Pantry chef vs pastry cook

The differences between pantry chefs and pastry cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a pantry chef, becoming a pastry cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a pastry cook has an average salary of $34,858, 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 pastry cook are culinary, cleanliness, and food handling.

Pantry chef vs pastry cook overview

	Pantry Chef	Pastry Cook
Yearly salary	$31,766	$34,858
Hourly rate	$15.27	$16.76
Growth rate	15%	16%
Number of jobs	20,685	136,754
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	Associate Degree, 51%
Average age	42	38
Years of experience	6	4

Pantry chef vs pastry cook salary

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

	Pantry Chef	Pastry Cook
Average salary	$31,766	$34,858
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $47,000	Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Sailfish Club of Florida
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between pantry chef and pastry cook education

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

	Pantry Chef	Pastry Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	Associate Degree, 51%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	Stanford University	Cornell University

Pantry chef vs pastry cook demographics

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

	Pantry Chef	Pastry Cook
Average age	42	38
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 29.8% Female, 70.2%
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, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between pantry chef and pastry 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.

Pastry cook example responsibilities.

Manage cold kitchen production for a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant
Clean steamers, hot @ cold line.
Serve customers ordering at the bistro.
Work in dining room during Sunday brunch and buffets serving desserts.
Engage in meetings including an annual board presentation of USDA budget.
Focuse on maintaining budget while meeting USDA and BSA nutrition requirements.

Pantry chef vs pastry cook skills

Common pantry chef skills

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

Common pastry cook skills

Culinary, 17%
Cleanliness, 10%
Food Handling, 10%
Quality Standards, 7%
Fine Dining, 6%
Food Safety, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Pantry Chef
Pantry Chef vs Pastry Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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