Cooks, Restaurant: daily tasks & AI impact
This page breaks Cooks, Restaurant into the top 15 daily O*NET tasks and scores each for Generative AI automation probability. Those task scores roll up to an overall vulnerability index of 7/100 (Lower automation risk). Struck-through rows are ≥80% automatable; highlighted safer rows are under 30% or primarily physical.
High-automation exposure
No task in this set currently exceeds the 80% threshold, so risk is spread across moderate probabilities rather than a few catastrophic duties.
Durable human work
This profile has little “safe” task mass under our thresholds. Workers should treat AI fluency as mandatory and actively map transferable skills into lower-risk roles.
Importance comes from O*NET incumbent ratings. Automation probability is model-generated for current Generative AI capability (not speculative AGI). Digital / physical / mixed labels describe the modality of the work, which strongly correlates with near-term automation potential.
| Task | Importance | AI probability | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure food is stored and cooked at correct temperature by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters. Core | 4.74 | — | — |
| Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment, work surfaces, and serving areas, to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices. Core | 4.72 | — | — |
| Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons. Core | 4.69 | — | — |
| Ensure freshness of food and ingredients by checking for quality, keeping track of old and new items, and rotating stock. Core | 4.65 | — | — |
| Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience. Core | 4.65 | — | — |
| Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff. Core | 4.57 | — | — |
| Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods. Core | 4.53 | — | — |
| Weigh, measure, and mix ingredients according to recipes or personal judgment, using various kitchen utensils and equipment. Core | 4.47 | — | — |
| Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking. Core | 4.39 | — | — |
| Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils. Core | 4.37 | — | — |
| Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods. Core | 4.3 | — | — |
| Wash, peel, cut, and seed fruits and vegetables to prepare them for consumption. Core | 4.15 | — | — |
| Keep records and accounts. Supplemental | 4.11 | — | — |
| Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries. Core | 3.94 | — | — |
| Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches. Core | 3.73 | — | — |
What remains human
No tasks currently fall under the safe threshold for this occupation.
FAQ
Which Cooks, Restaurant tasks are most exposed to AI?
No task in this set currently exceeds the 80% threshold, so risk is spread across moderate probabilities rather than a few catastrophic duties.
Which Cooks, Restaurant tasks are safest from Generative AI?
This profile has little “safe” task mass under our thresholds. Workers should treat AI fluency as mandatory and actively map transferable skills into lower-risk roles.
How should I read the Cooks, Restaurant task table?
Importance comes from O*NET incumbent ratings. Automation probability is model-generated for current Generative AI capability (not speculative AGI). Digital / physical / mixed labels describe the modality of the work, which strongly correlates with near-term automation potential.