Cook: tasks and pay
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As a cook you organise and supervise the kitchen of a restaurant. You compose menus, develop new recipes, prepare dishes and plate them with care. You supervise the preparation, check deliveries, follow up on stock and train your team members. As a kitchen chef or head chef you coordinate the team, always keeping an eye on quality and budget. You work according to the rules for food safety and hygiene, from checking perishable products to keeping the workflow safe. In Flanders you find work in restaurants, catering businesses and collective kitchens across the hospitality sector, a job where craft, creativity and management come together.
Typical tasks
- Compose menus and develop new recipes
- Supervise the preparation of dishes
- Check the plating of the dishes
- Check deliveries and follow up on stock
- Train team members and coordinate the kitchen team
- Work food safe, hygienic and cost conscious
Required skills
- Knowledge of food safety and hygiene rules
- Able to lead and motivate a team
- Creativity in composing menus and recipes
- Stress resistant during busy services
- Cost conscious within a set budget
- Flexible for evening and weekend work
What does a cook earn?
Indicative Belgian pay range: €17 to €23 gross per hour. Experience, the type of establishment and premiums for evening or weekend work influence the amount. Employee pay estimate; actual pay depends on experience, sector pay scales and working hours. Premiums, overtime and benefits are separate.
How to apply via Werkvolk?
- Download the appInstall the free Werkvolk app for iOS or Android.
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Frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions about applying via Werkvolk.
What does a cook do?
You organise and supervise the kitchen in a restaurant. You prepare dishes and plate them, work out menus and place orders. You follow the rules for food safety and hygiene and keep an eye on quality and budget.
How much does a cook earn in Belgium?
Indicative Belgian pay range: €17 to €23 gross per hour. Experience, the type of establishment and premiums for evening or weekend work influence the amount. Employee pay estimate; actual pay depends on experience, sector pay scales and working hours. Premiums, overtime and benefits are separate.
In which environments does a cook work?
You work in the kitchen staff sector of hospitality: restaurants, brasseries, catering businesses and collective kitchens. The atmosphere ranges from small teams to large brigades. It is a job for people who combine a love of food with organisation and creativity.
What is the difference between a cook and a kitchen manager?
A kitchen manager combines cooking with the business management of the kitchen, such as budgets, staffing and purchasing policy. As a cook you focus first of all on menus, preparation and the quality of the dishes. In smaller establishments both roles often merge into one job.
Is there demand for cooks in Flanders?
Yes, hospitality businesses all over Flanders keep looking for kitchen talent. Restaurants, caterers and collective kitchens search for cooks who can supervise a kitchen and coach a team. If you are flexible about hours and location, you have plenty of workplaces to choose from.
Could this be your match?
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