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The differences between catering coordinators and chef/kitchen managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chef/kitchen manager has an average salary of $49,415, which is higher than the $34,576 average annual salary of a catering coordinator.
The top three skills for a catering coordinator include food service, customer service and food preparation. The most important skills for a chef/kitchen manager are kitchen operations, culinary, and wine.
| Catering Coordinator | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $34,576 | $49,415 |
| Hourly rate | $16.62 | $23.76 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 19,607 | 38,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A catering coordinator's role is to oversee and manage food services in gatherings for special events, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities revolve around planning and meeting with clients to learn their preferences, liaising with suppliers, managing schedules and inventory, and providing cost estimates. On the actual event, a catering coordinator is also responsible for welcoming guests, responding to any inquiries and concerns, resolving issues and urgent matters, and ensuring that everything is running smoothly. Furthermore, it is essential to lead and encourage the catering team while implementing all food and health policies and standards.
A kitchen manager or chef is someone who oversees the overall operations in the kitchen as well as the food operations. Kitchen managers make certain that food and related products are well prepared, cooked, and served to customers. They maintain a fully-stocked kitchen inventory and comply with the cleanliness and safety standards. It is their responsibility to manage the kitchen staff and aid them in delivering quality food at the right time. They need to possess management skills, leadership skills, and attention to detail.
Catering coordinators and chef/kitchen managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Catering Coordinator | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Average salary | $34,576 | $49,415 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $34,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bay Shore, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Castilleja School |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a catering coordinator and a chef/kitchen manager in terms of educational background:
| Catering Coordinator | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between catering coordinators' and chef/kitchen managers' demographics:
| Catering Coordinator | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.9% Female, 76.1% | Male, 79.9% Female, 20.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |