Special diet cook vs assistant cook

The differences between special diet 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 special diet cook and an assistant cook. Additionally, an assistant cook has an average salary of $34,244, which is higher than the $33,777 average annual salary of a special diet cook.

The top three skills for a special diet cook include food handling, food preparation and food safety. The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Special diet cook vs assistant cook overview

	Special Diet Cook	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$33,777	$34,244
Hourly rate	$16.24	$16.46
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	85,543	190,245
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Special diet cook vs assistant cook salary

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

	Special Diet Cook	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$33,777	$34,244
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $45,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Bainbridge Island, WA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	California
Best paying company	St Anthony of Padua High Ridge Catholic Church	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between special diet cook and assistant cook education

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

	Special Diet Cook	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Special diet cook vs assistant cook demographics

Here are the differences between special diet cooks' and assistant cooks' demographics:

	Special Diet Cook	Assistant Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 8.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	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 special diet cook and assistant cook duties and responsibilities

Special diet cook example responsibilities.

Coordinate with in-house & outside counsel, practice development
Prep individual food plates for children with allergies, intolerances, and special diets.
Prepare three meals daily for individuals with dietary restrictionsKeep organize lists of all dietary restrictions and allergies.
Cook with convection oven, large tilt skillets, flat grills, fryers, large chef knives, and measuring utensils.
Learned successful techniques for operating a small business including leadership skills, time-management skills, and decision-making skills.
puree, soft, normal, no dairy, etc.

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.

Special diet cook vs assistant cook skills

Common special diet cook skills

Food Handling, 41%
Food Preparation, 35%
Food Safety, 20%
Allergies, 4%

Common assistant cook skills

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

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Special Diet Cook
Special Diet Cook vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

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