Prep cook vs assistant cook

The differences between prep cooks and assistant 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 and an assistant cook. Additionally, an assistant cook has an average salary of $34,244, which is higher than the $32,292 average annual salary of a prep cook.

The top three skills for a prep cook include food handling, culinary and sanitation standards. The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Prep cook vs assistant cook overview

	Prep Cook	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$32,292	$34,244
Hourly rate	$15.53	$16.46
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	168,265	190,245
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 48%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Prep cook vs assistant cook salary

Prep cooks and assistant cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Prep Cook	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$32,292	$34,244
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Kemps	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Hospitality

Differences between prep cook and assistant cook education

There are a few differences between a prep cook and an assistant cook in terms of educational background:

	Prep Cook	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 48%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Prep cook vs assistant cook demographics

Here are the differences between prep cooks' and assistant cooks' demographics:

	Prep Cook	Assistant Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between prep cook and assistant cook duties and responsibilities

Prep cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Provide students with first-rate customer service and ensure correct time-temperature control of culinary dishes.
Learned and become CPR certify for emergencies.
Direct and ensure that HACCP procedures are follow.
Plan menu items as needed for caf or catering.
Earn first aid, CPR, and a certification.

Assistant cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Operate stoves, food processors, steamers, slices, ovens.
Ensure ovens and stoves are clean and ready for use.
Train new and current cooks on menu conversion, garnishing, and food presentation.
Prepare and deliver food trays to hospital patients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Supervise and maintain HACCP standards, training processes for cooks and monitor aspects of contract compliance.

Prep cook vs assistant cook skills

Common prep cook skills

Food Handling, 15%
Culinary, 15%
Sanitation Standards, 12%
Kitchen Equipment, 9%
Cleanliness, 7%
Team Work, 7%

Common assistant cook skills

Food Handling, 12%
Kitchen Equipment, 11%
Dishes, 9%
Food Service, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%

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Prep Cook vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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