Cook vs cook/dishwasher

The differences between cooks and cook/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cook has an average salary of $31,803, which is higher than the $31,703 average annual salary of a cook/dishwasher.

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

Cook vs cook/dishwasher overview

	Cook	Cook/Dishwasher
Yearly salary	$31,803	$31,703
Hourly rate	$15.29	$15.24
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	184,818	133,000
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 58%
Average age	38	36
Years of experience	4	-

What does a cook do?

Cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. They must be knowledgeable about the different recipes and ingredients needed. They are also responsible for managing the inventory and ensuring that the pantry is well-stocked. They prepare meals from scratch, cutting ingredients, measuring them, and following recipes. Cooks should be creative, especially when ingredients are lacking, and they must find alternatives that will not compromise the food taste. They should be precise, imaginative, and patient. Cooks should also have good time management skills and decision-making skills.

What does a cook/dishwasher do?

Cooks/dishwashers must develop kitchen skills to excel in this line of job. Each cook or dishwasher must learn to develop skills in food preparation, sanitation, and customer service. Cooks or dishwashers can be assigned to different areas, either in the kitchen area, food preparation, or in washing dishes. The scope of their responsibilities may include the cooking surface area, specific food items, or menu items. Also, they are expected to maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen, assist in preparing food, and may do any other duties demanded by the chef.

Cook vs cook/dishwasher salary

Cooks and cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cook	Cook/Dishwasher
Average salary	$31,803	$31,703
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $24,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Tacoma, WA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Washington
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	New Seasons Market
Best paying industry	Government	Hospitality

Differences between cook and cook/dishwasher education

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

	Cook	Cook/Dishwasher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 58%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cook vs cook/dishwasher demographics

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

	Cook	Cook/Dishwasher
Average age	38	36
Gender ratio	Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8%	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%
Race ratio	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%	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%
LGBT Percentage	6%	5%

Differences between cook and cook/dishwasher duties and responsibilities

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.

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.

Cook vs cook/dishwasher skills

Common cook skills

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

Common cook/dishwasher skills

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

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Cook vs Cook/Dishwasher

Updated January 8, 2025

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