Skills
Prep Cook Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in prep cooks, and how to build and show them.
What skills do prep cooks need?
Prep Cooks need technical skills such as knife skills, recipe following, and measuring, plus people skills like reliability and speed. They also use tools such as Knives and cutting boards and Food processors and mixers.
Technical (hard) skills
- Knife skills
- Recipe following
- Measuring
- Food labeling and storage
- FIFO rotation
- Cleaning and sanitizing
People (soft) skills
- Reliability
- Speed
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork
Tools, equipment and technology
- Knives and cutting boards
- Food processors and mixers
- Slicers
- Measuring cups and scales
- Storage containers and labels
- Sanitizer buckets
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how prep cooks put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Knife skills” and “Recipe following.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “reliability,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Food handler card near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our prep cook glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Prep Cook training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.