Cook (In-flight meal production)
ちょうりにん（きないしょくせいぞう）
Industry & Occupation
Classification
- Major : Service Occupations
- Middle : Food Preparation Occupations
- Minor : Institutional Cooks (Excluding Schools)
Summary
A profession in airline or catering company kitchens mass-producing in-flight meals while maintaining quality and hygiene.
Description
In-flight Meal Production Cooks work in kitchens within airline or specialized catering company facilities, handling the mass cooking, processing, and packaging of in-flight meals. They systematically perform a series of processes from ingredient preprocessing, cooking and heating, plating, packaging, to shipping. Compliance with hygiene standards such as HACCP is required, with thorough temperature control and allergy management, and accurate adherence to recipes and process manuals. Early morning or late-night shift work demands deadline-aligned schedule management and teamwork.
Future Outlook
Stable demand is expected to continue with the recovery of air travel demand and diversification of in-flight meals. Enhanced hygiene standards and special meal handling capabilities will increase market value.
Personality Traits
Able to respond efficiently / Cooperative / Meticulous / Strong sense of responsibility
Work Style
Factory work / Late-night and early-morning shifts / Line work / Overtime available / Shifts
Career Path
In-flight meal cooking staff → Line leader → Quality control staff → Menu development assistant → Cooking manager → Facility manager
Required Skills
Bulk cooking / Hygiene management (HACCP) / Ingredient preprocessing / Kitchen equipment operation / Measurement and counting / Procedure compliance / Temperature control
Recommended Skills
Allergy management / ISO22000 knowledge / Nutrition basics / Quality control / Team management
Aptitudes (Strengths Preferred)
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Attention to Detail & Accuracy | Because high precision is required for hygiene management and recipe adherence. |
| Physical Stamina & Endurance | Because physical endurance is needed for long standing hours and repetitive tasks. |
| Stress Tolerance | Because it is necessary to endure pressure in deadline-strict environments. |
| Collaboration & Teamwork | Because coordination is important in multi-person line operations. |
Aptitudes (Weaknesses Acceptable)
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Analytical & Logical Thinking | Because there is little complex analytical work. |
| Creativity & Ideation | Because menu development is handled by a specialized department. |
| Numerical & Quantitative Analysis | Because advanced mathematical analysis is not required. |
Related Qualifications
- Chef License
- Food Hygiene Supervisor Training Completion
Aliases
- Aircraft catering staff
- In-flight meal cook
- In-flight meal production staff
Related Jobs
- Chef
- Dietary cook
- Kitchen staff
- Restaurant chef