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The differences between chef/caterings and line 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 line chef. Additionally, a chef/catering has an average salary of $47,693, which is higher than the $26,651 average annual salary of a line chef.
The top three skills for a chef/catering include culinary, kitchen equipment and menu planning. The most important skills for a line chef are kitchen equipment, sanitation standards, and food handling.
| Chef/Catering | Line Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $47,693 | $26,651 |
| Hourly rate | $22.93 | $12.81 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 20,512 | 144,227 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| 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.
Line Chefs are in charge of cooking or preparing meat, vegetables, soup, and other ingredients according to area guidelines. Their responsibilities include managing and supervising kitchen staff, coordinating with fellow chefs, replenishing supply inventories, and setting-up cooking areas, ensuring adequate and high-quality ingredients. Among their other usual tasks involve cutting vegetables and meat, preparing sauces, and resolving issues should any arise. Moreover, they must maintain their designated area's cleanliness, all while enforcing and adhering to the health and sanitation standards.
Chef/caterings and line chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chef/Catering | Line Chef | |
| Average salary | $47,693 | $26,651 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $84,000 | Between $18,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Chicopee, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Cornell University | Syracuse University |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a chef/catering and a line chef in terms of educational background:
| Chef/Catering | Line Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Boston University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chef/caterings' and line chefs' demographics:
| Chef/Catering | Line Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |