Cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook

The differences between cook/dishwashers and assistant cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assistant cook has an average salary of $34,244, which is higher than the $31,703 average annual salary of a cook/dishwasher.

The top three skills for a cook/dishwasher include wash dishes, customer service and dishwashers. The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook overview

	Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$31,703	$34,244
Hourly rate	$15.24	$16.46
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	133,000	190,245
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	36	38
Years of experience	-	4

Cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook salary

Cook/dishwashers and assistant cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$31,703	$34,244
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Tacoma, WA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	New Seasons Market	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Hospitality

Differences between cook/dishwasher and assistant cook education

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

	Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Business	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook demographics

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

	Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Average age	36	38
Gender ratio	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.3% 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	5%	6%

Differences between cook/dishwasher and assistant cook duties and responsibilities

Cook/dishwasher example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Cook and prepare sandwiches and entrees throughout the shift, working with slicers, grills, and fryers.
Enter orders into pos system.
Organize groceries as to ensure use before expiration.
Host: open/close shifts, greet and seat tables, run seating board.
Serve food to customers, run the cash register and also buse tables and wash dishes.

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.

Cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook skills

Common cook/dishwasher skills

Wash Dishes, 44%
Customer Service, 12%
Dishwashers, 7%
Prep Food, 6%
Safety Standards, 4%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%

Common assistant cook skills

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

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Cook/Dishwasher
Cook/Dishwasher vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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