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The differences between short order cooks and 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 short order cook, becoming a chef takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a chef has an average salary of $46,824, which is higher than the $30,734 average annual salary of a short order cook.
The top three skills for a short order cook include food handling, customer service and food preparation equipment. The most important skills for a chef are customer service, food handling, and culinary.
| Short Order Cook | Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $30,734 | $46,824 |
| Hourly rate | $14.78 | $22.51 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 176,187 | 65,737 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A short-order cook takes responsibility for preparing foods in cafes and restaurants. Usually, they fry eggs, cook fries, and prepare sandwiches. Short order cooks work alongside line chefs in the foodservice market. Their manner of preparing food is quick, easy, and simple. They plan and handle work orders ensuring that all orders are complete and served on time. Strong communication, customer service, a good sense of taste, and the ability to work efficiently are necessary requirements for the job.
A chef is the master of the kitchen--someone who is creative and innovative with food. Chefs are the pride and reputation of each restaurant or dining establishments. They make sure every meal served is fresh and oversees the kitchen operation. They also create recipes, study menus, and prepare significant-high-quality dishes that represent the restaurant. They say academic requirements aren't needed, but anyone who has a passion for food and cooking can be a chef.
Short order cooks and chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Short Order Cook | Chef | |
| Average salary | $30,734 | $46,824 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $38,000 | Between $31,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anaheim, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Bridgewater Associates |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a short order cook and a chef in terms of educational background:
| Short Order Cook | Chef | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between short order cooks' and chefs' demographics:
| Short Order Cook | Chef | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% | Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 8.1% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 11.4% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |