I manage a restaurant in Deep Ellum and we've been trying to hire line cooks for two months. Starting at $18/hr which is way higher than even two years ago.
Every restaurant owner I talk to has the same problem. Cooks, dishwashers, prep — nobody can staff a kitchen right now.
If you have any cooking experience at all, walk into literally any restaurant in DFW and ask if they're hiring. The answer is yes. Especially if you can work the grill or saute stations.
The issue is the hours are rough. Nights, weekends, holidays. That's why everyone left the industry during COVID and never came back.