Line cook, prep cook vs kitchen cook

The differences between line cooks, prep cook and kitchen 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 kitchen cook. Additionally, a line cook, prep cook has an average salary of $32,982, which is higher than the $31,452 average annual salary of a kitchen cook.

The top three skills for a line cook, prep cook include kitchen equipment, food handling and culinary. The most important skills for a kitchen cook are dishes, food handling, and cleanliness.

Line cook, prep cook vs kitchen cook overview

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Kitchen Cook
Yearly salary	$32,982	$31,452
Hourly rate	$15.86	$15.12
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	164,756	250,354
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 44%
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 kitchen cook do?

A kitchen cook prepares food for customers. Kitchen cooks help devise new menu items and methods of cooking. Their duties are to prepare food before the arrival of guests, manage employees in the kitchen, and season food according to recipe needs. They assist other cooks during the food assembly process, estimate food consumption, and organize preparation. They keep records and accounts of food purchases, prepare any necessary sauce before the meal service begins, and so on. As kitchen cooks, they must excel in organizational skills, verbal communication, culinary arts, and kitchen equipment. They should be equipped with knowledge of international cuisines, butchering, and basic computational skills.

Line cook, prep cook vs kitchen cook salary

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Kitchen Cook
Average salary	$32,982	$31,452
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $40,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Washington	Massachusetts
Best paying company	WESTWOOD COUNTRY CLUB OF AUSTIN	Hilltop Ski Area
Best paying industry	Retail	Retail

Differences between line cook, prep cook and kitchen cook education

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Kitchen Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 44%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Business
Most common college	-	-

Line cook, prep cook vs kitchen cook demographics

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Kitchen Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%	Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2%
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, 8.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 9.1% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between line cook, prep cook and kitchen 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.

Kitchen cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Inspect clean and utilize ovens, grills, fryers, mixers, etc.
Experience on grills, fryers, knife handling and slicers.
Experience with fryers, weigh machines, slicers and other similarities.
Used electric ovens and electric stoves.
Regulate temperature of ovens, broilers, grills, and roasters.

Line cook, prep cook vs kitchen 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 kitchen cook skills

Dishes, 13%
Food Handling, 11%
Cleanliness, 8%
Math, 8%
Basic Math, 8%
Culinary, 7%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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