Food supervisor vs kitchen supervisor

The differences between food supervisors and kitchen supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a kitchen supervisor has an average salary of $40,520, which is higher than the $33,414 average annual salary of a food supervisor.

The top three skills for a food supervisor include HACCP, problem resolution and safety training. The most important skills for a kitchen supervisor are culinary, cleanliness, and food service.

Food supervisor vs kitchen supervisor overview

	Food Supervisor	Kitchen Supervisor
Yearly salary	$33,414	$40,520
Hourly rate	$16.06	$19.48
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	82,884	66,303
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Associate Degree, 34%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

What does a food supervisor do?

A food supervisor directs workers who prepare, apportion, and serve food to clients and staff. Their major responsibility is to ensure compliance with the food safety standards set by relevant authorities. They are also tasked with updating the food safety program and training all staff to understand and adhere to the instructions contained therein.

What does a kitchen supervisor do?

A kitchen supervisor is responsible for managing the overall kitchen operations, ensuring that the kitchen employees follow sanitary procedures while doing their high-quality and maximum productivity tasks. Kitchen supervisors manage inventories, checking the adequacy of food supplies and kitchen equipment, and negotiating contracts with suppliers and third-party vendors. They also help develop marketing strategies, research the latest food trends, update menus, and create financial reports and expense forecasting. A kitchen supervisor must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially with responding to customers' inquiries and concerns and resolving complaints.

Food supervisor vs kitchen supervisor salary

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

	Food Supervisor	Kitchen Supervisor
Average salary	$33,414	$40,520
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $28,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	GoodCents
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Start-up

Differences between food supervisor and kitchen supervisor education

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

	Food Supervisor	Kitchen Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Associate Degree, 34%
Most common major	Business	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Food supervisor vs kitchen supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between food supervisors' and kitchen supervisors' demographics:

	Food Supervisor	Kitchen Supervisor
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 54.3% Female, 45.7%	Male, 65.0% Female, 35.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 6.8% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between food supervisor and kitchen supervisor duties and responsibilities

Food supervisor example responsibilities.

Lead shifts while personally preparing bakery items and executing requests base on require specifications.
Maintain all food and beverage storerooms in proper condition to ensure cleanliness, freshness, and organization.
Inspect all storage and food services preparation areas daily to ensure proper handling and cleanliness standards are met.
Travel to find better products that utilize the companies finances better while still providing the best culinary experience for the customer.
Examine food and beverage quality and presentation and provide corrective training where necessary, involving the culinary management team when need.
Develop and organize BOH through cleaning, maintenance, equipment care, and ordering and receiving.

Kitchen supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage grill area and demonstrate leadership.
Manage people and oversee production of high-volume establishment for this upscale restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine.
Train and supervise all culinary employees including community service volunteers in kitchen operations and delegate daily work assignments.
Maintain kitchen and dining area under Servsafe guidelines.
Used a POS system and show advanced money management skills.
Exercise leadership skills by coordinating kitchen staff during busy times.

Food supervisor vs kitchen supervisor skills

Common food supervisor skills

HACCP, 18%
Problem Resolution, 18%
Safety Training, 16%
Safety Regulations, 7%
Customer Service, 7%
FDA, 6%

Common kitchen supervisor skills

Culinary, 16%
Cleanliness, 11%
Food Service, 10%
Food Handling, 8%
Kitchen Equipment, 7%
Customer Service, 6%

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Food Supervisor vs Kitchen Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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