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Chef manager vs pastry cook

The differences between chef managers and pastry 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 manager, becoming a pastry cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a chef manager has an average salary of $53,470, which is higher than the $34,858 average annual salary of a pastry cook.

The top three skills for a chef manager include culinary, fine dining and customer service. The most important skills for a pastry cook are culinary, cleanliness, and food handling.

Chef manager vs pastry cook overview

Chef ManagerPastry Cook
Yearly salary$53,470$34,858
Hourly rate$25.71$16.76
Growth rate15%16%
Number of jobs22,346136,754
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 49%Associate Degree, 51%
Average age4238
Years of experience64

What does a chef manager do?

The primary role of a Chef Manager is to supervise food preparation. They may work in varies settings, such as restaurants, schools, and hospitals.

What does a pastry cook do?

The Pastry Cook's responsibilities include preparing quality pastry items such as breakfast items, desserts, breads, ice creams, creams, simple syrups, amenities, and others. They are also responsible for minimizing waste and maintaining control to attain forecasted food cost.

Chef manager vs pastry cook salary

Chef managers and pastry cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chef ManagerPastry Cook
Average salary$53,470$34,858
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $78,000Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CityCherry Hill, NJSeattle, WA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyHawaii
Best paying companyAlameda Health SystemSailfish Club of Florida
Best paying industryProfessionalHospitality

Differences between chef manager and pastry cook education

There are a few differences between a chef manager and a pastry cook in terms of educational background:

Chef ManagerPastry Cook
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 49%Associate Degree, 51%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsCulinary Arts
Most common collegeBoston UniversityCornell University

Chef manager vs pastry cook demographics

Here are the differences between chef managers' and pastry cooks' demographics:

Chef ManagerPastry Cook
Average age4238
Gender ratioMale, 77.5% Female, 22.5%Male, 29.8% Female, 70.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 10.4% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage9%6%

Differences between chef manager and pastry cook duties and responsibilities

Chef manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage day to day operation and supervise the staff FOH & BOH.
  • Manage the daily activities and schedules of the other cooks, dishwashers, and prep support.
  • Manage kitchen staff, delegates responsibilities, place groceries order, prepare menus and prepare food base on recipes.
  • Supervise and train all.associates in food preparation, HACCP in-service training and sanitation and safety procedures.
  • Maintain FIFO, daily account of labor vs sales.
  • Receive orders/check invoices, rotate according to FIFO and organize walk in/freezer.
  • Show more

Pastry cook example responsibilities.

  • Manage cold kitchen production for a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant
  • Clean steamers, hot @ cold line.
  • Serve customers ordering at the bistro.
  • Work in dining room during Sunday brunch and buffets serving desserts.
  • Engage in meetings including an annual board presentation of USDA budget.
  • Focuse on maintaining budget while meeting USDA and BSA nutrition requirements.
  • Show more

Chef manager vs pastry cook skills

Common chef manager skills
  • Culinary, 19%
  • Fine Dining, 14%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • ServSafe, 8%
  • Quality Standards, 8%
  • HACCP, 6%
Common pastry cook skills
  • Culinary, 17%
  • Cleanliness, 10%
  • Food Handling, 10%
  • Quality Standards, 7%
  • Fine Dining, 6%
  • Food Safety, 6%

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