Chef de partie vs cook

The differences between chef de parties and 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 de partie, becoming a cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a chef de partie has an average salary of $39,938, which is higher than the $31,803 average annual salary of a cook.

The top three skills for a chef de partie include culinary, kitchen equipment and cleanliness. The most important skills for a cook are food handling, food service, and cleanliness.

Chef de partie vs cook overview

	Chef De Partie	Cook
Yearly salary	$39,938	$31,803
Hourly rate	$19.20	$15.29
Growth rate	15%	16%
Number of jobs	18,913	184,818
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 46%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	42	38
Years of experience	6	4

What does a chef de partie do?

A Chef De Partie is responsible for supervising a section of the kitchen, such as pastry, butchery, fish, or sauces. They enforce strict health and hygiene standards.

What does a cook do?

Cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. They must be knowledgeable about the different recipes and ingredients needed. They are also responsible for managing the inventory and ensuring that the pantry is well-stocked. They prepare meals from scratch, cutting ingredients, measuring them, and following recipes. Cooks should be creative, especially when ingredients are lacking, and they must find alternatives that will not compromise the food taste. They should be precise, imaginative, and patient. Cooks should also have good time management skills and decision-making skills.

Chef de partie vs cook salary

Chef de parties and cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chef De Partie	Cook
Average salary	$39,938	$31,803
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $64,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Concord, NH	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Hawaii
Best paying company	Itron	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Government

Differences between chef de partie and cook education

There are a few differences between a chef de partie and a cook in terms of educational background:

	Chef De Partie	Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 46%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Cornell University	-

Chef de partie vs cook demographics

Here are the differences between chef de parties' and cooks' demographics:

	Chef De Partie	Cook
Average age	42	38
Gender ratio	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%	Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 15.3% White, 49.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between chef de partie and cook duties and responsibilities

Chef de partie example responsibilities.

Manage all sections of the kitchen such as sauce, Thai, cuisine, Arabic, and grill.
Manage cold kitchen production for a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant
Look after the kitchen cleaning (HACCP).
Handle ordering and receiving using HACCP.
Design menu items that pair with the currents wine offerings of the winery.
Develop and expand knowledge of French cuisine in a kitchen environment requiring the highest levels of consistency and precision.

Cook example responsibilities.

Achieve completion to cook, prep and dish meticulous meals to an immense amount of customers with proficient dexterity quality.
Organize production and set up broiler station for lunch shift, manage grill with 30-40 steaks at varying temps and cuts.
Lead cook line and instruct cooks and other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of dishes.
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Develop ability to manage multiple stations simultaneously while maintaining high levels of culinary excellence.
Operate large volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep fryers, and griddles.

Chef de partie vs cook skills

Common chef de partie skills

Culinary, 14%
Kitchen Equipment, 10%
Cleanliness, 9%
Food Preparation, 7%
Fine Dining, 6%
Cuisine, 6%

Common cook skills

Food Handling, 14%
Food Service, 10%
Cleanliness, 10%
Kitchen Equipment, 9%
Basic Math, 7%
Culinary, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Chef De Partie
Chef De Partie vs Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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