What is a chef?

Chefs create recipes and prepare dishes in various settings, including restaurants and catering services. They have advanced culinary skills, often gained through formal training, and may serve as managers. Chefs typically have creative control over the menu and food presentation.

The term “chef” is a category of kitchen positions within the kitchen brigade system. Chefs have responsibilities and levels of authority based on their title and rank. Smaller kitchens may only have one or two chefs, while larger restaurants may employ several. Common types of chefs include:

• Executive chef: The executive chef is the highest-ranking chef. They oversee the kitchen and may handle menu planning, budgeting and cooking duties.
• Sous chef: A sous chef works closely with the executive chef. This person may act as an assistant manager within the kitchen. They generally supervise lower-ranking chefs, cooks and other kitchen staff members. Sous chefs may also create menu items.
• Senior chef: Sometimes called the chef de partie, a senior chef often manages a particular station or section of the kitchen. They work with the cooks within that area to complete specific dishes.
• Specialty chefs: Some chefs specialize in a specific type of food. They’re responsible for all menu items within that category. For example, a pastry chef, or patissier, handles baked goods, and a saucier, or sauce chef, makes sauces, gravies, soups, stews and sautéed foods. Other specialty roles may include fish, roast, grill, vegetable and pantry chefs.

What is a cook?

A cook in a commercial kitchen performs the hands-on duties of preparing and cooking the food. They carry out the recipes created by the chefs in the kitchen. The two main types of cooks are prep cooks and line cooks. Not all restaurants differentiate or have multiple cooks. In those kitchens, a single cook may handle the prep work and cooking.

A prep cook gets the ingredients ready before they’re needed. They perform their duties before customers order their meals to speed up the cooking process. Specific tasks include:

• Washing produce
• Peeling produce
• Chopping various ingredients
• Measuring ingredients per recipes
• Stocking ingredients
• Labeling ingredients
• Parboiling ingredients
• Preparing sauces and dressings

From there, the line cook takes over to cook meals for orders placed by customers. They use the ingredients the prep cook organized to prepare the meals. Some of their job duties include:

• Cooking food per recipes and customer preferences
• Seasoning food
• Plating menu items
• Accommodating allergies and other dietary restrictions
• Communicating with kitchen staff to coordinate the completion of an order

Similarities between chefs and cooks

Chefs and cooks work in all types of food service establishments and participate in cooking and meal prep. These positions often work closely during meal shifts. Chefs and cooks are both essential for producing high-quality foods and keeping customers satisfied. While the seniority of the position might vary, both cooks and chefs must maintain high standards for handling and cooking food to ensure the meals positively represent your establishment.

Differences between a chef and a cook

Looking at the differences between a chef and a cook can help you determine which role to fill. The positions differ in the following areas.

Experience

Culinary school isn’t typically a requirement for either position, but jobseekers hired for chef positions typically have previous culinary experience from attending culinary school or cooking in a restaurant. Cooks may be hired with little to no cooking experience.

Employees can begin as entry-level cooks and gain on-the-job skills and experience. From there, they can progress through the kitchen to roles with higher expectations and specialties. Chefs may take a similar approach, starting as a specialty chef and working up to an executive chef role.

Pay

The average pay rate for a cook is $16.05 per hour, according to Indeed Salaries. Chefs make an average of $19.12 per hour, but the specific earnings vary based on the type of chef you hire. For example, executive chefs average $80,075 per year, while sous chefs earn $61,781 per year on average.

Managerial responsibility

Cooks complete specific cooking tasks, but they don’t generally supervise employees. In some restaurants, experienced cooks might oversee other cooks or kitchen assistants. However, their duties are usually limited to supervising, training and giving directions for specific tasks.

Chefs typically work in managerial roles. They have some degree of control over the kitchen’s operations and may supervise team members. Executive chefs typically manage the entire kitchen.

Day-to-day duties

Cooks complete the hands-on cooking tasks and focus on details. Chefs tend to be the creative inspiration in the kitchen. The highest-ranking chef in the kitchen might also have duties outside the kitchen. They might create the schedule, control food costs and develop new recipes.

Chef vs. cook: Which should you hire?

You may also need to consider other factors when choosing between a chef vs. a cook. If you need additional help deciding, these tips may help.

Factors to consider

When comparing chefs vs. cooks for your upcoming hire, consider the following:

• Current kitchen staffing: Look at the current roles within your kitchen to identify areas for improvement. Determine if you need someone to handle specific responsibilities, such as creating a new menu or managing the kitchen. You might also look for staffing shortages to determine which positions you need to fill.
• Restaurant goals: Your goals for your culinary business affect which type of kitchen staff members you need. For example, if you want to transition to a fine dining experience or improve the creativity of your menu, a chef can help you achieve those goals.
• Necessary level of expertise: Another consideration is how much culinary experience you want. If you’re looking for a leader in the kitchen who can share their expertise with the staff, consider hiring an executive chef. Jobseekers looking for cook positions often have little to no experience and may require more on-the-job training.

When to hire a chef

When you’re ready to expand your kitchen staff, you might hire a chef in these scenarios:

• Your restaurant is growing, and you need a larger staff.
• You want to expand from one chef to a hierarchy of multiple chefs.
• You want to hand over menu planning and kitchen management to someone else.
• You run an upscale restaurant that requires a refined menu.
• You’re looking for more creativity in your menu items.

When to hire a cook

Hiring a cook typically works well in these situations:

• You have key chef positions filled and need more cooks to handle food preparation.
• You run a small restaurant or food truck with limited menu options.
• You’re starting your restaurant and plan to expand your kitchen staff over time.

FAQs about chefs vs. cooks

Can a cook become a chef?

A cook can become a chef over time. Many people start in the restaurant industry as cooks, gaining skills and working through the ranks. If you hire a cook, they could handle your immediate food preparation needs and grow into a chef role as you expand.

Who oversees cooks and chefs?

In the kitchen hierarchy, higher-ranking cooks and chefs typically supervise those below them. A head cook might oversee line cooks, prep cooks and kitchen porters. A specialty chef might oversee the head cook in that area along with everyone below them. The executive chef is typically the lead in the kitchen and answers to the restaurant owner or general manager.