How over is it?

A mood ring wired to real instruments

AI exposure Food preparation and serving

Will AI replace chefs and head cooks?

Chefs and Head Cooks. US occupation 35-1011.

0.0%

of the time chefs and head cooks spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of chefs and head cooks' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.

Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.

Average US job 7.7%

Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.

What AI already does for chefs and head cooksWhat chefs and head cooks no longer do alone

O*NET lists 21 tasks for chefs and head cooks. AI use at work shows up in 1 of them, though too little of the job's time goes on them to register in the exposure figure. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.

  1. Record production or operational data on specified forms.Core task mostly automated 1.00

What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human

20 of the 21 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.

  • Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.Core task
  • Arrange for equipment purchases or repairs.Core task
  • Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.Core task
  • Check the quantity and quality of received products.Core task
  • Collaborate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes or menus, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability of ingredients or the likely number of customers.Core task
  • Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.Core task
Show the other 14
  • Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.Core task
  • Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.Core task
  • Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.Core task
  • Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.Core task
  • Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.Core task
  • Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.Core task
  • Meet with customers to discuss menus for special occasions, such as weddings, parties, or banquets.Core task
  • Meet with sales representatives to negotiate prices or order supplies.Core task
  • Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.Core task
  • Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.Core task
  • Plan, direct, or supervise food preparation or cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel.Core task
  • Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.Core task
  • Recruit and hire staff, such as cooks and other kitchen workers.Core task
  • Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.Core task

How that compares

Among the 15 food preparation and serving occupations, chefs and head cooks rank 5. The group averages 0.9%, and its most exposed job is Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop at 7.3%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.

All 756 occupations, ranked

Level with 0.0%

  1. 346Carpenters 0.0%
  2. 346Carpet Installers 0.0%
  3. 346Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers 0.0%

What this does and does not mean

Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.

A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.

Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.