Chef/catering vs banquet cook

The differences between chef/caterings and banquet cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a chef/catering, becoming a banquet cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a chef/catering has an average salary of $47,693, which is higher than the $34,599 average annual salary of a banquet cook.

The top three skills for a chef/catering include culinary, kitchen equipment and menu planning. The most important skills for a banquet cook are culinary, quality standards, and cleanliness.

Chef/catering vs banquet cook overview

	Chef/Catering	Banquet Cook
Yearly salary	$47,693	$34,599
Hourly rate	$22.93	$16.63
Growth rate	15%	16%
Number of jobs	20,512	151,211
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 50%	Associate Degree, 51%
Average age	42	38
Years of experience	6	4

Chef/catering vs banquet cook salary

Chef/caterings and banquet cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chef/Catering	Banquet Cook
Average salary	$47,693	$34,599
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $84,000	Between $27,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Hawaii
Best paying company	Cornell University	Grosse Pointe Yacht Club
Best paying industry	Technology	Manufacturing

Differences between chef/catering and banquet cook education

There are a few differences between a chef/catering and a banquet cook in terms of educational background:

	Chef/Catering	Banquet Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 50%	Associate Degree, 51%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Boston University	-

Chef/catering vs banquet cook demographics

Here are the differences between chef/caterings' and banquet cooks' demographics:

	Chef/Catering	Banquet Cook
Average age	42	38
Gender ratio	Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4%	Male, 73.8% Female, 26.2%
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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 9.0% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between chef/catering and banquet cook duties and responsibilities

Chef/catering example responsibilities.

Control food and payroll costs to achieve maximum profitability.
Train kitchen staff on HACCP guidelines, customer service, portion control and daily standards.
Work with a talent team of catering chefs prepping and cooking cater menu items for weddings, parties and corporate events.
Supervise setup, breakdown and maintenance of buffets for off-site catering company.
Pack meals and oversee delivery and set up of buffets and utensils when necessary.
Train new employee's in proper safety/sanitation guidelines with a HACCP style format that the group implements.

Banquet cook example responsibilities.

Manage the POS system (adding/deleting specials, editing prices, viewing server appetizer/dessert sales and their server report information).
Knife skills, baking, roasting, frying, sauteing, and grilling large quantities.
Follow the HACCP guidelines for preparing food
Well verse in cleaning work areas, equipment, utensils, and dishes.
Work on the different stations in the kitchen like saut, grill and bake.
Task involve preparation of fresh meals daily for the hospital patients and the public.

Chef/catering vs banquet cook skills

Common chef/catering skills

Culinary, 18%
Kitchen Equipment, 14%
Menu Planning, 13%
Food Safety, 6%
Food Handling, 6%
Chefs, 4%

Common banquet cook skills

Culinary, 14%
Quality Standards, 11%
Cleanliness, 10%
Food Handling, 10%
Kitchen Equipment, 8%
Food Preparation, 7%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Chef/Catering
Chef/Catering vs Banquet Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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