Cook (School)
ちょうりいん（がっこう）
Industry & Occupation
Classification
- Major : Service Occupations
- Middle : Food Preparation Occupations
- Minor : School Cafeteria Cooks
Summary
Handles school lunch preparation duties, providing safe and nutritionally balanced meals to students and faculty.
Description
School lunch cooks are professionals in educational institutions such as elementary, junior high, and high schools who prepare and serve lunches for students and faculty. They handle ingredient procurement, inspection, and preprocessing based on the menu, and perform bulk cooking while thoroughly managing hygiene. They accommodate allergies and nutritional balance considerations, and also manage post-service dishwashing, kitchen cleaning, and inventory control. They comply with laws such as the School Health and Safety Act and Food Sanitation Act to support safe school lunch operations. Primary workplaces are public and private schools, with possible early morning shifts or holiday cooking duties.
Future Outlook
While affected by school downsizing due to declining birthrates, stable demand is anticipated from the promotion of food education policies and strengthened hygiene management. Potential for efficiency improvements and ICT adoption.
Personality Traits
Hygiene awareness / Physically fit / Strong sense of responsibility / Team player
Work Style
Casual / Early morning shifts / Full-time / Part-time / Shift
Career Path
Cooking assistant staff → School lunch cooking staff → Chief cook → Kitchen manager (leader) → School lunch management dietitian
Required Skills
Allergy handling / Bulk cooking / Hygiene management (HACCP) / Ingredient preprocessing / Operation of cooking utensils and machinery
Recommended Skills
Food waste reduction / Kitchen equipment operation and maintenance / Menu knowledge / Nutritional balance knowledge
Aptitudes (Strengths Preferred)
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Attention to Detail & Accuracy | Attention to detail in hygiene management is required to prevent food poisoning or allergy accidents. |
| Physical Stamina & Endurance | Requires physical stamina due to prolonged standing work and handling heavy pots. |
| Collaboration & Teamwork | Teamwork is important as bulk cooking is performed collaboratively by multiple people. |
Aptitudes (Weaknesses Acceptable)
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Creativity & Ideation | Cooking is basically based on menus and manuals, with few opportunities requiring creativity. |
Related Qualifications
- Cook license
- Dietitian license
- Food hygiene supervisor
Aliases
- School lunch cook
- School lunch cooking staff
Related Jobs
- Dietitian
- Hospital meal cook
- Licensed cook
- School lunch management dietitian