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The differences between head chefs and chef de cuisines can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a head chef and a chef de cuisine. Additionally, a chef de cuisine has an average salary of $51,926, which is higher than the $45,470 average annual salary of a head chef.
The top three skills for a head chef include kitchen operations, culinary and dinner service. The most important skills for a chef de cuisine are culinary, fine dining, and kitchen operations.
| Head Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Yearly salary | $45,470 | $51,926 |
| Hourly rate | $21.86 | $24.96 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 27,331 | 18,300 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A head chef is responsible for the overall culinary satisfaction and dining experience of the guests. Head chefs manage the food production, starting from the preparation to the final presentation. They regularly research the current food trends to adapt to their innovative expertise, creating different cuisines to meet the guests' preferences. They also manage the kitchen staff, delegate tasks, and ensure the adequacy of food ingredients and supplies. A head chef must have excellent communication and organizational skills, adhering to the highest sanitation procedures, and responding to the guests' inquiries and concerns.
A chef de cuisine, also known as an executive chef, oversees a kitchen's daily operations in public and private establishments to ensure food quality and efficient services. Their duties require cooking and leadership skills because they involve leading menu development and meal preparation, coordinating staff, delegating responsibilities, selecting and sourcing ingredients, and handling customer issues and concerns promptly and professionally. Moreover, a chef de cuisine leads and empowers staff to reach the kitchen's daily goals while implementing health standards and regulations.
Head chefs and chef de cuisines have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Head Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Average salary | $45,470 | $51,926 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $71,000 | Between $36,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wellesley, MA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | TPC Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a head chef and a chef de cuisine in terms of educational background:
| Head Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Drexel University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between head chefs' and chef de cuisines' demographics:
| Head Chef | Chef De Cuisine | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2% | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |