First cook vs cook

The differences between first cooks and 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 first cook and a cook. Additionally, a first cook has an average salary of $34,044, which is higher than the $31,803 average annual salary of a cook.

The top three skills for a first cook include cleanliness, patients and food handling. The most important skills for a cook are food handling, food service, and cleanliness.

First cook vs cook overview

	First Cook	Cook
Yearly salary	$34,044	$31,803
Hourly rate	$16.37	$15.29
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	149,060	184,818
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

First cook vs cook salary

First cooks and cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	First Cook	Cook
Average salary	$34,044	$31,803
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between first cook and cook education

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

	First Cook	Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

First cook vs cook demographics

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

	First Cook	Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 77.2% Female, 22.8%	Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 9.3% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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%

Differences between first cook and cook duties and responsibilities

First cook example responsibilities.

Maintain all charts and records according to ServSafe and Michigan USDA standards
Provide technical instruction and expert guidance on food preparation to earn culinary arts competitions.
Measure ingredients, using measuring cups and spoons.
Assist in loading and unloading of groceries to vessel.
Cater special menus for people with allergies and special diets.
Do inventory, order groceries, implement company policies and procedures.

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.

First cook vs cook skills

Common first cook skills

Cleanliness, 33%
Patients, 14%
Food Handling, 8%
Culinary, 7%
Kitchen Equipment, 6%
HACCP, 4%

Common cook skills

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

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
First Cook
First Cook vs Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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