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The differences between food service specialists and chef/kitchen managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chef/kitchen manager has an average salary of $49,415, which is higher than the $29,286 average annual salary of a food service specialist.
The top three skills for a food service specialist include kitchen equipment, preventive maintenance and MOS. The most important skills for a chef/kitchen manager are kitchen operations, culinary, and wine.
| Food Service Specialist | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $29,286 | $49,415 |
| Hourly rate | $14.08 | $23.76 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 95,112 | 38,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The food service specialists monitor food preparation, ensuring that the guests get their correct orders, providing them the best dining experience and satisfaction. A food service specialist takes the guests' orders, processes their payments, and serves their orders timely and efficiently. They also monitor the stock inventories, coordinate with suppliers and third-party vendors for stock requests, and assist with kitchen duties as needed, especially on high volume days. A food service specialist must have a broad knowledge of the food services industry, analyzing the current food trends to make suggestions for menus, and responding to the guests' concerns.
A kitchen manager or chef is someone who oversees the overall operations in the kitchen as well as the food operations. Kitchen managers make certain that food and related products are well prepared, cooked, and served to customers. They maintain a fully-stocked kitchen inventory and comply with the cleanliness and safety standards. It is their responsibility to manage the kitchen staff and aid them in delivering quality food at the right time. They need to possess management skills, leadership skills, and attention to detail.
Food service specialists and chef/kitchen managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Service Specialist | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Average salary | $29,286 | $49,415 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $43,000 | Between $34,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Brookhaven National Laboratory | Castilleja School |
| Best paying industry | Government | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a food service specialist and a chef/kitchen manager in terms of educational background:
| Food Service Specialist | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Associate Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food service specialists' and chef/kitchen managers' demographics:
| Food Service Specialist | Chef/Kitchen Manager | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.1% Female, 42.9% | Male, 79.9% Female, 20.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.7% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |