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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 | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Yearly salary | $34,293 | $34,435 |
| Hourly rate | $16.49 | $16.56 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 173,672 | 133,370 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 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 cooks and line cook/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Line Cook | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Average salary | $34,293 | $34,435 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kirkland, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | - |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a lead line cook and a line cook/dishwasher in terms of educational background:
| Lead Line Cook | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | High School Diploma, 54% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead line cooks' and line cook/dishwashers' demographics:
| Lead Line Cook | Line Cook/Dishwasher | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8% | Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8% |
| 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, 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% |