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Occupation · 2026 assessment

Cook

A cook turns ingredients into safe, consistently prepared dishes: organising the station, following recipes, controlling temperature, taste, timing and hygiene. Robotics fits repetitive production, while product judgement and irregular kitchen demand remain human-led.

Low risk level Search jobs ↗
How risk may change

A forecast estimate, not a guaranteed scenario.

36%2026
39%2028
43%2030
49%2035

Which tasks are exposed

Risk applies to individual tasks—not to a person or an entire occupation.

TaskRisk
preparing ingredients and workstation54%
following recipes and production steps49%
controlling time and temperature45%
finishing and serving the product40%
hygiene and allergen control34%
adjusting flavour and texture24%
planning stock13%
developing new recipes5%

Task map

AI replaces ↔ AI augments

Each task is positioned by AI capability and the degree of human involvement still required.

  1. 1preparing ingredients and workstationAI 54% · human 71%
  2. 2following recipes and production stepsAI 49% · human 73%
  3. 3controlling time and temperatureAI 45% · human 71%
  4. 4finishing and serving the productAI 40% · human 74%
  5. 5hygiene and allergen controlAI 34% · human 66%
  6. 6adjusting flavour and textureAI 24% · human 72%
  7. 7planning stockAI 13% · human 73%
  8. 8developing new recipesAI 5% · human 81%

Why technology can change this work

  • digital tools reduce preparation and control time
  • full automation is constrained by variable real-world conditions
  • many cases still require professional judgement
  • key information often emerges only through direct work

What protects the occupation

  • physical presence
  • individual client needs
  • on-site result quality

United States · before tax

Average pay and outlook

Estimated nominal monthly pay. The scenario reflects sector, demand and task resilience; it is not a guarantee of income.

2026$3 600per month
2035$4 850scenario estimate
2026: $3 60020262027: $3 70020272028: $3 85020282029: $4 00020292030: $4 10020302031: $4 25020312032: $4 40020322033: $4 55020332034: $4 70020342035: $4 8502035
Find jobs ↗The partner link may contain referral parameters. Data benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ↗

Practical next step

Where to move next

Do not restart from zero: carry your experience forward and add scarce skills.

Plumber

Established resilient role
New role risk10%
DemandMediumDifficultyHighTime12–24 monthsSkill fit56%

Robot Human Factors Specialist

Emerging role
New role risk11%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit64%

AI Adoption Coach

Emerging role
New role risk19%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit66%

Robotics Maintenance Planner

Emerging role
New role risk15%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit60%

Domestic Robot Installer

Emerging role
New role risk8%
DemandHighDifficultyLowTime3–6 monthsSkill fit81%

Remote Care Coordinator

Emerging role
New role risk13%
DemandHighDifficultyHighTime3–6 yearsSkill fit38%

Job search and transitions

Find work with a lower risk index

Compare adjacent paths and open a current search for the selected occupation.

Skills you already have

  • food-production techniques
  • hygiene standards
  • workstation organization
  • sensory evaluation
  • equipment operation
  • quality control

Skills to build

  • digital recipe cards
  • food-safety control
  • cost analysis
  • energy-efficient equipment
  • kitchen automation
  • waste management
CurrentCook · 36%
→
Keepfood-production techniques · hygiene standards · workstation organization
→
Adddigital recipe cards · food-safety control · cost analysis

Sources and update

Updated: 2026-09-26 · Assessment confidence: Medium

International Labour Organization · 2025Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure

Nearly 30,000 tasks; a global assessment of GenAI exposure across detailed occupational groups.

World Economic Forum · 2025The Future of Jobs Report 2025

A survey of more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies.

O*NET Resource Center · 2026O*NET Database

Occupational, task, skill and work-context structure.