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Chef manager vs sous chef

The differences between chef managers and sous 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 manager and a sous chef. Additionally, a chef manager has an average salary of $53,470, which is higher than the $48,716 average annual salary of a sous chef.

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

Chef manager vs sous chef overview

Chef ManagerSous Chef
Yearly salary$53,470$48,716
Hourly rate$25.71$23.42
Growth rate15%15%
Number of jobs22,34622,393
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 49%Associate Degree, 51%
Average age4242
Years of experience66

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 sous chef do?

A sous chef is responsible for directing food preparation and general kitchen tasks with the supervision of an executive chef. A sous chef duties also include customizing healthy menus, maintaining quality check for foods, adhering to the highest sanitation procedures and standards, monitoring food and equipment supplies, suggesting new specialties, assisting customer's inquiries, and managing client's complaints. A sous chef must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, as well as updated with the current food trends to provide the best services for the customers.

Chef manager vs sous chef salary

Chef managers and sous chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chef ManagerSous Chef
Average salary$53,470$48,716
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $78,000Between $33,000 And $70,000
Highest paying CityCherry Hill, NJAtlantic City, NJ
Highest paying stateNew JerseyHawaii
Best paying companyAlameda Health SystemRH
Best paying industryProfessionalGovernment

Differences between chef manager and sous chef education

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

Chef ManagerSous Chef
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 49%Associate Degree, 51%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsCulinary Arts
Most common collegeBoston UniversityDrexel University

Chef manager vs sous chef demographics

Here are the differences between chef managers' and sous chefs' demographics:

Chef ManagerSous Chef
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 77.5% Female, 22.5%Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9%
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, 10.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 11.3% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between chef manager and sous chef 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

Sous chef example responsibilities.

  • Manage FOH duties, along with customer relations.
  • Train, mentore, manage and discipline lead chefs, associate chefs, prep cooks, pastry assistants and dishwashers.
  • Manage a staff of 45 union personnel in preparation of meals for hospital patients and cafeteria patrons for three meals daily.
  • Control food and payroll costs to achieve maximum profitability.
  • Manage people and oversee production of high-volume establishment for this upscale restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine.
  • Train and manage all culinary personnel, supervise and coordinate all culinary activities, estimate food consumption and manage food cost.
  • Show more

Chef manager vs sous chef skills

Common chef manager skills
  • Culinary, 19%
  • Fine Dining, 14%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • ServSafe, 8%
  • Quality Standards, 8%
  • HACCP, 6%
Common sous chef skills
  • Culinary, 15%
  • Food Handling, 8%
  • Food Preparation, 7%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Fine Dining, 5%
  • Food Service, 5%

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