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The differences between lead line cooks and chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a lead line cook, becoming a chef takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a chef has an average salary of $46,824, which is higher than the $34,293 average annual salary of a lead line cook.
The top three skills for a lead line cook include kitchen equipment, culinary and fine dining. The most important skills for a chef are customer service, food handling, and culinary.
| Lead Line Cook | Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $34,293 | $46,824 |
| Hourly rate | $16.49 | $22.51 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 173,672 | 65,737 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Typically, lead line cooks work under the supervision of a chef or head cook in a kitchen. Leadline cooks oversee the food preparation process from start to end. Their duties include the supervision of kitchen staff, recruitment and training of new kitchen employees, and monitoring of food quality. They comply with the sanitation and nutrition regulations of food as well as their safety standards. They should be knowledgeable and have skills in food preparation, customer service, attention to detail, and communication.
A chef is the master of the kitchen--someone who is creative and innovative with food. Chefs are the pride and reputation of each restaurant or dining establishments. They make sure every meal served is fresh and oversees the kitchen operation. They also create recipes, study menus, and prepare significant-high-quality dishes that represent the restaurant. They say academic requirements aren't needed, but anyone who has a passion for food and cooking can be a chef.
Lead line cooks and chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Line Cook | Chef | |
| Average salary | $34,293 | $46,824 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $31,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kirkland, WA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | Bridgewater Associates |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a lead line cook and a chef in terms of educational background:
| Lead Line Cook | Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between lead line cooks' and chefs' demographics:
| Lead Line Cook | Chef | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 8.9% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 11.4% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |