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The differences between line chefs and assistant chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a line chef and an assistant chef. Additionally, an assistant chef has an average salary of $37,670, which is higher than the $26,651 average annual salary of a line chef.
The top three skills for a line chef include kitchen equipment, sanitation standards and food handling. The most important skills for an assistant chef are kitchen equipment, safety standards, and culinary.
| Line Chef | Assistant Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $26,651 | $37,670 |
| Hourly rate | $12.81 | $18.11 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 144,227 | 18,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
It is the responsibility of an assistant chef to support the head chef of a catering business, restaurant, cafeteria, or bakery. Assistant chefs manage inventory and ensure compliance with food safety and kitchen cleanliness standards. They assist kitchen staff in the preparation of food. To get this job, one must be trained in a culinary school, have the needed cooking skills, and must have kitchen work experience. Strong teamwork ability and flexibility to work schedule are necessary for this job.
Line chefs and assistant chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Line Chef | Assistant Chef | |
| Average salary | $26,651 | $37,670 |
| Salary range | Between $18,000 And $37,000 | Between $22,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicopee, MA | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Syracuse University | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research |
| Best paying industry | Education | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a line chef and an assistant chef in terms of educational background:
| Line Chef | Assistant Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between line chefs' and assistant chefs' demographics:
| Line Chef | Assistant Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 11.0% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |