What Does a Line Cook Do? Duties, Pay & Outlook

What does a line cook do?

Restaurant cooks prepare and cook dishes to order on stations such as grill, sauté and fry, following recipes and plating standards during service. The median pay is $37,390 per year (BLS, May 2025), most people train for about 1–6 months on the job, and employment is projected to grow +12.1% from 2025–35.

Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026

Median pay
$37,390
$17.98/hour · May 2025
Job growth
+12.1%
2025–35, much faster than average
Openings per year
218,600
Average, 2025–35
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
BLS classification
Time to train
1–6 months on the job
Typical program length
U.S. jobs
1,417,500
Employment, 2025

What line cooks do

Line cooks are the backbone of restaurant kitchens. Each cook runs a station, such as grill, sauté, fry or garde manger, preps ingredients before service, cooks dishes to order as tickets come in, plates to standard and keeps the station clean and stocked. Speed, consistency and teamwork make or break service.

Most line cooks learn on the job, often starting as prep cooks or dishwashers. A food handler card is usually required. It is one of the fastest-growing kitchen jobs and the main path to sous chef and chef roles.

Typical duties

Prep ingredients for the station before service
Cook dishes to order following recipes
Plate food to presentation standards
Communicate with the expediter and other cooks
Monitor food temperatures and quality
Keep the station clean and stocked
Break down and store food after service

Work environment and schedule

Line cooks work in hot, crowded kitchens with open flames, hot oil and sharp knives. The job means standing for long shifts and working fast.

Schedule: Most shifts are afternoons, evenings, weekends and holidays. Breakfast and brunch kitchens start early.

A day in the life

2:00 PMClock in, check the prep list and taste yesterday’s sauces.
2:30 PMPrep vegetables, portion proteins and set up the sauté station.
4:30 PMEat family meal and review specials.
5:00 PMStart service, firing dishes as tickets print.

See a full day in the life of a line cook →

Line Cook salary

Half of line cooks earned more than $37,390 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $28,700 for the lowest 10% to $47,900 for the top 10%.

$28,70010th$37,390Median$47,90090th

Full line cook pay scale and hourly rates →

How to become a line cook

Get a kitchen job
Earn a food handler card
Learn a station
Move up the line
Advance

No formal education is required. Most line cooks learn on the job. A food handler card is usually required, and culinary classes help.

Step-by-step guide to becoming a line cook →

Skills and tools

Technical skills

Cooking techniques
Knife skills
Station setup
Reading tickets
Food safety

People skills

Speed and consistency
Teamwork
Stamina
Composure

All line cook skills and tools →

Pros and cons

Pros

Quick hiring and on-the-job training
Fast-paced, team-based work
Clear path to sous chef
Jobs in every community

Cons

Hot, stressful work
Nights, weekends and holidays
Physically demanding
Pay is modest at entry level

Certifications and licenses

Food handler card: Basic food safety training required in many areas.
ServSafe Food Handler: Nationally recognized food safety training.
Allergen awareness: Training to prevent allergen cross-contact.
Culinary certificate: Short culinary programs build skills.

Career path

Prep Cook: Prepare ingredients.
Line Cook: Cook on a station.
Lead Line Cook or Sous Chef: Lead the line.
Chef: Run the kitchen.

Learn the job before day one

Our Line Cook training (6 hours, $59.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as set up a sauté station and work a ticket during service, safety and how to land your first job.

View Line Cook training Is this career right for me?

Prep Cook

Prepare the ingredients that make every kitchen service possible.

$35,320
1–4 weeks

Chef

Lead kitchens, create menus and turn ingredients into memorable meals.

$62,470
2–5 years of kitchen experience

Baker

Mix, shape and bake breads, pastries and desserts.

$37,160
1–12 months

Food Service Supervisor

Lead food service shifts, crews and quality at restaurants and cafeterias.

$44,080
6–12 months of experience

Compare: Line Cook vs. Prep Cook · Line Cook vs. Chef · Line Cook vs. Baker · Line Cook vs. Food Service Supervisor

Line Cook FAQ

Do line cooks need culinary school?

No. Most learn on the job.

Is line cooking hard?

It’s fast and physical, but skills grow quickly.

How do line cooks move up?

By mastering stations and becoming sous chefs.

How much does a line cook make?

The median annual wage for line cooks was $37,390 ($17.98 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned less than $28,700 and the highest 10% earned more than $47,900.

How long does it take to become a line cook?

Most people need about 1–6 months on the job of training. No formal education is required. Most line cooks learn on the job. A food handler card is usually required, and culinary classes help.

Do you need a degree to be a line cook?

No four-year degree is typically required. BLS lists “no formal educational credential” as the typical entry-level education, plus moderate-term on-the-job training.

Sources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 35-2014 (Cooks, restaurant).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025–35).
O*NET OnLine summary for Cooks, restaurant (U.S. Department of Labor).
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.

Line Cook