What You Need to Know About Food Preparation Worker
Job Description & Duties Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
List of Food Preparation Worker Job Duties
- Weigh or measure ingredients.
- Use manual or electric appliances to clean, peel, slice, and trim foods.
- Vacuum dining area and sweep and mop kitchen floor.
- Load dishes, glasses, and tableware into dishwashing machines.
- Stir and strain soups and sauces.
- Receive and store food supplies, equipment, and utensils in refrigerators, cupboards, and other storage areas.
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Qualities of a Food Preparation Worker
When polled, Food Preparation Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Other Food Preparation Worker Job Titles
- Prepared Foods Team Member
- Kitchen Clerk
- Line Server
- Kitchen Team Crew Member
- Fruit and Vegetable Parer
Job Outlook for Food Preparation Workers
There were about 871,100 jobs for Food Preparation Worker in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 68,600 new jobs for Food Preparation Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 157,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Food Preparation Worker are Arizona, Utah, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Ohio, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Food Preparation Worker
The typical yearly salary for Food Preparation Workers is somewhere between $18,040 and $33,670.

Food Preparation Workers who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Food Preparation Workers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $22,010 |
Alaska | $29,550 |
Arizona | $25,000 |
Arkansas | $22,810 |
California | $27,910 |
Colorado | $27,500 |
Connecticut | $28,940 |
Delaware | $22,360 |
District of Columbia | $31,510 |
Florida | $24,190 |
Georgia | $21,550 |
Hawaii | $28,660 |
Idaho | $22,910 |
Illinois | $25,200 |
Indiana | $22,070 |
Iowa | $22,930 |
Kansas | $21,360 |
Kentucky | $22,340 |
Louisiana | $18,820 |
Maine | $25,690 |
Maryland | $25,530 |
Massachusetts | $29,980 |
Michigan | $24,080 |
Minnesota | $27,450 |
Mississippi | $19,310 |
Missouri | $22,340 |
Montana | $22,600 |
Nebraska | $24,290 |
Nevada | $28,910 |
New Hampshire | $24,560 |
New Jersey | $24,450 |
New Mexico | $22,440 |
New York | $28,520 |
North Carolina | $22,490 |
North Dakota | $26,160 |
Ohio | $23,090 |
Oklahoma | $20,750 |
Oregon | $26,770 |
Pennsylvania | $23,100 |
Rhode Island | $29,730 |
South Carolina | $23,400 |
South Dakota | $22,710 |
Tennessee | $22,160 |
Texas | $23,540 |
Utah | $24,520 |
Vermont | $27,220 |
Virginia | $22,200 |
Washington | $30,340 |
West Virginia | $22,060 |
Wisconsin | $23,010 |
Wyoming | $23,780 |
What Tools & Technology do Food Preparation Workers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Food Preparation Workers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- YouTube
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- ValuSoft MasterCook
- EGS CALCMENU
- iPro
- Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
How do I Become a Food Preparation Worker?
Education needed to be a Food Preparation Worker:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Food Preparation Worker?

Who Employs Food Preparation Workers?

The table below shows the approximate number of Food Preparation Workers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Food Preparation Worker may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Food Preparation Worker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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