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The differences between chef/caterings and 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 a chef. Additionally, a chef/catering has an average salary of $47,693, which is higher than the $46,824 average annual salary of a chef.
The top three skills for a chef/catering include culinary, kitchen equipment and menu planning. The most important skills for a chef are customer service, food handling, and culinary.
| Chef/Catering | Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $47,693 | $46,824 |
| Hourly rate | $22.93 | $22.51 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 20,512 | 65,737 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| 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.
A chef is the master of the kitchen--someone who is creative and innovative with food. Chefs are the pride and reputation of each restaurant or dining establishments. They make sure every meal served is fresh and oversees the kitchen operation. They also create recipes, study menus, and prepare significant-high-quality dishes that represent the restaurant. They say academic requirements aren't needed, but anyone who has a passion for food and cooking can be a chef.
Chef/caterings and chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chef/Catering | Chef | |
| Average salary | $47,693 | $46,824 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $84,000 | Between $31,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Cornell University | Bridgewater Associates |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a chef/catering and a chef in terms of educational background:
| Chef/Catering | Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Boston University | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between chef/caterings' and chefs' demographics:
| Chef/Catering | Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% | Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 11.4% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |