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The differences between chef/owners and assistant 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/owner and an assistant chef. Additionally, a chef/owner has an average salary of $45,199, which is higher than the $37,670 average annual salary of an assistant chef.
The top three skills for a chef/owner include menu planning, kitchen equipment and cuisine. The most important skills for an assistant chef are kitchen equipment, safety standards, and culinary.
| Chef/Owner | Assistant Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $45,199 | $37,670 |
| Hourly rate | $21.73 | $18.11 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 64,183 | 18,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Chef/Owner is the owner of a restaurant who also manages the restaurant's kitchen through coordinating the food preparation team, deciding what dishes to serve, and adjusting orders to meet guests' requests. They also prepare budgets, manage and implement new menus and operational ideas.
It is the responsibility of an assistant chef to support the head chef of a catering business, restaurant, cafeteria, or bakery. Assistant chefs manage inventory and ensure compliance with food safety and kitchen cleanliness standards. They assist kitchen staff in the preparation of food. To get this job, one must be trained in a culinary school, have the needed cooking skills, and must have kitchen work experience. Strong teamwork ability and flexibility to work schedule are necessary for this job.
Chef/owners and assistant chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chef/Owner | Assistant Chef | |
| Average salary | $45,199 | $37,670 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $76,000 | Between $22,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research |
| Best paying industry | - | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a chef/owner and an assistant chef in terms of educational background:
| Chef/Owner | Assistant Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Boston University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chef/owners' and assistant chefs' demographics:
| Chef/Owner | Assistant Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.7% Female, 28.3% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 9.8% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 11.0% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |