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The differences between food service associates and line chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food service associate has an average salary of $31,642, which is higher than the $26,651 average annual salary of a line chef.
The top three skills for a food service associate include patients, food handling and excellent interpersonal. The most important skills for a line chef are kitchen equipment, sanitation standards, and food handling.
| Food Service Associate | Line Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $31,642 | $26,651 |
| Hourly rate | $15.21 | $12.81 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 64,167 | 144,227 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A food service associate performs fundamental functions in the food industry. Food service associates prepare and serve food items. They cater to special events, which involve facility preparation, food presentation maintenance, and setting up tables. Their duties include cleaning preparation and service equipment. They restock the work stations for the essential supplies. The skills they need to perform their job include customer service, teamwork, work with diverse cultural, ethnic, and academic backgrounds, and learn safety and health regulations.
Line Chefs are in charge of cooking or preparing meat, vegetables, soup, and other ingredients according to area guidelines. Their responsibilities include managing and supervising kitchen staff, coordinating with fellow chefs, replenishing supply inventories, and setting-up cooking areas, ensuring adequate and high-quality ingredients. Among their other usual tasks involve cutting vegetables and meat, preparing sauces, and resolving issues should any arise. Moreover, they must maintain their designated area's cleanliness, all while enforcing and adhering to the health and sanitation standards.
Food service associates and line chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Service Associate | Line Chef | |
| Average salary | $31,642 | $26,651 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $18,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Chicopee, MA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | Syracuse University |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a food service associate and a line chef in terms of educational background:
| Food Service Associate | Line Chef | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between food service associates' and line chefs' demographics:
| Food Service Associate | Line Chef | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 7.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |