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Food Preparation Worker Jobs (NOW HIRING)

A Taste of Brooklyn an Italian Eatery

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Food Preparation Associate

Rancho Cordova, CA · On-site

$15 - $17/hr

Prior kitchen prep experience preferred (experience working with yeast dough, commercial mixers, or batch sauces is a huge plus). * Recipe Precision: Ability to measure ingredients accurately and ...

A Taste of Brooklyn an Italian Eatery

Be Seen First

Food Preparation Associate

Rancho Cordova, CA · On-site

$15 - $17/hr

Prior kitchen prep experience preferred (experience working with yeast dough, commercial mixers, or batch sauces is a huge plus). * Recipe Precision: Ability to measure ingredients accurately and ...

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Food Preparation Worker information

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How much do food preparation worker jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for food preparation worker in the United States is $14.13, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $11.54 and $15.87 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a food preparation worker?

Food Preparation Workers are employees who assist in preparing ingredients and performing basic tasks to help cooks and chefs in restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service establishments. Their responsibilities typically include washing, peeling, and cutting fruits and vegetables, preparing salads, weighing and measuring ingredients, and keeping work areas clean and organized. While they do not usually cook the main dishes, their work is essential to ensure that meals are prepared efficiently and safely.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a food preparation worker, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Food Preparation Worker, you need basic food handling knowledge, attention to detail, and often a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with kitchen equipment, food safety protocols, and sometimes a food handler's certification are typically required. Strong time management, teamwork, and the ability to follow instructions are valuable soft skills in this role. These skills ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality food preparation in fast-paced kitchen environments.

What are some typical challenges food preparation workers face during busy meal periods, and how can they manage them?

During peak meal times, Food Preparation Workers often face fast-paced environments where multitasking and maintaining accuracy are essential. Managing time efficiently, staying organized, and communicating clearly with kitchen staff can help minimize stress and errors. Staying aware of food safety standards and maintaining a clean workspace, even under pressure, are also critical to success in this role.

What is the difference between Food Preparation Worker vs Kitchen Helper?

AspectFood Preparation WorkerKitchen Helper
CredentialsNone typically required; on-the-job trainingNone required; often entry-level
Work EnvironmentCommercial kitchens, restaurants, cafeteriasSimilar settings, often assisting in food prep
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in food service, hospitality, healthcareUsed interchangeably in many establishments
Job DutiesPreparing ingredients, basic cooking tasksAssisting with food prep, cleaning, setup

Both Food Preparation Workers and Kitchen Helpers work in similar environments, assisting with food prep and maintaining cleanliness. The main difference is that Food Preparation Workers often perform more specific food prep tasks, while Kitchen Helpers focus on supporting overall kitchen operations. Both roles typically require minimal formal credentials and are essential in food service settings.

How to become a food preparation worker?

To become a food preparation worker, typically no formal education is required, but a high school diploma or equivalent is preferred. On-the-job training is common, where workers learn food safety, sanitation, and basic cooking skills. Some employers may prefer candidates with experience in food handling or certifications such as ServSafe.
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What states have the most Food Preparation Worker jobs?

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Food Preparation Worker jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Preparation Worker job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, 32% Part Time, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $29,393 per year, or $14.1 per hour.

Food Preparation - Harborview Aquarium

Syracuse, NY • On-site

Zooceanarium Group LLC
See more jobs at Zooceanarium Group LLCexternal

$18/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 25 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Prepare animal diets according to species-specific guidelines, including weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients.

  • Maintain cleanliness and organization of food storage areas, perform equipment maintenance, and ensure proper storage to prevent spoilage and contamination.

  • Order, inspect, and rotate food supplies to ensure freshness, minimize waste, and control costs.

Job description

Position Type & Salary
  • Full Time
  • $18/hour
Position Summary
Responsible for the day-to-day food preparations in the Aquarium in order to maintain the wellbeing of all animals under the facility's care. This position may also assist in the daily husbandry of exhibits and other duties, including cleaning equipment and maintaining back of house areas.
Duties and Responsibilities
  • Undertake daily operations within the Life Sciences Department to ensure highest level of safety, courtesy, education, efficiency and operational readiness at all times.
  • Comply with health and safety standards in accordance with local municipality, state and federal rules and regulations.
  • Prepare animal diets in accordance with the appropriate species-specific Diet Worksheets, including weighing, measuring and mixing ingredients.
  • Order all animal food and related supplies through inventory management.
  • Rotate animal food stocks to ensure that older items are used first.
  • Routinely inspect expiration dates of food items and supplies to ensure they are used prior to expiration or discarded after expiration.
  • Ensure animal food is being stored properly to maximize freshness and to minimize contamination, pests and spoilage.
  • Maintain the kitchen and all food storage areas, including walk-in freezers and refrigerators, in a clean, organized fashion exceeding industry standards and regulations.
  • Perform maintenance on all food preparation and storage facilities and equipment as required.
  • Ensure animal food is of an appropriate quality through inspection at arrival and at the time of preparation.
  • Perform duties in order to reduce loss/waste and control costs.
  • Comply with all policy and procedure documents.
  • In collaboration with Guest Experience Department and the Aquarium Foundation, ensure exhibits and programs engage, educate and entertain diverse audiences.
Other duties as assigned.
Experience, Skills, & Qualifications
  • Food handling and preparation experience required.
  • PADI Open Water or equivalent (or able to obtain within 90 days of employment) preferred.
  • First Aid, Emergency O2, and AED certification are preferred but will be provided if needed.
  • Experience working with relevant authorities and accrediting associations.
  • Competency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
  • Must have strong teamwork, interpersonal, and organizational skills conducive to a positive work environment.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Strong listening, presentation and decision-making skills.
  • Creative problem solver who thrives when presented with a challenge.
  • Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas

Abilities
The individual must possess the following abilities to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some or a combination of the abilities.
  • Requires walking/ standing for long periods of time, bending and crouching, climbing, working in small/tight spaces, and lifting up to 50 lbs.
  • May require driving aquarium vehicles, operating heavy machinery, using power tools, and working around chemicals.
  • Ability to read, listen and communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
  • Ability to access and accurately input information using a moderately complex computer system.
  • Hearing and visual ability to observe and detect signs of emergency situations.
  • Requires the ability to perform the physical, visual and hearing requirements in the working conditions above.
  • May require immunizations including TB testing and rabies.
Other
  • Upon employment all team members are required to comply with the standards, rules and regulations, which may be established by the Company and updated from time-to-time. Team members who violate property rules or have irregular attendance will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
  • The leisure business functions seven days a week. Due to the seasonal nature of the industry, team members may be required to work varying schedules, weekends, holidays and overtime to reflect the business needs of the property. Team members may also be required to attend group and/or department meetings in addition to the work shift as necessary.
  • This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that a team member in this position may be asked to perform.

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