Chef Vs. Cook: What’s The Difference?

The terms chef and cook are often used interchangeably in the vernacular, but they don’t actually mean the same thing. There is indeed a lot of overlap between the two positions, which can lead to confusion. After all, both prepare food for a living; both work in a kitchen; both are skilled in the culinary arts.

However, their exact duties and responsibilities vary a great deal. And, as with most of these types of distinctions, the main difference between the two is training and education.

Cooks are the ones who do most of the day-to-day cooking. They generally have a specialty – particularly if they’re a line cook – that they work on during the workday.

However, while chefs do cook, it isn’t their main responsibility. They create new recipes, make sure the kitchen is run properly, and handle managerial duties like scheduling and ordering supplies.

Key Takeaways:

Choose From 10+ Customizable Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use resume templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

Use This Template

What Is a Chef?

A chef is a highly trained culinary artist. The majority of chefs have a culinary degree, along with experience in an apprenticeship. This is often equivalent to a residency for a medical student; the aspiring chef will work in a kitchen to gain real-world experience while they finish up their education.

Chefs have other responsibilities in an eatery besides cooking. They’re the ones who are responsible for coming up with recipes for the cooks to follow as well as menu options that will draw in customers. They also take care of scheduling and making sure the kitchen and restaurant are properly stocked.

Some of your duties will depend on the type of chef you end up being. Chefs can specialize if they wish, and of course, there’s also the possibility for advancement.

• Chef de Partie. Also called station chefs, people with this title run individual stations in the kitchen. Stations include, but aren’t limited to, sauce making, fish or seafood preparation, roasting, grilling, pastry making, and swing (a jack of all traces which can fill in when needed).

  The chef de partie is usually under a head chef but will likely create recipes for their own station (with the approval of the chef in charge.) They’re also responsible for making sure that their part of the kitchen runs smoothly and is properly supplied.

• Sous Chef. This role is the second in command in the kitchen. Sous chefs run the kitchen in the top chef’s absence and will fill in roles when needed. They help prepare food and supervise the day-to-day operations.

• Chef de Cuisine. This is the title of the head chef. They run the kitchen’s operations, making sure that cleanliness and preparatory standards are followed. Their duties also include assuring that the kitchen has the supplies they need. They’ll also update and create menu options, often with the aid of a restaurant manager.

• Executive Chef. Someone in this role has moved past chef de cuisine. Executive chefs typically manage more than one location or have delved fully into the business side of running a restaurant. This isn’t a role that’s just stepped into – executive chefs typically have years of experience under their belts.

These role titles are said to have been taken from different cooking guilds in France, which is why we still use the French terms for them to this day. Chef translates more directly to “head” or “leader” than cook, despite how it’s used in English. So, a chef de cuisine is the boss of the kitchen.

What Is a Cook?

A cook is also a highly skilled culinary professional. However, they aren’t required to have a culinary education. Many cooks will step right into a job in the kitchen and will be trained while they work.

Unlike a chef, cooks are usually assigned a particular part of the cooking process. This means that they get excellent at cooking the same thing over and over again. That’s not the only role a cook has, of course, and it’s dependent on the restaurant or kitchen that they work in.

The main difference between the two is that cooks follow recipes rather than create them. A cook’s job is much less creative than a chef’s. They make the same types of food repeatedly, following a recipe that’s given to them. This means that their job is less varied than a chef’s, but they’re equally essential to keeping the kitchen up and running.

Like chefs, there are several different types of cooks.

• Stagiaires. This is an entry-level position. Stagiaires are still learning either in an apprenticeship program or have just finished a culinary education.

• Kitchen Porters. Despite sounding like they carry things, kitchen porters are a type of cook. Most of their duties involve prep work, like cleaning and chopping vegetables. Someone in this role may have some training or education and be working their way up, or they may just be starting out.

• Commis. Also called junior cooks, this is essentially an assistant position, as they help out the line cook with their section. Commis are being taught to do the line cook’s job, so it’s also a training position. Some have prior culinary training, but it’s not a requirement.

• Line Cooks. The name comes from the idea that they run a specific part of “the line.” This role will require you to prepare a certain type of food over and over again. Line cooks are specialists, and this will become their daily routine.

• Short Order Cooks. Typically only found in small kitchens or eateries, short-order cooks are specialists in cooking simple dishes quickly. They often have duties beyond just preparing food – such as cleaning and sorting – as small establishments have limited staff.

Unlike chefs, cooks don’t only work in restaurants or for private patrons. Cooks are also employed in hospitals, prisons, schools, and cafeterias.

Chef vs. Cook FAQ

1. What are the functions of a chef or cook?

   The main functions of both a cook and chef are professionally preparing food for others. Chefs have additional responsibilities and duties that involve managing and running the kitchen, while cooks are focused entirely on the food preparation itself.

2. When do cooks consider themselves a chef?

   There really isn’t a time that a cook can consider him or herself a chef. Chef is a specific title, so you either are or aren’t one. Chefs have gone through schooling and/or an apprenticeship and have more managerial responsibilities than cooks do.

3. What are the advantages of becoming a chef?

   There are several advantages to being a chef; chefs are more highly paid than cooks, have more workday variation, and receive more deference and respect. Becoming a chef requires more education and experience, so it comes with better compensation – both monetary and otherwise.

Author

Di Doherty

Di has been a writer for more than half her life. Most of her writing so far has been fiction, and she’s gotten short stories published in online magazines Kzine and Silver Blade, as well as a flash fiction piece in the Bookends review. Di graduated from Mary Baldwin College (now University) with a degree in Psychology and Sociology.