The line cook is one of the most important and demanding roles in the country club kitchen.
Being a line cook in a country club offers an opportunity to learn and grow into a chef if you so choose. For many, becoming a line cook is a goal and can be the perfect stepping stone to becoming a sous or executive chef. The average pay for a country club line cook can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and years of experience. Like any career, the salary of a line cook also depends on location, size of the club, and background.
Depending on the club, line cooks are either paid hourly or on salary. The average hourly wage for a line cook is $12, but the range typically falls between $11 and $15. It is possible for a line cook with experience or a culinary school background or degree to earn up to $18.25 an hour. The average line cook salary is $25,635, but the range typically falls between $21,943 and $31,304.
There are no specific education requirements for a line cook, but many will require a high school diploma or GED. A lot of learning is on-the-job training, but a culinary school diploma can be very valuable when looking for a line cook position, especially at a high-end country club.
Country club line cooks should be comfortable working in fast-paced environments in which quality work is of the utmost importance. Because of this fast-paced environment, a line cook should be mentally strong enough to handle stressful and intense situations. A line cook should possess excellent knife skills, a thorough understanding of basic cooking equipment and procedures, and is expected to read and follow recipes with no mistakes. Line cooks are responsible for their designated station and must understand that the failure of one station often means the failure of the entire kitchen. A line cook should have strong and clear communication skills and should be very comfortable working as part of a team.
The idea of being a line cook and being able to practice cooking in an environment and get paid is appealing to many people. However, this career path is often demanding, requires long hours and a great deal of mental and physical strength. It takes a certain mentality to succeed as a line cook, but the work can be very satisfying and lead to promotions and personal growth.