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The differences between pastry chef assistants and line 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 a line chef. Additionally, a pastry chef assistant has an average salary of $42,896, which is higher than the $26,651 average annual salary of a line chef.
The top three skills for a pastry chef assistant include kitchen equipment, customer service and culinary. The most important skills for a line chef are kitchen equipment, sanitation standards, and food handling.
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Line Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $26,651 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $12.81 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 19,000 | 144,227 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| 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.
Line Chefs are in charge of cooking or preparing meat, vegetables, soup, and other ingredients according to area guidelines. Their responsibilities include managing and supervising kitchen staff, coordinating with fellow chefs, replenishing supply inventories, and setting-up cooking areas, ensuring adequate and high-quality ingredients. Among their other usual tasks involve cutting vegetables and meat, preparing sauces, and resolving issues should any arise. Moreover, they must maintain their designated area's cleanliness, all while enforcing and adhering to the health and sanitation standards.
Pastry chef assistants and line chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Line Chef | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $26,651 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $66,000 | Between $18,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Atlantic City, NJ | Chicopee, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Catholic Health East | Syracuse University |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Education |
There are a few differences between a pastry chef assistant and a line chef in terms of educational background:
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Line Chef | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between pastry chef assistants' and line chefs' demographics:
| Pastry Chef Assistant | Line Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |