A prep cook works in a restaurant or private kitchen, preparing ingredients for other chefs to cook. As a prep cook, your responsibilities center on simplifying the cooking process for everyone in the kitchen. Your duties include cleaning, peeling, chopping, cutting, slicing, and dicing vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, and other food. You are also responsible for maintaining health and safety standards in the kitchen, which is a responsibility of everyone on the staff. You need excellent knife skills to safely and quickly prepare food, and you need communication skills to follow instructions and collaborate with your coworkers. Experience working in a kitchen is helpful when you look for jobs as a prep cook, but a prep cook can sometimes be considered to be an entry-level position.

There are no formal training qualifications to become a prep cook, but many employers prefer a high school diploma or GED certificate. A degree from a culinary arts program is a bonus, but is unnecessary and not expected at this level. Your employer will provide on-the-job training, especially in regards to food safety regulations and knife skills. Working in a kitchen is fast-paced, so you need strong time management skills to stay on top of your assigned tasks. You also need organization skills to make sure you prepare the right foods in the right quantities at the right times.

High Paying Prep Cook Jobs

List of the top 10 highest paying Prep Cook positions in 2026, with salary ranges, according to ZipRecruiter.

Cook IV
Salary range: $47,000 - $51,500
The majority of Cook IV salaries across the United States currently range between $47,000 (25th percentile) and $51,500 (75th percentile) annually. Most people working in this role make similar salaries regardless of skill level, location and years of experience. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Cook IV job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Saucier
Salary range: $38,000 - $40,000
The majority of Saucier salaries across the United States currently range between $38,000 (25th percentile) and $40,000 (75th percentile) annually. Most people working in this role make similar salaries regardless of skill level, location and years of experience. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Saucier job market in the United States is somewhat active, with a few companies hiring.
Food Aide
Salary range: $30,500 - $38,000
The majority of Food Aide salaries across the United States currently range between $30,500 (25th percentile) and $38,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Food Aide job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Kitchen Aide
Salary range: $28,000 - $37,500
The majority of Kitchen Aide salaries across the United States currently range between $28,000 (25th percentile) and $37,500 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Kitchen Aide job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Line Prep Cook
Salary range: $30,000 - $37,000
The majority of Line Prep Cook salaries across the United States currently range between $30,000 (25th percentile) and $37,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Line Prep Cook job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Food Assembler
Salary range: $32,000 - $36,000
The majority of Food Assembler salaries across the United States currently range between $32,000 (25th percentile) and $36,000 (75th percentile) annually. Most people working in this role make similar salaries regardless of skill level, location and years of experience. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Food Assembler job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Kitchen Clerk
Salary range: $31,500 - $35,000
The majority of Kitchen Clerk salaries across the United States currently range between $31,500 (25th percentile) and $35,000 (75th percentile) annually. Most people working in this role make similar salaries regardless of skill level, location and years of experience. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Kitchen Clerk job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Kitchen Assistant
Salary range: $28,000 - $34,500
Kitchen assistants perform a number of cooking-related duties, including preparing food, retrieving ingredients from the freezer or other storage locations, and restocking food items. As a kitchen assistant, you may also perform hygiene-related tasks to keep the kitchen clean, such as wiping down equipment or cleaning counters after food preparation. There are usually no educational requirements for the career, but employers prefer that you have relevant work experience in a restaurant setting. Additional qualifications include the ability to follow oral instructions and health and safety procedures, as well as hand dexterity and cooking skills to peel and cut ingredients.
Kitchen Helper
Salary range: $29,000 - $33,500
As a kitchen helper, you perform a variety of duties in a restaurant, cafe, or large commercial kitchen. You use food service skills to assist chefs, wait staff, and restaurant managers with a variety of tasks to keep the kitchen functioning smoothly and safely. Although there are no formal qualifications required for this career, you typically have some form of previous restaurant work experience, such as dishwashing or bussing tables. You do not interact directly with customers, although your job may be near customer areas. Kitchen helpers must be detail oriented and capable of multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment.
Food Preparation Worker
Salary range: $24,000 - $33,000
The majority of Food Preparation Worker salaries across the United States currently range between $24,000 (25th percentile) and $33,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Food Preparation Worker job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Kitchen Team Member
Salary range: $25,500 - $33,000
The majority of Kitchen Team Member salaries across the United States currently range between $25,500 (25th percentile) and $33,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Kitchen Team Member job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.
Prep Person
Salary range: $26,000 - $32,000
The majority of Prep Person salaries across the United States currently range between $26,000 (25th percentile) and $32,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Prep Person job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.

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