Chief cook vs line cook/dishwasher

The differences between chief cooks and line cook/dishwashers 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 line cook/dishwasher. Additionally, a chief cook has an average salary of $38,867, which is higher than the $34,435 average annual salary of a line cook/dishwasher.

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

Chief cook vs line cook/dishwasher overview

	Chief Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Yearly salary	$38,867	$34,435
Hourly rate	$18.69	$16.56
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	159,663	133,370
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Chief cook vs line cook/dishwasher salary

Chief cooks and line cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chief Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Average salary	$38,867	$34,435
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $51,000	Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between chief cook and line cook/dishwasher education

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

	Chief Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Chief cook vs line cook/dishwasher demographics

Here are the differences between chief cooks' and line cook/dishwashers' demographics:

	Chief Cook	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4%	Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8%
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, 8.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between chief cook and line cook/dishwasher 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.

Line cook/dishwasher example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Maintain superb conditions of all grills, fryers, prep areas, and work spaces in the kitchen.
Have to follow certain steps for battering prior to cooking, and use a timer for the fryers for fry.
Leverage teamwork to fully utilize kitchen staff to generate remarkable food and service to ensure customer satisfaction.
Operate dishwasher to fully sanitize incoming dishes and silverware.
Prepare food items with special attention to individual orders concerning allergies and temperatures.

Chief cook vs line cook/dishwasher skills

Common chief cook skills

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

Common line cook/dishwasher skills

Food Handling, 35%
Cleanliness, 32%
Dishwashers, 25%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%
Culinary, 2%
Line Cooks, 1%

Chief Cook vs. similar jobs

Chief Cook related careers

Chief Cook related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Chief Cook
Chief Cook vs Line Cook/Dishwasher

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs