Prep cook vs prep chef

The differences between prep cooks and prep chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a prep cook, becoming a prep chef takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a prep cook has an average salary of $32,292, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.

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

Prep cook vs prep chef overview

	Prep Cook	Prep Chef
Yearly salary	$32,292	$25,941
Hourly rate	$15.53	$12.47
Growth rate	16%	15%
Number of jobs	168,265	52,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 48%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	38	42
Years of experience	4	6

Prep cook vs prep chef salary

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

	Prep Cook	Prep Chef
Average salary	$32,292	$25,941
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $17,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Kemps	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between prep cook and prep chef education

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

	Prep Cook	Prep Chef
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 48%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	Drexel University

Prep cook vs prep chef demographics

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

	Prep Cook	Prep Chef
Average age	38	42
Gender ratio	Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7%	Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9%
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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	9%

Differences between prep cook and prep chef 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.

Prep chef example responsibilities.

Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
Work using fryers, boilers, grill, ovens, steamers, mixers.
Instruct new employees in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation of food.
Maintain highest level of cleanliness and sanitation.
Maintain cleanliness of station, ensuring sanitary conditions.
Create and prepare international cuisine for executive clientele by using ingenuity, organization, efficiency in production and attention to detail

Prep cook vs prep chef skills

Common prep cook skills

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

Common prep chef skills

Kitchen Equipment, 33%
Dishes, 30%
Cleanliness, 18%
Food Service, 10%
Dinner Service, 2%
Prep List, 1%

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Prep Cook vs Prep Chef

Updated January 8, 2025

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