Kitchen assistant vs assistant cook

The differences between kitchen assistants and assistant cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assistant cook has an average salary of $34,244, which is higher than the $27,455 average annual salary of a kitchen assistant.

The top three skills for a kitchen assistant include wine, kitchen equipment and POS. The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Kitchen assistant vs assistant cook overview

	Kitchen Assistant	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$27,455	$34,244
Hourly rate	$13.20	$16.46
Growth rate	2%	16%
Number of jobs	78,120	190,245
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	37	38
Years of experience	-	4

Kitchen assistant vs assistant cook salary

Kitchen assistants and assistant cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Kitchen Assistant	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$27,455	$34,244
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $35,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	California
Best paying company	University of Massachusetts Boston	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Construction	Hospitality

Differences between kitchen assistant and assistant cook education

There are a few differences between a kitchen assistant and an assistant cook in terms of educational background:

	Kitchen Assistant	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Business	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Kitchen assistant vs assistant cook demographics

Here are the differences between kitchen assistants' and assistant cooks' demographics:

	Kitchen Assistant	Assistant Cook
Average age	37	38
Gender ratio	Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 8.0% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between kitchen assistant and assistant cook duties and responsibilities

Kitchen assistant example responsibilities.

Assist the catering manager to manage, prepare, cook and deliver each day s caterings.
Prepare and store vegetables; maintain cleanliness and organization of kitchen; observe food safety and health regulations
Mix water with detergents and acids to prepare cleaning solutions according to specifications, general cleanliness according to safety and company guidelines
Operate dishwasher and train volunteers.
Maintain the dishwasher and efficiently clean kitchenware.
Skil in grilling, roasting, steaming, platting individual and buffet style.

Assistant cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Operate stoves, food processors, steamers, slices, ovens.
Ensure ovens and stoves are clean and ready for use.
Train new and current cooks on menu conversion, garnishing, and food presentation.
Prepare and deliver food trays to hospital patients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Supervise and maintain HACCP standards, training processes for cooks and monitor aspects of contract compliance.

Kitchen assistant vs assistant cook skills

Common kitchen assistant skills

Wine, 17%
Kitchen Equipment, 15%
POS, 15%
Culinary, 11%
Kitchen Operations, 8%
Cooking Equipment, 8%

Common assistant cook skills

Food Handling, 12%
Kitchen Equipment, 11%
Dishes, 9%
Food Service, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%

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Kitchen Assistant vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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