Kitchen helper vs line cook/dishwasher

The differences between kitchen helpers 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 $25,796 average annual salary of a kitchen helper.

The top three skills for a kitchen helper include food handling, food service and wash dishes. The most important skills for a line cook/dishwasher are food handling, cleanliness, and dishwashers.

Kitchen helper vs line cook/dishwasher overview

	Kitchen Helper	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Yearly salary	$25,796	$34,435
Hourly rate	$12.40	$16.56
Growth rate	2%	16%
Number of jobs	80,202	133,370
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	37	38
Years of experience	-	4

What does a kitchen helper do?

Kitchen helpers perform various kitchen tasks in restaurants, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. Their duties and responsibilities include assisting cooks in the preparation of meal ingredients, helping other staff with unloading food items from delivery trucks, and washing and drying the utensils, dishes, and cookware. Kitchen helpers are also responsible for removing and replacing garbage bags and storing ingredients and food supplies in compliance with food safety standards. The requirements for this position may include a high school diploma, a license in food handling, and knowledge of food safety standards.

What does a line cook/dishwasher do?

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 helper vs line cook/dishwasher salary

Kitchen helpers and line cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Kitchen Helper	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Average salary	$25,796	$34,435
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $32,000	Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Saint Paul, MN	-
Highest paying state	Minnesota	-
Best paying company	Williams International	-
Best paying industry	Retail	-

Differences between kitchen helper and line cook/dishwasher education

There are a few differences between a kitchen helper and a line cook/dishwasher in terms of educational background:

	Kitchen Helper	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Business	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Kitchen helper vs line cook/dishwasher demographics

Here are the differences between kitchen helpers' and line cook/dishwashers' demographics:

	Kitchen Helper	Line Cook/Dishwasher
Average age	37	38
Gender ratio	Male, 53.3% Female, 46.7%	Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	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%

Differences between kitchen helper and line cook/dishwasher duties and responsibilities

Kitchen helper example responsibilities.

Experience on grill, broiler, slicers, fryers etc.
Cook food using servsafe guidelines.
Use of POS system and cash register.
Maintain multiple kitchens while following ServSafe and HACCP.
Be aware of certain allergies and avoid cross contamination.
Inquire about any allergies to the ingredients of the dishes.

Line cook/dishwasher example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Maintain superb conditions of all grills, fryers, prep areas, and work spaces in the kitchen.
Have to follow certain steps for battering prior to cooking, and use a timer for the fryers for fry.
Leverage teamwork to fully utilize kitchen staff to generate remarkable food and service to ensure customer satisfaction.
Operate dishwasher to fully sanitize incoming dishes and silverware.
Prepare food items with special attention to individual orders concerning allergies and temperatures.

Kitchen helper vs line cook/dishwasher skills

Common kitchen helper skills

Food Handling, 29%
Food Service, 22%
Wash Dishes, 10%
Cleanliness, 10%
Culinary, 8%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%

Common line cook/dishwasher skills

Food Handling, 35%
Cleanliness, 32%
Dishwashers, 25%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%
Culinary, 2%
Line Cooks, 1%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Kitchen Helper
Kitchen Helper vs Line Cook/Dishwasher

Updated January 8, 2025

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