Dietary cook vs line cook, prep cook

The differences between dietary cooks and line cooks, prep cook 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 line cook, prep cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a line cook, prep cook has an average salary of $32,982, 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 line cook, prep cook are kitchen equipment, food handling, and culinary.

Dietary cook vs line cook, prep cook overview

	Dietary Cook	Line Cook, Prep Cook
Yearly salary	$27,365	$32,982
Hourly rate	$13.16	$15.86
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	191,406	164,756
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	4

What does a dietary cook do?

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.

What does a line cook, prep cook do?

A line cook/prep cook is responsible for assisting with food preparations, ensuring that all ingredients are readily available and stored safely. Line cook/prep cook tasks also include reviewing and updating menus to keep the customers' patronization. Their duties also include researching the current food industry trends, managing customers' inquiries, resolving serving complaints, monitoring food supplies and inventories, and complying with sanitary regulations. A line cook/prep cook must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills to perform various tasks under strict time demands and a fast-paced environment.

Dietary cook vs line cook, prep cook salary

Dietary cooks and line cooks, prep cook have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dietary Cook	Line Cook, Prep Cook
Average salary	$27,365	$32,982
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $34,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Omaha, NE	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Utah	Washington
Best paying company	SantaFe HealthCare	WESTWOOD COUNTRY CLUB OF AUSTIN
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Retail

Differences between dietary cook and line cook, prep cook education

There are a few differences between a dietary cook and a line cook, prep cook in terms of educational background:

	Dietary Cook	Line Cook, Prep Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Dietary cook vs line cook, prep cook demographics

Here are the differences between dietary cooks' and line cooks, prep cook' demographics:

	Dietary Cook	Line Cook, Prep Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%
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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 9.1% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between dietary cook and line cook, prep cook duties and responsibilities

Dietary cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Provide attention and compassion to all resident's.
Train with culinary chefs and staff members on dinning facility services and organization.
Utilize a broad range of culinary skills to include grill and saute as well as salad and deserts.
Make sure food is prepared within the guidelines of ServSafe and residents' with special needs are tend to.
Prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for residents according to SERVSAFE and HAACP procedures and standards on a daily basis.

Line cook, prep cook example responsibilities.

Manage the POS system (adding/deleting specials, editing prices, viewing server appetizer/dessert sales and their server report information).
Prepare cold foods, operate ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, and fryers.
Expedite orders while maintaining food being cook in ovens, griddles, stoves and fryers.
Observe and test foods to determine quality and safety by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and fryers.
Set up and break down for any catering parties or buffets.
Cook foods by baking, roasting, broiling, frying, steaming, grilling.

Dietary cook vs line cook, prep cook skills

Common dietary cook skills

Patients, 16%
Food Handling, 16%
Food Service, 13%
Kitchen Equipment, 9%
Meal Service, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%

Common line cook, prep cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 25%
Food Handling, 11%
Culinary, 10%
Customer Service, 10%
Salad Station, 6%
Line Cooks, 6%

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Dietary Cook
Dietary Cook vs Line Cook, Prep Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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