“I credit my big appetite with pushing me to become a chef. As a teenager, when I got home from school, I wanted more than chips. I wanted something complex or unique. Even if it was just mixing different flavors or foods with hummus. I loved to watch cooking shows and learning to make my favorite restaurant foods at home. I got my first job with a catering company in high school and applied to culinary school to broaden my cooking skills and learn more about the business side of the hospitality industry. Thanks to South Carolina’s booming tourism industry, restaurant and catering jobs are available in every region of the state. Making a living feeding people good food never gets old.”

Interested in this occupation? Download the job flyer here!

Job Description

SOC Code: 35-1011

Chefs and Head Cooks direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads,
soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies,
and keep records and accounts.*

*Source: This information is based on O*NET™ data. O*NET is a trademark registered to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

Top Job Skills:

• Restaurant management
• Food preparation
• Menu development
• Inventory control
• Menu compliance

General Work Activities:

• Mental Processes
  • Create new recipes or food presentations
  • Estimate supplies, ingredients, or staff requirements for food preparation activities
  • Schedule equipment maintenance
• Interacting With Others
  • Coordinate timing of food production activities
  • Train food preparation or food service personnel
  • Manage food service operations or parts of operations
• Information Input
  • Monitor activities of individuals to ensure safety or compliance with rules
  • Check quality of foods or supplies
  • Inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards
• Work Output
  • Cook foods

Source: SC Works Online Services (SCWOS)

*All data is factual, but names, images, and quotations have been adapted to protect the identity of employees and businesses

Job Statistics

Examples of Workforce Areas with Job Openings

• Trident
• Greenville
• Midlands
• Lowcountry
• Waccamaw
• Pee Dee

Examples of Employers with Job Openings

• ARAMARK Corporation
• Cozymeal, Inc.
• American Cruise Lines
• Sodexo, Inc.
• Northwood Hospitality, LLC
• Oak View Group
• Perkins Management Services Company

Related Occupations

• Bakers
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
• Cooks, Private Household
• Cooks, Restaurant
• Cooks, Short Order
• Dietetic Technicians
• Food Batchmakers

*Source: Online advertised jobs data

Learn More With SCWOS

SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) is the state’s largest job database and provides all of South Carolina's job postings from all major sites, including Monster and Career Builder, in one resource. SCWOS has thousands of positions listed by employers all over the state. To access SCWOS, visit jobs.scworks.org.

Find in-depth breakdowns of occupational statistics such as necessary job certifications, job skills and abilities, current job openings, overview of general work activities, and more by visiting O*NET.org.