Food Service · SOC 35-2012
Large-scale institutional cooking is physical and variable; AI assists planning but cannot replace skilled prep and cooking.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: AI menu-planning and inventory tools are already in use; by 2028, most administrative kitchen tasks will be AI-assisted, but cooking, serving, and sanitation remain stubbornly physical.
Tap a skill to find courses on Coursera.
Some links are affiliate links — if you sign up or buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
$33,530 median pay
$30,160 median pay
$36,830 median pay
$30,480 median pay
$34,460 median pay
$30,380 median pay
AI job-risk card
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria is 30/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
30 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Menu planning with nutritional software, Food temperature logging and records, Supply requisition and inventory management, Budget monitoring for meal cost. Harder to automate: Cooking large batches to dietary restrictions, Portioning and serving food, Equipment cleaning and sanitation, Washing and maintaining kitchen tools.
Lean into Institutional food service management, Dietary and nutrition compliance, Food safety certification, AI-assisted menu planning tools. Consider roles such as Food Service Manager or Dietitian Assistant or Healthcare Food Services Director.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.