Chief cook vs assistant cook

The differences between chief cooks and assistant cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a chief cook and an assistant cook. Additionally, a chief cook has an average salary of $38,867, which is higher than the $34,244 average annual salary of an assistant cook.

The top three skills for a chief cook include meal preparation, kitchen equipment and cleanliness. The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Chief cook vs assistant cook overview

	Chief Cook	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$38,867	$34,244
Hourly rate	$18.69	$16.46
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	159,663	190,245
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Chief cook vs assistant cook salary

Chief cooks and assistant cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chief Cook	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$38,867	$34,244
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $51,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between chief cook and assistant cook education

There are a few differences between a chief cook and an assistant cook in terms of educational background:

	Chief Cook	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Chief cook vs assistant cook demographics

Here are the differences between chief cooks' and assistant cooks' demographics:

	Chief Cook	Assistant Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 9.0% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between chief cook and assistant cook duties and responsibilities

Chief cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Demand cleanliness of galley and equipment while assisting in meal planning and inventory management.
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Operate commercial dishwasher and ensure kitchen area are clean and sanitary at all times, catering to following shift crew members.
Display leadership abilities and responsibility by training new employees.

Assistant cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Operate stoves, food processors, steamers, slices, ovens.
Ensure ovens and stoves are clean and ready for use.
Train new and current cooks on menu conversion, garnishing, and food presentation.
Prepare and deliver food trays to hospital patients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Supervise and maintain HACCP standards, training processes for cooks and monitor aspects of contract compliance.

Chief cook vs assistant cook skills

Common chief cook skills

Meal Preparation, 21%
Kitchen Equipment, 17%
Cleanliness, 13%
Food Safety, 12%
Food Handling, 8%
Menu Planning, 6%

Common assistant cook skills

Food Handling, 12%
Kitchen Equipment, 11%
Dishes, 9%
Food Service, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%

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Chief Cook
Chief Cook vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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