Line cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook

The differences between line cook/dishwashers and assistant 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 line cook/dishwasher and an assistant cook. Additionally, a line cook/dishwasher has an average salary of $34,435, which is higher than the $34,244 average annual salary of an assistant cook.

The top three skills for a line cook/dishwasher include food handling, cleanliness and dishwashers. The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Line cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook overview

	Line Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$34,435	$34,244
Hourly rate	$16.56	$16.46
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	133,370	190,245
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 54%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Line cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook salary

Line cook/dishwashers and assistant cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Line Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$34,435	$34,244
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $44,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between line cook/dishwasher and assistant cook education

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

	Line Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 54%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Line cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook demographics

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

	Line Cook/Dishwasher	Assistant Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

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

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.

Assistant cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Operate stoves, food processors, steamers, slices, ovens.
Ensure ovens and stoves are clean and ready for use.
Train new and current cooks on menu conversion, garnishing, and food presentation.
Prepare and deliver food trays to hospital patients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Supervise and maintain HACCP standards, training processes for cooks and monitor aspects of contract compliance.

Line cook/dishwasher vs assistant cook skills

Common line cook/dishwasher skills

Food Handling, 35%
Cleanliness, 32%
Dishwashers, 25%
Kitchen Equipment, 3%
Culinary, 2%
Line Cooks, 1%

Common assistant cook skills

Food Handling, 12%
Kitchen Equipment, 11%
Dishes, 9%
Food Service, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Line Cook/Dishwasher
Line Cook/Dishwasher vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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