Chief cook vs cook

The differences between chief cooks and 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 a cook. Additionally, a chief cook has an average salary of $38,867, which is higher than the $31,803 average annual salary of a cook.

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

Chief cook vs cook overview

	Chief Cook	Cook
Yearly salary	$38,867	$31,803
Hourly rate	$18.69	$15.29
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	159,663	184,818
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Chief cook vs cook salary

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

	Chief Cook	Cook
Average salary	$38,867	$31,803
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $51,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between chief cook and cook education

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

	Chief Cook	Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Chief cook vs cook demographics

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

	Chief Cook	Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4%	Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8%
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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between chief cook and 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.

Cook example responsibilities.

Achieve completion to cook, prep and dish meticulous meals to an immense amount of customers with proficient dexterity quality.
Organize production and set up broiler station for lunch shift, manage grill with 30-40 steaks at varying temps and cuts.
Lead cook line and instruct cooks and other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of dishes.
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Develop ability to manage multiple stations simultaneously while maintaining high levels of culinary excellence.
Operate large volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep fryers, and griddles.

Chief cook vs cook skills

Common chief cook skills

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

Common cook skills

Food Handling, 14%
Food Service, 10%
Cleanliness, 10%
Kitchen Equipment, 9%
Basic Math, 7%
Culinary, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Chief Cook
Chief Cook vs Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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