Line cook, prep cook vs lead cook

The differences between line cooks, prep cook and lead 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 lead cook. Additionally, a lead cook has an average salary of $35,964, which is higher than the $32,982 average annual salary of a line cook, prep cook.

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

Line cook, prep cook vs lead cook overview

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Lead Cook
Yearly salary	$32,982	$35,964
Hourly rate	$15.86	$17.29
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	164,756	160,223
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	Associate Degree, 35%
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 lead cook do?

A lead cook, or lead line cook, is an individual restaurant employee who is in charge of supervising the chain of food preparation done by line cooks. Lead cooks work directly under head cooks or chefs who provide instructions in preparing meals. They are well-versed in the restaurant's food health and safety, such as regular hand washing, utensil sanitizing, and proper garbage disposal. To be a successful lead cook, they must obtain knowledge of various cooking techniques and be passionate about food.

Line cook, prep cook vs lead cook salary

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Lead Cook
Average salary	$32,982	$35,964
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	WESTWOOD COUNTRY CLUB OF AUSTIN	Freeport-McMoRan
Best paying industry	Retail	Health Care

Differences between line cook, prep cook and lead cook education

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Lead Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 43%	Associate Degree, 35%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Line cook, prep cook vs lead cook demographics

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

	Line Cook, Prep Cook	Lead Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%	Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4%
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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 9.4% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between line cook, prep cook and lead 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.

Lead cook example responsibilities.

Manage food expo; facilitate food temp logs; creation of menu specials; management and supervision of production staff
Manage inventory and purchasing of groceries.
Operate standard cooking equipment including slicers, food choppers, fryers, refrigerators, ovens and stoves.
Operate ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, turbo chefs, and fryers.
Use and clean commercial ovens, meat slicers, steamers, combination ovens and steam kettles.
Operate ovens, stoves, grills, microwaves, kettles, and tilt skillet.

Line cook, prep cook vs lead 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 lead cook skills

Customer Service, 14%
Food Handling, 14%
Culinary, 11%
Food Service, 11%
Kitchen Equipment, 7%
Math, 5%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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