Pantry chef vs head chef

The differences between pantry chefs and head chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a pantry chef and a head chef. Additionally, a head chef has an average salary of $45,470, which is higher than the $31,766 average annual salary of a pantry chef.

The top three skills for a pantry chef include salad dressings, kitchen equipment and fine dining. The most important skills for a head chef are kitchen operations, culinary, and dinner service.

Pantry chef vs head chef overview

	Pantry Chef	Head Chef
Yearly salary	$31,766	$45,470
Hourly rate	$15.27	$21.86
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	20,685	27,331
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	Associate Degree, 43%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Pantry chef vs head chef salary

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

	Pantry Chef	Head Chef
Average salary	$31,766	$45,470
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $47,000	Between $28,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	-	Wellesley, MA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between pantry chef and head chef education

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

	Pantry Chef	Head Chef
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	Associate Degree, 43%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Stanford University	Drexel University

Pantry chef vs head chef demographics

Here are the differences between pantry chefs' and head chefs' demographics:

	Pantry Chef	Head Chef
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 10.3% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between pantry chef and head chef duties and responsibilities

Pantry chef example responsibilities.

Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
Table decorating, garnishing meals and platters.
Use FIFO method of product freshness and storage.
Prepare all types of foods, soups and salads for buffets.
Store all items properly, rotating to ensure adherents to FIFO rule.
Prepare for evening buffets as requested as well as setting up food displays.

Head chef example responsibilities.

Hire, train, and manage a staff of cooks, also train servers and cross train dishwashers.
Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Supervise, coordinate and direct all culinary activities within the food service department.
Work manned omelet and brunch stations in dining room.
Develop HACCP plans for every fresh item carry on premises.
Assist with setup and break down of equipment for parties, meetings and brunch.

Pantry chef vs head chef skills

Common pantry chef skills

Salad Dressings, 40%
Kitchen Equipment, 25%
Fine Dining, 5%
Food Preparation, 4%
Dishwashers, 3%
Dinner Service, 2%

Common head chef skills

Kitchen Operations, 27%
Culinary, 9%
Dinner Service, 6%
Food Service, 5%
Cuisine, 3%
Safety Standards, 3%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Pantry Chef
Pantry Chef vs Head Chef

Updated January 8, 2025

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