Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

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This occupation is part of the Production cluster

About the Job

Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

It is also Called

  • Blanching Machine Operator
  • Boiler
  • Brine Maker
  • Casing Cooker
  • Cheese Cook
  • Chip Frier
  • Chocolate Temperer
  • Coconut Boiler
  • Confectionery Cooker
  • Cook

What They Do

  • Tend or operate and control equipment such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
  • Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.
  • Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses.
  • Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.
  • Listen for malfunction alarms, and shut down equipment and notify supervisors when necessary.
  • Remove cooked material or products from equipment.
  • Turn valves or start pumps to add ingredients or drain products from equipment and to transfer products for storage, cooling, or further processing.
  • Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.
  • Read work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications.
  • Collect and examine product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: RC.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests, but also prefer Conventional environments.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Support, but also value Relationships and Independence in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Education Required

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $28,190.00 with most people making between $18,220.00 and $44,460.00

Outlook

1.43%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 2,800 people in California. It is projected that there will be 3,100 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 40 openings due to growth and about 80 replacement openings for approximately 120 total annual openings.

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