Assistant chef vs prep chef

The differences between assistant chefs and prep chefs 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 prep chef. Additionally, an assistant chef has an average salary of $37,670, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.

The top three skills for an assistant chef include kitchen equipment, safety standards and culinary. The most important skills for a prep chef are kitchen equipment, dishes, and cleanliness.

Assistant chef vs prep chef overview

	Assistant Chef	Prep Chef
Yearly salary	$37,670	$25,941
Hourly rate	$18.11	$12.47
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	18,054	52,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 32%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Assistant chef vs prep chef salary

Assistant chefs and prep chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Assistant Chef	Prep Chef
Average salary	$37,670	$25,941
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $63,000	Between $17,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Atlantic City, NJ	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research	-
Best paying industry	Hospitality	-

Differences between assistant chef and prep chef education

There are a few differences between an assistant chef and a prep chef in terms of educational background:

	Assistant Chef	Prep Chef
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 32%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Stanford University	Drexel University

Assistant chef vs prep chef demographics

Here are the differences between assistant chefs' and prep chefs' demographics:

	Assistant Chef	Prep Chef
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6%	Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9%
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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between assistant chef and prep chef duties and responsibilities

Assistant chef example responsibilities.

Direct daily activity of staff (prep cook, dishwashers and wait staff), and receive and manage inventory.
Manage food inventory and assist chefs with menu development.
Attain a broad knowledge of ingredient functionality in diverse culinary applications and comfort in a culinary setting.
Learned the cuisine and intricacies of Tuscan style cooking as well as the influences from other regions.
Prep vegetables and meat for chefs, wash and dry dishes, cups, and utensils, and stock new shipments.
Maintain cleanliness and ensure proper preparation of orders.

Prep chef example responsibilities.

Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Work using fryers, boilers, grill, ovens, steamers, mixers.
Instruct new employees in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food.
Maintain highest level of cleanliness and sanitation.
Maintain cleanliness of station, ensuring sanitary conditions.
Create and prepare international cuisine for executive clientele by using ingenuity, organization, efficiency in production and attention to detail

Assistant chef vs prep chef skills

Common assistant chef skills

Kitchen Equipment, 14%
Safety Standards, 13%
Culinary, 12%
Customer Service, 10%
Compassion, 7%
Kitchen Sanitation, 6%

Common prep chef skills

Kitchen Equipment, 33%
Dishes, 30%
Cleanliness, 18%
Food Service, 10%
Dinner Service, 2%
Prep List, 1%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Assistant Chef
Assistant Chef vs Prep Chef

Updated January 8, 2025

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