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Lead line cook vs line cook/dishwasher

The differences between lead line cooks and line cook/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a lead line cook and a line cook/dishwasher. Additionally, a line cook/dishwasher has an average salary of $34,435, 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 line cook/dishwasher are food handling, cleanliness, and dishwashers.

Lead line cook vs line cook/dishwasher overview

Lead Line CookLine Cook/Dishwasher
Yearly salary$34,293$34,435
Hourly rate$16.49$16.56
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs173,672133,370
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 47%High School Diploma, 54%
Average age3838
Years of experience44

What does a lead line cook do?

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.

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.

Lead line cook vs line cook/dishwasher salary

Lead line cooks and line cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Lead Line CookLine Cook/Dishwasher
Average salary$34,293$34,435
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $45,000Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CityKirkland, WA-
Highest paying stateWashington-
Best paying companyThe Culinary Institute of America-
Best paying industryHospitality-

Differences between lead line cook and line cook/dishwasher education

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

Lead Line CookLine Cook/Dishwasher
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 47%High School Diploma, 54%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsCulinary Arts
Most common college--

Lead line cook vs line cook/dishwasher demographics

Here are the differences between lead line cooks' and line cook/dishwashers' demographics:

Lead Line CookLine Cook/Dishwasher
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 81.2% Female, 18.8%Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8%
Race ratioBlack 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, 8.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between lead line cook and line cook/dishwasher duties and responsibilities

Lead line cook example responsibilities.

  • Manage food expo; facilitate food temp logs; creation of menu specials; management and supervision of production staff
  • Skil in the preparation of a variety of culinary styles ranging from contemporary American cuisine to many international culinary styles.
  • Train and supervise many of the Spanish- speaking dishwashers to work effectively on the line.
  • Observe workers engage in preparing, portioning, and garnishing foods to ensure that standards are met.
  • Follow HACCP system, and practice safety and sanitation as well adhere to the company policies and regulations.
  • Produce HACCP forms and guidelines to have better awareness of quality of food being produce in the kitchen.
  • Show more

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.
  • Show more

Lead line cook vs line cook/dishwasher skills

Common lead line cook skills
  • Kitchen Equipment, 20%
  • Culinary, 11%
  • Fine Dining, 9%
  • Cleanliness, 8%
  • Food Handling, 8%
  • Customer Service, 7%
Common line cook/dishwasher skills
  • Food Handling, 35%
  • Cleanliness, 32%
  • Dishwashers, 25%
  • Kitchen Equipment, 3%
  • Culinary, 2%
  • Line Cooks, 1%

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