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The differences between executive chefs and chef de cuisines can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an executive chef and a chef de cuisine. Additionally, an executive chef has an average salary of $59,416, which is higher than the $51,926 average annual salary of a chef de cuisine.
The top three skills for an executive chef include culinary, food preparation and customer service. The most important skills for a chef de cuisine are culinary, fine dining, and kitchen operations.
| Executive Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Yearly salary | $59,416 | $51,926 |
| Hourly rate | $28.57 | $24.96 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 83,085 | 18,300 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 56% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Executive chefs are considered the lead chefs in a restaurant. They manage the restaurant's kitchen, including all other chefs employed by the restaurant. Executive chefs are in charge of creating menu items and ensuring that the restaurant's menu is in line with the restaurant's identity. They handle the management of the pantry and ensure that it is well-stocked. They also ensure that all kitchen equipment and fixtures are working well. Executive chefs are responsible for training new chefs on the job to ensure consistent food quality.
A chef de cuisine, also known as an executive chef, oversees a kitchen's daily operations in public and private establishments to ensure food quality and efficient services. Their duties require cooking and leadership skills because they involve leading menu development and meal preparation, coordinating staff, delegating responsibilities, selecting and sourcing ingredients, and handling customer issues and concerns promptly and professionally. Moreover, a chef de cuisine leads and empowers staff to reach the kitchen's daily goals while implementing health standards and regulations.
Executive chefs and chef de cuisines have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Executive Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Average salary | $59,416 | $51,926 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $87,000 | Between $36,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Bridgewater Associates | TPC Group |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an executive chef and a chef de cuisine in terms of educational background:
| Executive Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 56% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Drexel University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between executive chefs' and chef de cuisines' demographics:
| Executive Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.8% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |