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The differences between pastry chef assistants and assistant 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 pastry chef assistant and an assistant chef. Additionally, a pastry chef assistant has an average salary of $42,896, which is higher than the $37,670 average annual salary of an assistant chef.
The top three skills for a pastry chef assistant include kitchen equipment, customer service and culinary. The most important skills for an assistant chef are kitchen equipment, safety standards, and culinary.
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Assistant Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $37,670 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $18.11 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 19,000 | 18,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Typically, a pastry chef assistant provides help in the daily operations of the pastry kitchen or bakery. Assistant chefs work with the head baker and schedule and supervise kitchen staff and other pastry chefs in their day-to-day tasks. The chefs ensure the availability of all ingredients for the preparation of pastries and any other desserts. Their responsibilities involve the maintenance of food item inventory, handling safe refrigerated and non-refrigerated item storage, and rotating stock.
It is the responsibility of an assistant chef to support the head chef of a catering business, restaurant, cafeteria, or bakery. Assistant chefs manage inventory and ensure compliance with food safety and kitchen cleanliness standards. They assist kitchen staff in the preparation of food. To get this job, one must be trained in a culinary school, have the needed cooking skills, and must have kitchen work experience. Strong teamwork ability and flexibility to work schedule are necessary for this job.
Pastry chef assistants and assistant chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Assistant Chef | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $37,670 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $66,000 | Between $22,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Atlantic City, NJ | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Catholic Health East | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a pastry chef assistant and an assistant chef in terms of educational background:
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Assistant Chef | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between pastry chef assistants' and assistant chefs' demographics:
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Assistant Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 51.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 11.0% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |