How To Become A Line Cook: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a Line Cook?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a line cook. That is the time it takes to learn specific line cook skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

Q: Is being a line cook stressful?

Being a line cook is stressful, but it comes with an adrenaline rush and lifestyle that some people are drawn to and enjoy. Do you thrive in the chaos of a busy kitchen? There are many perks to the job: working on a team, often enjoying free food, and bringing satisfaction to customers every day. It's a social and physical role where timing, attention to detail, and a certain amount of creativity may all be important.

Q: What degree do you need to be a line cook?

You do not need a degree to be a line cook. You work at the chef's direction and would do best to arrive with a strong understanding of various cooking methods, ingredients, and equipment.

Q: What is the difference between a cook and a line cook?

The difference between a line cook and a cook is that "cook" is a general term and line cooks have specific stations they work within a kitchen line. You may also hear terms like short-order cook, which refers to cooks working in coffee shops preparing quick meals.

Q: What is the role of a scheduler?

A scheduler's role is to serve as the coordinator for schedules and appointments. Schedulers must listen to the needs of those requesting appointments to determine the amount of time the appointment will require and then find the time that works best for both parties.

Q: What makes a good line cook?

A good line cook enjoys being part of a team in a busy kitchen. The workflow in a kitchen is fairly constant, so you are less likely to be bored. You learn to love the rhythm while being surrounded by other people and delicious smells.

What is a line cook and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A line cook is a skilled kitchen worker responsible for preparing and cooking food items on the front line of a restaurant kitchen. They work under the supervision of the head chef. Line cooks are responsible for prepping ingredients, cooking meats and vegetables, plating dishes, and maintaining a clean and organized work area. They must be able to work quickly in a high-pressure environment and typically work long hours, including weekends and holidays.

ScoreLine CookUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $32,894

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.2

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.21%

Asian 8.89%

Black or African American 9.36%

Hispanic or Latino 18.16%

Unknown 4.81%

White 57.57%

Gender

female 26.92%

male 73.08%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress Level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.3

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.4

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Line Cook?

Pros

Flexible scheduling
Ability to express creativity through dishes
Potential for good tips in higher-end restaurants
Possible career advancement within the restaurant industry
Access to fresh, high-quality ingredients

Cons

Long and physically demanding hours
Low pay at many restaurants
Exposure to high heat and dangerous kitchen equipment
Limited time for breaks and meal periods
High pressure to perform quickly and accurately

Key steps to become a line cook

Explore line cook education requirements

Most common line cook degrees

High School Diploma

36.4 %

Associate

29.4 %

Bachelor's

19.5 %

Start to develop specific line cook skills

Skills	Percentages
Culinary	11.85%
Sanitation Standards	11.23%
Food Handling	10.51%
Team Work	9.33%
Kitchen Equipment	8.14%

Complete relevant line cook training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New line cooks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a line cook based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real line cook resumes.

Gain additional line cook certifications

Line cook certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific line cook certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for line cooks include Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Food Safety Manager Certification.

More About Certifications

Research line cook duties and responsibilities

Used strong organizational skills to manage steamers efficiently for both eat-in and take-out services.
Supervise cooks and manage the preparation, portioning, garnishing, and storage of all food items, cutting meat size.
Manage the POS system (adding/deleting specials, editing prices, viewing server appetizer/dessert sales and their server report information).
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.

Prepare your line cook resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your line cook resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a line cook resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Line Cook Resume templates

Build a professional Line Cook resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Line Cook resume.

Apply for line cook jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a line cook job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do line cooks rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Line Cook reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Pros

Because ,I like making sure the dishes etc,food is prepared for customers!!!

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Cons

Leaving work when it's time to leave

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020

Pros

Design & creating food making customer happy cooking every area as line, prep, steam, broil, grill, creating comfort food desserts and catering. Ordering and managing a kitchen

What is a line cook and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Line Cook?

Line Cook career paths

Key steps to become a line cook

Explore line cook education requirements

Most common line cook degrees

Start to develop specific line cook skills

Complete relevant line cook training and internships

Gain additional line cook certifications

Research line cook duties and responsibilities

Prepare your line cook resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Line Cook Resume templates

Apply for line cook jobs

How Did You Land Your First Line Cook Job

Average line cook salary

How do line cooks rate their job?

Line Cook reviews

Line Cook FAQs

How long does it take to become a Line Cook?

Is being a line cook stressful?

What degree do you need to be a line cook?

What is the difference between a cook and a line cook?

What is the role of a scheduler?

What makes a good line cook?

Search for line cook jobs

Line Cook jobs by state