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The differences between prep cook/dishwashers and lead cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a prep cook/dishwasher and a lead cook. Additionally, a lead cook has an average salary of $35,964, which is higher than the $31,687 average annual salary of a prep cook/dishwasher.
The top three skills for a prep cook/dishwasher include wash dishes, food preparation equipment and dishwashers. The most important skills for a lead cook are customer service, food handling, and culinary.
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | Lead Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $31,687 | $35,964 |
| Hourly rate | $15.23 | $17.29 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 126,351 | 160,223 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 57% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A prep cook and dishwasher is responsible for cleaning and sanitizing kitchen items and utensils, and performing basic cooking tasks under the supervision of chefs or cooks. It is also their responsibility to prepare ingredients by washing, chopping, weighing, and ensuring that they are the correct quantity and quality. Furthermore, a prep cook and dishwasher may also have to maintain cleanliness in the kitchen, clear tables, monitor inventory of ingredients in storage, coordinate with the kitchen staff, and meet all health standards and policies.
A lead cook, or lead line cook, is an individual restaurant employee who is in charge of supervising the chain of food preparation done by line cooks. Lead cooks work directly under head cooks or chefs who provide instructions in preparing meals. They are well-versed in the restaurant's food health and safety, such as regular hand washing, utensil sanitizing, and proper garbage disposal. To be a successful lead cook, they must obtain knowledge of various cooking techniques and be passionate about food.
Prep cook/dishwashers and lead cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | Lead Cook | |
| Average salary | $31,687 | $35,964 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Seattle Seahawks | Freeport-McMoRan |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a prep cook/dishwasher and a lead cook in terms of educational background:
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | Lead Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 57% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between prep cook/dishwashers' and lead cooks' demographics:
| Prep Cook/Dishwasher | Lead Cook | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.1% Female, 19.9% | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 9.4% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |