Lead line cook vs prep cook

The differences between lead line cooks and prep cooks 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 prep cook. Additionally, a lead line cook has an average salary of $34,293, which is higher than the $32,292 average annual salary of a prep cook.

The top three skills for a lead line cook include kitchen equipment, culinary and fine dining. The most important skills for a prep cook are food handling, culinary, and sanitation standards.

Lead line cook vs prep cook overview

	Lead Line Cook	Prep Cook
Yearly salary	$34,293	$32,292
Hourly rate	$16.49	$15.53
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	173,672	168,265
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 47%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

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 prep cook do?

Prep cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients. They are usually part of an assembly line-like structure in the kitchen. They are often the first station in this assembly line. Prep cooks are in charge of thawing, skinning, cutting, mincing, slicing, and chopping ingredients so that the line cooks can just get these ingredients for their own stations. Prep cooks may also start doing some of the initial activities in the cooking process, such as preparing water for boiling, laying out ingredients, and ensuring that the stoves are clear.

Lead line cook vs prep cook salary

Lead line cooks and prep cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Lead Line Cook	Prep Cook
Average salary	$34,293	$32,292
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $45,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Kirkland, WA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	The Culinary Institute of America	Kemps
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Manufacturing

Differences between lead line cook and prep cook education

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

	Lead Line Cook	Prep Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 47%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Lead line cook vs prep cook demographics

Here are the differences between lead line cooks' and prep cooks' demographics:

	Lead Line Cook	Prep Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 81.2% Female, 18.8%	Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7%
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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between lead line cook and prep cook 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.

Prep cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Provide students with first-rate customer service and ensure correct time-temperature control of culinary dishes.
Learned and become CPR certify for emergencies.
Direct and ensure that HACCP procedures are follow.
Plan menu items as needed for caf or catering.
Earn first aid, CPR, and a certification.

Lead line cook vs prep cook skills

Common lead line cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 20%
Culinary, 11%
Fine Dining, 9%
Cleanliness, 8%
Food Handling, 8%
Customer Service, 7%

Common prep cook skills

Food Handling, 15%
Culinary, 15%
Sanitation Standards, 12%
Kitchen Equipment, 9%
Cleanliness, 7%
Team Work, 7%

Lead Line Cook vs. similar jobs

Lead Line Cook related careers

Lead Line Cook related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Lead Line Cook
Lead Line Cook vs Prep Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs