A fry cook is near the bottom of the kitchen hierarchy, particularly in fast-food or cafeteria-style restaurants. This position's chief duties are covering the deep fryers and shallow-frying pans of a bustling establishment, often under the watch of busy executive and assistant chefs. This kitchen member also often prepares the foods that later will be fried. Depending on the restaurant's menu, this could be processing potatoes into fries, whipping up a batter for fish and chicken, or concocting the kitchen's dipping sauces that later will be paired with the fried food before service to customers. Often, a fry cook must pitch in wherever needed, either to work the register while a coworker takes a break or to clean the bathrooms when it is his or her turn.

The job is often the first given to new kitchen employees. When another new employee arrives, the fry cook may be promoted to another station, like the grill or preparation line, where another facet of the kitchen can be learned. To perform the job effectively, the fry cook must listen, read and speak effectively as well as take orders with ease, multitask and stay organized to keep customers happy and coming back for more.

Cooks responsible for a restaurant's frying operations must be cautious of the dangers associated with the job. Some of the highest temperatures in a kitchen are derived from the deep fryer, which bubbles and often spits hot grease at whomever is nearby. Wearing mitts that reach high on the arms is common. Learning the proper procedure and timing for heating each type of food is usually the first lesson a fry cook will receive.

These deep fryers are often situated in a long row, with baskets of different menu items rotating through until fully cooked. The fry cook will soon learn to identify when food is properly cooked by the coloring on the food's outside. This cook also may be responsible for any cooking to be done in the kitchen's shallow frying skillets. Cleaning of the station is another fry cook task, including the regular replacement of oil in the fryers.

The food prepared by a fry cook is some of the most iconic restaurant fare around, from French fries and chicken wings to fish sandwiches, onion rings and occasionally hamburger patties. These foods keep the fry cook constantly working to serve customers promptly. In finer dining establishments, the deep fryer could be employed for more unusual food, from fried Twinkies or pickles to fried turkey legs or pork shoulders.