Cook vs fry cook

The differences between cooks and fry 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 cook and a fry cook. Additionally, a cook has an average salary of $31,803, which is higher than the $30,622 average annual salary of a fry cook.

The top three skills for a cook include food handling, food service and cleanliness. The most important skills for a fry cook are kitchen equipment, customer service, and safety standards.

Cook vs fry cook overview

	Cook	Fry Cook
Yearly salary	$31,803	$30,622
Hourly rate	$15.29	$14.72
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	184,818	246,323
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	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 fry cook do?

Generally, a fry cook works in a kitchen specializing in fried foods and operating the deep fryer. Fry cooks or chefs cook food by submerging in boiling oil. They prepare food to be fried, work with frying pans, and watch over deep fryers. The skills they need to establish include food preparation, dexterity, physical stamina, and comprehension. They are also expected to be understanding and patient, noting that these qualities help impress the customers.

Cook vs fry cook salary

Cooks and fry cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cook	Fry Cook
Average salary	$31,803	$30,622
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $24,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Fresno, CA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Washington
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Anthony
Best paying industry	Government	Hospitality

Differences between cook and fry cook education

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

	Cook	Fry Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Cook vs fry cook demographics

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

	Cook	Fry Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8%	Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2%
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, 10.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between cook and fry cook 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.

Fry cook example responsibilities.

Develop ability to manage multiple stations simultaneously while maintaining high levels of culinary excellence.
Grill burgers and used the deep fryers for various foods, clean all equipment at the end of the shift.
Bread and cook chicken, fry foods, run and clean fryers, clean coolers, do dishes general utilities.
Job responsibilities include preparing and executing dishes, as well as assuming responsibility for cleanliness of restaurant.
Provide friendly, quality, customer service to each Chipotle customer.

Cook vs fry cook skills

Common cook skills

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

Common fry cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 23%
Customer Service, 11%
Safety Standards, 10%
Deep-Fat Fryers, 9%
Food Products, 5%
Fine Dining, 5%

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Cook vs Fry Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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