Chef/catering vs prep chef

The differences between chef/caterings and prep 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 prep chef. Additionally, a chef/catering has an average salary of $47,693, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.

The top three skills for a chef/catering include culinary, kitchen equipment and menu planning. The most important skills for a prep chef are kitchen equipment, dishes, and cleanliness.

Chef/catering vs prep chef overview

	Chef/Catering	Prep Chef
Yearly salary	$47,693	$25,941
Hourly rate	$22.93	$12.47
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	20,512	52,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 50%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Chef/catering vs prep chef salary

Chef/caterings and prep chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chef/Catering	Prep Chef
Average salary	$47,693	$25,941
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $84,000	Between $17,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Cornell University	-
Best paying industry	Technology	-

Differences between chef/catering and prep chef education

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

	Chef/Catering	Prep Chef
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 50%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Boston University	Drexel University

Chef/catering vs prep chef demographics

Here are the differences between chef/caterings' and prep chefs' demographics:

	Chef/Catering	Prep Chef
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4%	Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9%
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, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between chef/catering and prep chef 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.

Prep chef example responsibilities.

Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Work using fryers, boilers, grill, ovens, steamers, mixers.
Instruct new employees in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food.
Maintain highest level of cleanliness and sanitation.
Maintain cleanliness of station, ensuring sanitary conditions.
Create and prepare international cuisine for executive clientele by using ingenuity, organization, efficiency in production and attention to detail

Chef/catering vs prep chef skills

Common chef/catering skills

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

Common prep chef skills

Kitchen Equipment, 33%
Dishes, 30%
Cleanliness, 18%
Food Service, 10%
Dinner Service, 2%
Prep List, 1%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Chef/Catering
Chef/Catering vs Prep Chef

Updated January 8, 2025

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