I’ve been having trouble promoting a farmer to a cook. There were two spoons in a crate, inside a building but both farmers (one level 3 the other level 2) would ignore the command. Instead would carry on with their farming tasks. Both hearthlings have only been workers then farmers.
I demoted the level 2 farmer to a worker and still ignored the command, I then made another spoon (making sure it went in a standard stock pile). The ex-farmer then promptly picked it and promoted to the cook.