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The differences between lead line cooks and line 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 line chef takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead line cook has an average salary of $34,293, which is higher than the $26,651 average annual salary of a line chef.
The top three skills for a lead line cook include kitchen equipment, culinary and fine dining. The most important skills for a line chef are kitchen equipment, sanitation standards, and food handling.
| Lead Line Cook | Line Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $34,293 | $26,651 |
| Hourly rate | $16.49 | $12.81 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 173,672 | 144,227 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| 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.
Line Chefs are in charge of cooking or preparing meat, vegetables, soup, and other ingredients according to area guidelines. Their responsibilities include managing and supervising kitchen staff, coordinating with fellow chefs, replenishing supply inventories, and setting-up cooking areas, ensuring adequate and high-quality ingredients. Among their other usual tasks involve cutting vegetables and meat, preparing sauces, and resolving issues should any arise. Moreover, they must maintain their designated area's cleanliness, all while enforcing and adhering to the health and sanitation standards.
Lead line cooks and line chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Line Cook | Line Chef | |
| Average salary | $34,293 | $26,651 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $18,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kirkland, WA | Chicopee, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | Syracuse University |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Education |
There are a few differences between a lead line cook and a line chef in terms of educational background:
| Lead Line Cook | Line Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between lead line cooks' and line chefs' demographics:
| Lead Line Cook | Line Chef | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| 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, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |