Bakery chef vs head chef

The differences between bakery chefs and head chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a bakery chef and a head chef. Additionally, a head chef has an average salary of $45,470, which is higher than the $40,422 average annual salary of a bakery chef.

The top three skills for a bakery chef include culinary, kitchen equipment and food cost. The most important skills for a head chef are kitchen operations, culinary, and dinner service.

Bakery chef vs head chef overview

	Bakery Chef	Head Chef
Yearly salary	$40,422	$45,470
Hourly rate	$19.43	$21.86
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	22,492	27,331
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 32%	Associate Degree, 43%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Bakery chef vs head chef salary

Bakery chefs and head chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bakery Chef	Head Chef
Average salary	$40,422	$45,470
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $58,000	Between $28,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Paterson, NJ	Wellesley, MA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Hawaii
Best paying company	Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32	Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Best paying industry	Insurance	Health Care

Differences between bakery chef and head chef education

There are a few differences between a bakery chef and a head chef in terms of educational background:

	Bakery Chef	Head Chef
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 32%	Associate Degree, 43%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	University of Cincinnati	Drexel University

Bakery chef vs head chef demographics

Here are the differences between bakery chefs' and head chefs' demographics:

	Bakery Chef	Head Chef
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1%	Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between bakery chef and head chef duties and responsibilities

Bakery chef example responsibilities.

Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
Experience in safe operation of commercial food service equipment, including deep fryers, ovens, cook tops, and slicers.
Own and operate successful gourmet restaurant/bakery/catering service
Mix, weigh and proof ingredients in accordance with bakery recipes.
Direct or coordinate bakery deliveries.
Own and operate successful gourmet restaurant/bakery/catering service

Head chef example responsibilities.

Hire, train, and manage a staff of cooks, also train servers and cross train dishwashers.
Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Supervise, coordinate and direct all culinary activities within the food service department.
Work manned omelet and brunch stations in dining room.
Develop HACCP plans for every fresh item carry on premises.
Assist with setup and break down of equipment for parties, meetings and brunch.

Bakery chef vs head chef skills

Common bakery chef skills

Culinary, 49%
Kitchen Equipment, 32%
Food Cost, 6%
Bakery Products, 4%
Oven Temperatures, 3%
Safety Regulations, 3%

Common head chef skills

Kitchen Operations, 27%
Culinary, 9%
Dinner Service, 6%
Food Service, 5%
Cuisine, 3%
Safety Standards, 3%

Bakery Chef vs. similar jobs

Bakery Chef related careers

Bakery Chef related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Bakery Chef
Bakery Chef vs Head Chef

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs