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The differences between assistant chefs and head cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an assistant chef and a head cook. Additionally, a head cook has an average salary of $44,412, which is higher than the $37,670 average annual salary of an assistant chef.
The top three skills for an assistant chef include kitchen equipment, safety standards and culinary. The most important skills for a head cook are kitchen equipment, meal preparation, and food service.
| Assistant Chef | Head Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $37,670 | $44,412 |
| Hourly rate | $18.11 | $21.35 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 18,054 | 156,227 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 32% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
It is the responsibility of an assistant chef to support the head chef of a catering business, restaurant, cafeteria, or bakery. Assistant chefs manage inventory and ensure compliance with food safety and kitchen cleanliness standards. They assist kitchen staff in the preparation of food. To get this job, one must be trained in a culinary school, have the needed cooking skills, and must have kitchen work experience. Strong teamwork ability and flexibility to work schedule are necessary for this job.
A head cook is responsible for organizing the food preparation, organizing the kitchen operations, and ensuring the quality of the food presented. Head cooks' duties include monitoring the food inventory, creating new recipes, researching current market trends, responding to guests' inquiries and complaints, distributing kitchen tasks to the staff, and maintaining budget goals while maintaining the highest food quality. A head cook must always adhere to the sanitary procedures and hygienic standards, as well as have a broad knowledge of the food industry.
Assistant chefs and head cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Chef | Head Cook | |
| Average salary | $37,670 | $44,412 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $63,000 | Between $32,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Atlantic City, NJ | San Antonio, TX |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an assistant chef and a head cook in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Chef | Head Cook | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 32% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between assistant chefs' and head cooks' demographics:
| Assistant Chef | Head Cook | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% | Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 11.0% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |