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The differences between cooks and prep 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 prep cook. Additionally, a prep cook has an average salary of $32,292, which is higher than the $31,803 average annual salary of a cook.
The top three skills for a cook include food handling, food service and cleanliness. The most important skills for a prep cook are food handling, culinary, and sanitation standards.
| Cook | Prep Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $31,803 | $32,292 |
| Hourly rate | $15.29 | $15.53 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 184,818 | 168,265 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Prep cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients. They are usually part of an assembly line-like structure in the kitchen. They are often the first station in this assembly line. Prep cooks are in charge of thawing, skinning, cutting, mincing, slicing, and chopping ingredients so that the line cooks can just get these ingredients for their own stations. Prep cooks may also start doing some of the initial activities in the cooking process, such as preparing water for boiling, laying out ingredients, and ensuring that the stoves are clear.
Cooks and prep cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cook | Prep Cook | |
| Average salary | $31,803 | $32,292 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Kemps |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a cook and a prep cook in terms of educational background:
| Cook | Prep Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 48% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cooks' and prep cooks' demographics:
| Cook | Prep Cook | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8% | Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |