Head chef vs prep chef

The differences between head chefs and prep chefs 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 prep chef. Additionally, a head chef has an average salary of $45,470, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.

The top three skills for a head chef include kitchen operations, culinary and dinner service. The most important skills for a prep chef are kitchen equipment, dishes, and cleanliness.

Head chef vs prep chef overview

	Head Chef	Prep Chef
Yearly salary	$45,470	$25,941
Hourly rate	$21.86	$12.47
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	27,331	52,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 43%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Head chef vs prep chef salary

Head chefs and prep chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Head Chef	Prep Chef
Average salary	$45,470	$25,941
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $71,000	Between $17,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Wellesley, MA	-
Highest paying state	Hawaii	-
Best paying company	Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between head chef and prep chef education

There are a few differences between a head chef and a prep chef in terms of educational background:

	Head Chef	Prep Chef
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 43%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Drexel University	Drexel University

Head chef vs prep chef demographics

Here are the differences between head chefs' and prep chefs' demographics:

	Head Chef	Prep Chef
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2%	Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9%
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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between head chef and prep chef duties and responsibilities

Head chef example responsibilities.

Hire, train, and manage a staff of cooks, also train servers and cross train dishwashers.
Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Supervise, coordinate and direct all culinary activities within the food service department.
Work manned omelet and brunch stations in dining room.
Develop HACCP plans for every fresh item carry on premises.
Assist with setup and break down of equipment for parties, meetings and brunch.

Prep chef example responsibilities.

Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Work using fryers, boilers, grill, ovens, steamers, mixers.
Instruct new employees in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food.
Maintain highest level of cleanliness and sanitation.
Maintain cleanliness of station, ensuring sanitary conditions.
Create and prepare international cuisine for executive clientele by using ingenuity, organization, efficiency in production and attention to detail

Head chef vs prep chef skills

Common head chef skills

Kitchen Operations, 27%
Culinary, 9%
Dinner Service, 6%
Food Service, 5%
Cuisine, 3%
Safety Standards, 3%

Common prep chef skills

Kitchen Equipment, 33%
Dishes, 30%
Cleanliness, 18%
Food Service, 10%
Dinner Service, 2%
Prep List, 1%

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Head Chef vs Prep Chef

Updated January 8, 2025

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