Assistant Chef vs. Sous Chef: What Are the Differences?

A career in the culinary arts can be both rewarding and challenging. There are many different positions available in this field, each with its own set of responsibilities. Two common roles in a kitchen are that of an assistant chef and a sous chef. In this article, we compare and contrast these two positions, and we provide information on what you can expect if you pursue a career as a chef.

What is an Assistant Chef?

Assistant Chefs work in professional kitchens under the guidance of a Head Chef. They are responsible for helping to prepare meals, including chopping vegetables, butchering meat, making sauces and cleaning the kitchen. Assistant Chefs also often oversee the work of Kitchen Assistants and other junior staff. In some kitchens, Assistant Chefs may be responsible for menu planning and creating new dishes. In larger kitchens, Assistant Chefs may have specific stations where they are responsible for all the food preparation that happens at that station.

What is a Sous Chef?

A Sous Chef is a culinary professional who works directly under the head chef to help with menu planning, food preparation and presentation. Sous Chefs often oversee the kitchen staff when the head chef is not present. They may be responsible for training new kitchen staff, ordering supplies and maintaining inventory. Sous Chefs typically have several years of experience working in a professional kitchen. They must be able to work quickly and efficiently under pressure while maintaining a high level of quality.

Assistant Chef vs. Sous Chef

Here are the main differences between an assistant chef and a sous chef.

Job Duties

A sous chef oversees the kitchen and prepares food, but an assistant chef assists the head chef in a variety of tasks. For example, an assistant chef might help prepare meals, but they might also assist the sous chef with cleaning the kitchen, organizing supplies and managing staff. In comparison, a sous chef rarely performs administrative duties because their focus is on creating great meals.

Another difference between these two roles is that an assistant chef typically works during regular business hours, while a sous chef often works evenings, weekends and holidays. This is because the sous chef is responsible for preparing meals for the entire restaurant when the assistant chef is off work.

Job Requirements

Assistant chefs typically need to have a high school diploma or equivalent, although some jobs may require postsecondary education, such as culinary arts training. Many assistant chefs learn their skills through on-the-job training under the supervision of more experienced chefs. Some assistant chefs also pursue certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The ACF offers several different levels of certification, each with its own requirements. For example, the Certified Culinarian credential requires candidates to have at least two years of experience and pass an exam, while the Certified Executive Chef credential requires at least five years of experience and passing scores on both written and practical exams.

Sous chefs typically need to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, although some jobs may require postsecondary education, such as culinary arts training. Many sous chefs learn their skills through on-the-job training under the supervision of more experienced chefs. Some sous chefs also pursue certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The ACF offers several different levels of certification, each with its own requirements. For example, the Certified Culinarian credential requires candidates to have at least two years of experience and pass an exam, while the Certified Executive Chef credential requires at least five years of experience and passing scores on both written and practical exams.

Work Environment

Chefs and sous chefs work in different environments. Sous chefs typically work in the kitchen, where they oversee all aspects of food preparation. They may also travel to other locations within a restaurant or hotel to ensure that each station is operating efficiently.

Assistant chefs usually work in the office environment, assisting with administrative tasks such as scheduling employees and ordering supplies. They may also assist the head chef by preparing meals for special events or traveling with them to provide support during catering events.

Skills

Both assistant chefs and sous chefs use similar skills in the kitchen, such as knife skills, food preparation skills and cooking skills. However, there are some differences in the specific skills each position uses.

Assistant chefs typically help with more basic tasks in the kitchen, such as chopping vegetables, preparing salads and making soup. They may also be responsible for baking breads and desserts. Sous chefs often have more responsibilities than assistant chefs, such as supervising other kitchen staff, ordering supplies and menu planning. They may also be responsible for cooking more complex dishes.

Salary

The average salary for an assistant chef is $42,228 per year, while the average salary for a sous chef is $51,182 per year. The average salary for both positions may vary depending on the size of the restaurant, the location of the restaurant and the level of experience the chef has.