)
- Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
⚡AI-Assisted (12)
- Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.
- Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
- Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
- Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
- Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
- Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment.
- Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
- Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
Key Skills Analysis
Speaking
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Critical ThinkingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Monitoring
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Time ManagementAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Active Listening
Importance: 2.88/5.00
Reading ComprehensionAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 2.75/5.00
Active LearningAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.75/5.00
CoordinationAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.62/5.00
Judgment and Decision MakingAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.62/5.00
Social PerceptivenessAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.50/5.00
Operations MonitoringAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 2.50/5.00
Service OrientationAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.38/5.00
Complex Problem SolvingAI-Resistant
Importance: 2.38/5.00
Quality Control AnalysisAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 2.38/5.00
Systems AnalysisAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 2.38/5.00
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Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our analysis, Cooks, Restaurant have a critical risk of AI replacement with a score of 87/100. Many routine tasks in this role can be automated, but human oversight remains important.
Last updated: 2026-03-28· Data from O*NET 30.2 & Frey/Osborne automation research