Vegetable cook vs assistant cook

The differences between vegetable 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 vegetable cook and an assistant cook. Additionally, an assistant cook has an average salary of $34,244, which is higher than the $33,106 average annual salary of a vegetable cook.

The top three skills for a vegetable cook include kitchen equipment, mix ingredients and . The most important skills for an assistant cook are food handling, kitchen equipment, and dishes.

Vegetable cook vs assistant cook overview

	Vegetable Cook	Assistant Cook
Yearly salary	$33,106	$34,244
Hourly rate	$15.92	$16.46
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	131,119	190,245
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	4	4

Vegetable cook vs assistant cook salary

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

	Vegetable Cook	Assistant Cook
Average salary	$33,106	$34,244
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $48,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between vegetable cook and assistant cook education

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

	Vegetable Cook	Assistant Cook
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Vegetable cook vs assistant cook demographics

Here are the differences between vegetable cooks' and assistant cooks' demographics:

	Vegetable Cook	Assistant Cook
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8%	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 9.4% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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 vegetable cook and assistant cook duties and responsibilities

Vegetable cook example responsibilities.

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Operate HMI on cookers, mixers, shredders, pumps, and blanchers.
Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Maintain and follow proper hygiene and sanitation standards.

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.

Vegetable cook vs assistant cook skills

Common vegetable cook skills

Kitchen Equipment, 87%
Mix Ingredients, 13%

Common assistant cook skills

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

Vegetable Cook vs. similar jobs

Vegetable Cook related careers

Vegetable Cook related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Vegetable Cook
Vegetable Cook vs Assistant Cook

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs