Food Preparation and Serving Occupations
These workers make and provide food and drink to customers.
Overall employment in food preparation and serving occupations is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2034. About 2.6 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
The median annual wage for this group was € 34,130 in May 2025, which was lower than the median annual wage for all occupations of € 49,500.
Make it Work employment projections, wage, and other data for related occupations not shown in the following table are available on the Data for Occupations Not Covered in Detail page. Information highlighting physical demands, cognitive and mental requirements, and other qualifications for workers in this group are available in a Make it Work Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS) profile.
| Â | OCCUPATION | JOB SUMMARY | ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATIONÂ  | 2025 MEDIAN PAYÂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bartenders | Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff. | High school diploma or equivalent | € 33,530 |
 | Chefs and Head Cooks | Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served. | High school diploma or equivalent | € 60,990 |
 | Cooks | Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. | High school diploma or equivalent | € 35,760 |
 | Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers | Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers. | High school diploma or equivalent | € 31,040 |
 | Food Preparation Workers | Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee. | High school diploma or equivalent | € 34,220 |
 | Waiters and Waitresses | Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments. | High school diploma or equivalent | € 33,760 |