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The differences between head cooks and head 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 cook and a head chef. Additionally, a head chef has an average salary of $45,470, which is higher than the $44,412 average annual salary of a head cook.
The top three skills for a head cook include kitchen equipment, meal preparation and food service. The most important skills for a head chef are kitchen operations, culinary, and dinner service.
| Head Cook | Head Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $44,412 | $45,470 |
| Hourly rate | $21.35 | $21.86 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 156,227 | 27,331 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A head cook is responsible for organizing the food preparation, organizing the kitchen operations, and ensuring the quality of the food presented. Head cooks' duties include monitoring the food inventory, creating new recipes, researching current market trends, responding to guests' inquiries and complaints, distributing kitchen tasks to the staff, and maintaining budget goals while maintaining the highest food quality. A head cook must always adhere to the sanitary procedures and hygienic standards, as well as have a broad knowledge of the food industry.
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.
Head cooks and head chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Head Cook | Head Chef | |
| Average salary | $44,412 | $45,470 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $61,000 | Between $28,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Antonio, TX | Wellesley, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a head cook and a head chef in terms of educational background:
| Head Cook | Head Chef | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between head cooks' and head chefs' demographics:
| Head Cook | Head Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5% | Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |