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The differences between dietary cooks and cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a dietary cook, becoming a cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a cook has an average salary of $31,803, which is higher than the $27,365 average annual salary of a dietary cook.
The top three skills for a dietary cook include patients, food handling and food service. The most important skills for a cook are food handling, food service, and cleanliness.
| Dietary Cook | Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $27,365 | $31,803 |
| Hourly rate | $13.16 | $15.29 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 191,406 | 184,818 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A dietary cook specializes in cooking and preparing healthy meals for clients or organizations. It is their duty to follow nutritional plans and guidelines, adhere to portion and quality standards, supervise kitchen staff, and participate in delivering food to rooms or offices. They also monitor the inventory of supplies, maintain the cleanliness of different areas, and keep dishes sanitized at all times. Moreover, a dietary cook must coordinate and maintain an open communication line with fellow kitchen workers to ensure a safe and efficient workflow.
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.
Dietary cooks and cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dietary Cook | Cook | |
| Average salary | $27,365 | $31,803 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $34,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Omaha, NE | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Utah | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | SantaFe HealthCare | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Government |
There are a few differences between a dietary cook and a cook in terms of educational background:
| Dietary Cook | Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dietary cooks' and cooks' demographics:
| Dietary Cook | Cook | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% | Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 8.2% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |