Pantry chef vs head cook

The differences between pantry 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 pantry chef and a head cook. Additionally, a head cook has an average salary of $44,412, 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 cook are kitchen equipment, meal preparation, and food service.

Pantry chef vs head cook overview

	Pantry Chef	Head Cook
Yearly salary	$31,766	$44,412
Hourly rate	$15.27	$21.35
Growth rate	15%	15%
Number of jobs	20,685	156,227
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Pantry chef vs head cook salary

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

	Pantry Chef	Head Cook
Average salary	$31,766	$44,412
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $47,000	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 pantry chef and head cook education

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

	Pantry Chef	Head Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Pantry chef vs head cook demographics

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

	Pantry Chef	Head Cook
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 63.5% Female, 36.5%
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, 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 pantry chef and head cook 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 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.

Pantry chef vs head cook skills

Common pantry chef skills

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

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
Pantry Chef
Pantry Chef vs Head Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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