and guides were published as a way to promote individual health, and mostly dealt with the health benefits of foods and yangsheng(养生), meaning ‘nourish life’. An example of one of these Recipe books is titled the Old Glutton's Collection (Laotao ji 老饕集), written by Zhang Dai. Zhang Dai not only provided recipes for guidance, he also wrote about the connections between food and health as well as the relationship to class levels and food Salary and economic value Based on the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of work opportunities for cooks is expected to go up by 6 percent during the time period of 2016 to 2026. In 2016, the number of jobs for a cook was at 2,403,000. The rate is projected to increase slower than food preparation workers, bakers, and chefs (all of which are projected to increase by at least 8 percent from 2016 to 2026). In addition, cooks earn about $22,850 a year, which is about $10.99 an hour. As of October 2017, the average income for cooks in Canada was around C$33,400 a year. As of 2018, cooks in Australia earned about AU$20.48 for every hour of work. Education United States There is not a strict set of achievements that one must accomplish before one can become a cook. There are institutions that provide culinary programs, such as vocational cooking schools. There are mandatory lessons that cover topics such as food safety, sanitation, hospitality, and advanced cooking. This will last for less than two years to four years. It is also known that some cooks receive their education through culinary apprenticeships that can be sponsored by professional culinary institutes or trade unions. Apprenticeships usually have a duration of one year and provide on-the-job experience along with technical training. Based on the American Culinary Federation, the minimum requirements for entering such programs include being 17 years old and having a high school diploma or equivalent. Should they seek out a promotion to higher level culinary professions, they may get a culinary certification that proves them to have at least two years of job experience and basic knowledge of kitchen skills. United Kingdom GCSE in English and Maths could help individuals who are interested in becoming cooks. However, it is more valuable if they experienced apprenticeship or training in any culinary institution or courses. There are certain colleges from different areas that provide training