First cook vs lead line cook

The differences between first cooks and lead line 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 lead line cook. Additionally, a lead line cook has an average salary of $34,293, which is higher than the $34,044 average annual salary of a first cook.

The top three skills for a first cook include cleanliness, patients and food handling. The most important skills for a lead line cook are kitchen equipment, culinary, and fine dining.

First cook vs lead line cook overview

	First Cook	Lead Line Cook
Yearly salary	$34,044	$34,293
Hourly rate	$16.37	$16.49
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	149,060	173,672
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	Associate Degree, 47%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

First cook vs lead line cook salary

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

	First Cook	Lead Line Cook
Average salary	$34,044	$34,293
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $26,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Kirkland, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	The Culinary Institute of America
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between first cook and lead line cook education

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

	First Cook	Lead Line Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	Associate Degree, 47%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

First cook vs lead line cook demographics

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

	First Cook	Lead Line Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 77.2% Female, 22.8%	Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8%
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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 8.9% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between first cook and lead line 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.

Lead line cook example responsibilities.

Manage food expo; facilitate food temp logs; creation of menu specials; management and supervision of production staff
Skil in the preparation of a variety of culinary styles ranging from contemporary American cuisine to many international culinary styles.
Train and supervise many of the Spanish- speaking dishwashers to work effectively on the line.
Observe workers engage in preparing, portioning, and garnishing foods to ensure that standards are met.
Follow HACCP system, and practice safety and sanitation as well adhere to the company policies and regulations.
Produce HACCP forms and guidelines to have better awareness of quality of food being produce in the kitchen.

First cook vs lead line cook skills

Common first cook skills

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

Common lead line cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 20%
Culinary, 11%
Fine Dining, 9%
Cleanliness, 8%
Food Handling, 8%
Customer Service, 7%

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First Cook vs Lead Line Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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