Special diet cook vs prep cook

The differences between special diet cooks and prep 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 a prep cook. Additionally, a special diet cook has an average salary of $33,777, which is higher than the $32,292 average annual salary of a prep cook.

The top three skills for a special diet cook include food handling, food preparation and food safety. The most important skills for a prep cook are food handling, culinary, and sanitation standards.

Special diet cook vs prep cook overview

	Special Diet Cook	Prep Cook
Yearly salary	$33,777	$32,292
Hourly rate	$16.24	$15.53
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	85,543	168,265
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Special diet cook vs prep cook salary

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

	Special Diet Cook	Prep Cook
Average salary	$33,777	$32,292
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $45,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Bainbridge Island, WA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Washington
Best paying company	St Anthony of Padua High Ridge Catholic Church	Kemps
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between special diet cook and prep cook education

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

	Special Diet Cook	Prep Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Special diet cook vs prep cook demographics

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

	Special Diet Cook	Prep Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7%
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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between special diet cook and prep 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.

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.

Special diet cook vs prep cook skills

Common special diet cook skills

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

Common prep cook skills

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

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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