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The differences between kitchen assistants and line cook/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line cook/dishwasher has an average salary of $34,435, 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 a line cook/dishwasher are food handling, cleanliness, and dishwashers.
| Kitchen Assistant | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Yearly salary | $27,455 | $34,435 |
| Hourly rate | $13.20 | $16.56 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 78,120 | 133,370 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A kitchen assistant is responsible for assisting chefs, cooks, or managers. Most of the duties are given by supervising officers, and it will revolve around preparing ingredients, cutting or washing meat and vegetables, and performing basic cooking tasks such as boiling and frying. A kitchen assistant is also responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the kitchen, washing used materials, sanitizing utensils, organizing food inventory. Other tasks include unloading deliveries of food supplies and sorting the ingredients accordingly.
A line cook/dishwasher is primarily in charge of prepping food and maintaining their work station's cleanliness while adhering to health standards and protocols. Among their duties include washing and chopping vegetables, cutting meat according to requirements, preparing sauces, and cooking according to an executive chef's directives. They also participate in cleaning and sterilizing kitchen tools and equipment, monitoring the inventory of ingredients, unloading stock deliveries, and taking care of leftovers. Additionally, as a line cook/dishwasher, it is essential to maintain an open communication line with fellow kitchen staff for an efficient workflow.
Kitchen assistants and line cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Kitchen Assistant | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Average salary | $27,455 | $34,435 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $35,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | University of Massachusetts Boston | - |
| Best paying industry | Construction | - |
There are a few differences between a kitchen assistant and a line cook/dishwasher in terms of educational background:
| Kitchen Assistant | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between kitchen assistants' and line cook/dishwashers' demographics:
| Kitchen Assistant | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% | Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8% |
| 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, 8.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |