Specialty cook vs prep cook

The differences between specialty 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 specialty cook and a prep cook. Additionally, a specialty cook has an average salary of $33,829, which is higher than the $32,292 average annual salary of a prep cook.

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

Specialty cook vs prep cook overview

	Specialty Cook	Prep Cook
Yearly salary	$33,829	$32,292
Hourly rate	$16.26	$15.53
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	141,369	168,265
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Specialty cook vs prep cook salary

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

	Specialty Cook	Prep Cook
Average salary	$33,829	$32,292
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Washington
Best paying company	Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics	Kemps
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Manufacturing

Differences between specialty cook and prep cook education

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

	Specialty Cook	Prep Cook
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Specialty cook vs prep cook demographics

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

	Specialty Cook	Prep Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 77.4% Female, 22.6%	Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 9.0% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	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 specialty cook and prep cook duties and responsibilities

Specialty cook example responsibilities.

Work grill, saut, & expediter stations.
Complete culinary tasks using various cooking methods and techniques/ very good knife handling skills.
Work all stations, saut, grill, pantry, fryer, breakfast, in upscale American bistro.
Maintain cleanliness and a sanitary environment within kitchen area to meet all health and safety requirements.
Unload and store groceries and supplies.
Maintain balance inventories of groceries and supplies.

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.

Specialty cook vs prep cook skills

Common specialty cook skills

Food Handling, 23%
Culinary, 16%
Kitchen Equipment, 16%
Cuisine, 12%
Food Quality, 7%
Fine Dining, 5%

Common prep cook skills

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

Specialty Cook vs. similar jobs

Specialty Cook related careers

Specialty Cook related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Specialty Cook
Specialty Cook vs Prep Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs