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The differences between chef/caterings and assistant 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 chef/catering and an assistant chef. Additionally, a chef/catering has an average salary of $47,693, which is higher than the $37,670 average annual salary of an assistant chef.
The top three skills for a chef/catering include culinary, kitchen equipment and menu planning. The most important skills for an assistant chef are kitchen equipment, safety standards, and culinary.
| Chef/Catering | Assistant Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $47,693 | $37,670 |
| Hourly rate | $22.93 | $18.11 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 20,512 | 18,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Chef/Caterer is responsible for cooking dishes at events. They direct the kitchen staff and wait personnel in serving the food, attending to food stations, and setting up buffet tables.
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.
Chef/caterings and assistant chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chef/Catering | Assistant Chef | |
| Average salary | $47,693 | $37,670 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $84,000 | Between $22,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Cornell University | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a chef/catering and an assistant chef in terms of educational background:
| Chef/Catering | Assistant Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Boston University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chef/caterings' and assistant chefs' demographics:
| Chef/Catering | Assistant Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |