Master chef vs head cook

The differences between master chefs and head cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a master chef and a head cook. Additionally, a head cook has an average salary of $44,412, which is higher than the $42,525 average annual salary of a master chef.

The top three skills for a master chef include dinner service, food products and cuisine. The most important skills for a head cook are kitchen equipment, meal preparation, and food service.

Master chef vs head cook overview

	Master Chef	Head Cook
Yearly salary	$42,525	$44,412
Hourly rate	$20.44	$21.35
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	26,517	156,227
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Master chef vs head cook salary

Master chefs and head cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Master Chef	Head Cook
Average salary	$42,525	$44,412
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $68,000	Between $32,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	-	San Antonio, TX
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between master chef and head cook education

There are a few differences between a master chef and a head cook in terms of educational background:

	Master Chef	Head Cook
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Drexel University	Stanford University

Master chef vs head cook demographics

Here are the differences between master chefs' and head cooks' demographics:

	Master Chef	Head Cook
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2%	Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 12.4% White, 53.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 10.3% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between master chef and head cook duties and responsibilities

Master chef example responsibilities.

Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
Serve American traditional cuisine in a family, shared-plate orientation while providing excellent customer service and mingling with high priority customers.
Specialize in Italian, Mediterranean and French/Classical bistro establishments.

Head cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Accommodate all campers and staff with dietary restrictions, food allergies as well as providing vegetarian and vegan options.
Follow all equipment and safety procedures in all operations including slicers, choppers, mixers and other meal processing equipment.
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Scramble eggs, sausage, potatoes, biscits and gravy.
Create and execute menus for the buffets.

Master chef vs head cook skills

Common master chef skills

Dinner Service, 32%
Food Products, 24%
Cuisine, 24%
Food Service, 12%
BBQ, 9%

Common head cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 41%
Meal Preparation, 15%
Food Service, 7%
Food Preparation, 3%
Quality Standards, 3%
Safety Standards, 2%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Master Chef
Master Chef vs Head Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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