Cooks plan, organize, prepare and cook meals, according to recipes or under the supervision of chefs, in hotels, restaurants and other eating places, on board ships, on passenger trains and in private households.

Tasks performed usually include: planning meals; preparing and cooking foodstuffs; planning, supervising and coordinating the work of kitchen helpers; checking the quality of food; 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, serving areas, etc. to ensure safe and sanitary food handling practices; and operating large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.