Line cook, prep cook vs grill cook

The differences between line cooks, prep cook and grill 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, prep cook and a grill cook. Additionally, a line cook, prep cook has an average salary of $32,982, which is higher than the $31,895 average annual salary of a grill cook.

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

Line cook, prep cook vs grill cook overview

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Grill Cook
Yearly salary	$32,982	$31,895
Hourly rate	$15.86	$15.33
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	164,756	184,603
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

What does a line cook, prep cook do?

A line cook/prep cook is responsible for assisting with food preparations, ensuring that all ingredients are readily available and stored safely. Line cook/prep cook tasks also include reviewing and updating menus to keep the customers' patronization. Their duties also include researching the current food industry trends, managing customers' inquiries, resolving serving complaints, monitoring food supplies and inventories, and complying with sanitary regulations. A line cook/prep cook must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills to perform various tasks under strict time demands and a fast-paced environment.

What does a grill cook do?

A grill cook's primary role is to take charge of grilling food in restaurants or a similar establishment. Aside from grilling different kinds of food, they are also responsible for the plating, ensuring that it looks presentable and mouth-watering. Moreover, grill cooks have other duties such as preparing supplies and ingredients, maintaining the cleanliness of the work area, and training new members of the workforce. It is also essential to coordinate with other restaurant staff at all times as the operations can be fast-paced and will require accuracy and speed.

Line cook, prep cook vs grill cook salary

Line cooks, prep cook and grill cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Grill Cook
Average salary	$32,982	$31,895
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $40,000	Between $25,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	WESTWOOD COUNTRY CLUB OF AUSTIN	St. Petersburg Yacht Club
Best paying industry	Retail	Hospitality

Differences between line cook, prep cook and grill cook education

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Grill Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Line cook, prep cook vs grill cook demographics

Here are the differences between line cooks, prep cook' and grill cooks' demographics:

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Grill Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%	Male, 76.9% Female, 23.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 9.1% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between line cook, prep cook and grill cook duties and responsibilities

Line cook, prep cook example responsibilities.

Manage the POS system (adding/deleting specials, editing prices, viewing server appetizer/dessert sales and their server report information).
Prepare cold foods, operate ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, and fryers.
Expedite orders while maintaining food being cook in ovens, griddles, stoves and fryers.
Observe and test foods to determine quality and safety by regulating temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and fryers.
Set up and break down for any catering parties or buffets.
Cook foods by baking, roasting, broiling, frying, steaming, grilling.

Grill cook example responsibilities.

Manage portions of grill food items and garnish them, regulate temperature of broilers, grills and roasters.
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Utilize for relief management, new hire training, inventory control and profitable aspects of people and service.
Maintain station clean food preparation areas; operate large volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep fryers, or griddles.
High-Pace business catering to the consumer needs using hospitality and culinary expertise to provide proper customer satisfaction.
Cook foods by baking, roasting, broiling, frying, saut? ing, steaming and grilling.

Line cook, prep cook vs grill cook skills

Common line cook, prep cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 25%
Food Handling, 11%
Culinary, 10%
Customer Service, 10%
Salad Station, 6%
Line Cooks, 6%

Common grill cook skills

Sanitation Standards, 16%
Kitchen Equipment, 14%
Safety Standards, 13%
Food Handling, 9%
Math, 7%
Dexterity, 5%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Line Cook, Prep Cook
Line Cook, Prep Cook vs Grill Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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