Food preparation worker vs kitchen worker

The differences between food preparation workers and kitchen workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a kitchen worker has an average salary of $28,720, which is higher than the $25,004 average annual salary of a food preparation worker.

The top three skills for a food preparation worker include customer service, food handling and clean rooms. The most important skills for a kitchen worker are cleanliness, food handling, and kitchen equipment.

Food preparation worker vs kitchen worker overview

	Food Preparation Worker	Kitchen Worker
Yearly salary	$25,004	$28,720
Hourly rate	$12.02	$13.81
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	65,654	86,773
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 44%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

Food preparation worker vs kitchen worker salary

Food preparation workers and kitchen workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Preparation Worker	Kitchen Worker
Average salary	$25,004	$28,720
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $33,000	Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Washington
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Kemps
Best paying industry	Retail	Education

Differences between food preparation worker and kitchen worker education

There are a few differences between a food preparation worker and a kitchen worker in terms of educational background:

	Food Preparation Worker	Kitchen Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 44%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food preparation worker vs kitchen worker demographics

Here are the differences between food preparation workers' and kitchen workers' demographics:

	Food Preparation Worker	Kitchen Worker
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%	Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between food preparation worker and kitchen worker duties and responsibilities

Food preparation worker example responsibilities.

Maintain cleaned and sanitize cafeterias.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Wash dishes, pots, pans and trays by hand and automatic dishwasher.
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Kitchen worker example responsibilities.

Ensure cleanliness of surroundings and sterilization/sanitation of kitchen prep area and food trays.
Clean floors, dishes, stoves and pots.
Prepare for opening the next morning by cleaning and shutting down fryers and broiler.
Work well with other employees-Maintain cleanliness of areas assigned-perform a variety of services-follow property policies and procedures-oversee own responsibilities
Remove wash dishware, flatware, and glassware from dishwasher and stack them according to size and likeness for future use.
Sanitize heavy equipment including dishwasher, mixer and slicer.

Food preparation worker vs kitchen worker skills

Common food preparation worker skills

Customer Service, 20%
Food Handling, 16%
Clean Rooms, 10%
Food Preparation Equipment, 9%
Basic Math, 8%
Food Storage, 5%

Common kitchen worker skills

Cleanliness, 17%
Food Handling, 13%
Kitchen Equipment, 12%
Food Service, 10%
Customer Service, 8%
Patients, 8%

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Food Preparation Worker vs Kitchen Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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