Food stylist vs food preparer

The differences between food stylists and food preparers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food stylist has an average salary of $36,910, which is higher than the $27,717 average annual salary of a food preparer.

The top three skills for a food stylist include culinary, photo shoots and food preparation. The most important skills for a food preparer are food handling, work ethic, and food products.

Food stylist vs food preparer overview

	Food Stylist	Food Preparer
Yearly salary	$36,910	$27,717
Hourly rate	$17.75	$13.33
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	64,591	134,113
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Food stylist vs food preparer salary

Food stylists and food preparers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Stylist	Food Preparer
Average salary	$36,910	$27,717
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $51,000	Between $20,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	-	Commack, NY
Highest paying state	-	New Hampshire
Best paying company	-	Mount Sinai Health System
Best paying industry	-	Retail

Differences between food stylist and food preparer education

There are a few differences between a food stylist and a food preparer in terms of educational background:

	Food Stylist	Food Preparer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food stylist vs food preparer demographics

Here are the differences between food stylists' and food preparers' demographics:

	Food Stylist	Food Preparer
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4%	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between food stylist and food preparer duties and responsibilities

Food stylist example responsibilities.

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Evaluate and present current culinary trends to cookbook editorial teams.
Establish culinary recipe execution and appealing product presentation for hundreds of recipes
Note allergies and special accommodations on receipts to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.
Appoint to serve guests of honor, and handle all special guest requests regarding food allergies and dietary restrictions

Food preparer example responsibilities.

Maintain cleanliness, organization and time management of order preparation, customer service
Follow closing procedures and maintain cleanliness of food preparation area and bathrooms.
Operate on a POS system, and would prep and serve food.
Clean fryers daily, closing shop with overhaul of cleaning routines and stocking freezers.
Operate a variety of commercial cooking equipment including grills, deep fryers, and ovens.
Clean and sanitize workstations, utensils and equipment according to sanitation guidelines.

Food stylist vs food preparer skills

Common food stylist skills

Culinary, 31%
Photo Shoots, 20%
Food Preparation, 20%
Recipe Development, 10%
Test Kitchen, 7%
Food Safety, 6%

Common food preparer skills

Food Handling, 20%
Work Ethic, 13%
Food Products, 11%
Kitchen Utensils, 8%
Safety Standards, 7%
Customer Service, 6%

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Food Stylist vs Food Preparer

Updated January 8, 2025

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