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The differences between chef/owners and head 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 a head chef. Additionally, a head chef has an average salary of $45,470, which is higher than the $45,199 average annual salary of a chef/owner.
The top three skills for a chef/owner include menu planning, kitchen equipment and cuisine. The most important skills for a head chef are kitchen operations, culinary, and dinner service.
| Chef/Owner | Head Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $45,199 | $45,470 |
| Hourly rate | $21.73 | $21.86 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 64,183 | 27,331 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| 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.
A head chef is responsible for the overall culinary satisfaction and dining experience of the guests. Head chefs manage the food production, starting from the preparation to the final presentation. They regularly research the current food trends to adapt to their innovative expertise, creating different cuisines to meet the guests' preferences. They also manage the kitchen staff, delegate tasks, and ensure the adequacy of food ingredients and supplies. A head chef must have excellent communication and organizational skills, adhering to the highest sanitation procedures, and responding to the guests' inquiries and concerns.
Chef/owners and head chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chef/Owner | Head Chef | |
| Average salary | $45,199 | $45,470 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $76,000 | Between $28,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Wellesley, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a chef/owner and a head chef in terms of educational background:
| Chef/Owner | Head Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Boston University | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between chef/owners' and head chefs' demographics:
| Chef/Owner | Head Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.7% Female, 28.3% | Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2% |
| 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, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |