Cook market brief · Durham, NC
Cook Jobs in Durham, NC
233 cook openings are live in the Durham, NC area from 90 employers, led by PLUNJ, Compass Group, and Brinker International. The middle half of posted salaries runs $29,120–$37,939 a year (median $35,360), from the 52% of listings that disclose pay.
Data updated Nov 4, 2026
Role and market snapshot
A quick read on demand before you open the live listings
Tracked jobs
- 233
- Live cook openings currently tracked in the Durham market.
Companies hiring
- 90
- Distinct employers represented in this publishable market view.
Median compensation
- $35,360
- 52% of listings provide usable compensation data.
Market analysis
Role-specific demand, level, employer, and compensation signals for this local market
Start with the level mix, then compare current demand, compensation coverage, and employer concentration before opening the live listings.
Level mix
Career ladder
Level coverage is 29%. Counts remain visible, but fit guidance stays withheld until at least 60% of listings have a reliable level signal.
30-day window
Demand and salary
Current jobs
233
Hiring employers
90
Salary coverage
52%
Median experience
1.0 years
Within this market
Employer tier lens
Startups & growing teams
127
44 companies · $33,280 median
Established employers
49
22 companies
Top of market
30
8 companies
Coverage-gated
Salary distribution
P25
$29,120
P50
$35,360
P75
$37,939
P90
$50,336
Salary figures use annualized USD posted minimum compensation from listings in this market. An employer that posts the same pay on many listings counts once, and figures render only when enough distinct employers disclose pay.
Use Metaintro
Turn this market signal into momentum
Move from aggregate demand to the live roles hiring in this market now.
- Open live cook listings in Durham
- Compare the level mix before narrowing your search
- Use employer and compensation signals to prioritize outreach
Turn this market brief into a live search.
Use the signal
The best next step is opening the roles behind the aggregate: compare cook opportunities in Durham, save the strongest fits, and keep the market signal close while you apply.
- 233 live roles tracked in this market.
- 90 employers represented in the current window.
- Market data refreshed Nov 4, 2026.
A practical market plan for Cook in Durham
Use this sequence to move from aggregate labor-market data to a focused application list.
- 01
Read the demand
233 cook openings across 90 employers establish the current Durham opportunity set.
- 02
Choose the right rung
Use the live listings to calibrate title, scope, and experience expectations before applying.
- 03
Prioritize employers
PLUNJ is one of the most active visible employers, with 22 current openings in this market view.
- 04
Open the live roles
24 representative openings connect this brief to jobs you can review now.
With Metaintro
Keep market research, live opportunities, saved roles, and the evidence behind your applications moving in one focused loop.
Where this market is hiring
Move from the Durham market view into active employers and representative cook openings
Employer activity · 90 companies
Who is hiring in this market
The most active visible employers, ordered by openings represented in the current market sample.
Live opportunity sample · 24 of 233 matches
Representative openings
Open a role to inspect the full requirements. Compensation appears only when the listing provides usable salary data.
More cook openings in Durham
- Line Cook · Huntsville Levity Live
- Lead Line Cook · PLUNJ
- Line Cook Prep Cook · PLUNJ
- Lead Line Cook · PLUNJ
- Line Cook/Prep Cook · PLUNJ
- Cook · Victorian Senior Care
- Cook · Bowlero Corp
- Cook · healthcare services company
- Cook · TerraBella Durham
- Cook · Brookdale Senior Living
- Cook · Hickory Tavern
- Airport Lounge Cook · Sodexo
- GRILL COOK (FULL TIME) · Compass Group
- CATERING CHEF (FULL TIME) · Compass Group
- GRILL COOK (FULL TIME) · Compass Group
- Sous Chef - Maggiano's-Durham · Brinker International
Cook jobs in Durham: what applicants need to know
Current answers for a difficult AI-era job search, grounded in this publishable role and location market view rather than generic career advice.
- 01
How many cook jobs are open in Durham?
Metaintro tracks 233 live cook openings from 90 employers in the Durham, NC area over the last 30 days.
- 02
What do cook jobs in Durham pay?
The median posted salary is $35,360 a year. The middle half of posted salaries runs $29,120 to $37,939. Based on the 52% of current listings that disclose pay.
- 03
Which companies are hiring for cook jobs in Durham?
PLUNJ, Compass Group, Brinker International, and Grove Bay Hospitality Group have the most open cook roles here right now, out of 90 hiring employers.
Continue with the next market signal
Compare nearby cities, adjacent roles, and publishable level views without leaving the live jobs cluster
Nearby cities
Compare Cook demand around Durham.
Related roles
See adjacent role demand in the Durham market.
Level views
Narrow the market to experience levels with enough reliable data.
Built for career movement
Turn the Durham cook market into your next move.
Use live demand, employer, level, and compensation signals to focus your cook search where the market is active now.
- MatchCompare live roles against your current evidence.
- PositionTurn proof projects into role-specific applications.
- ImproveUse market feedback to keep the skill plan current.