how much does a professional chef make an hour

Full Answer

What is the average salary of a professional chef?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $79,500 and as low as $19,000, the majority of Professional Chef salaries currently range between $35,500 (25th percentile) to $60,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $69,000 annually across the United States.

How much would you pay a personal chef?

Personal Chef Cost. The average cost to hire a personal chef is between $30 to $40 per hour.The cost to hire a private chef for a dinner party will cost about $45 per person, on average.The price of a private chef can quickly go up to $100 per person, or more, if you use expensive food or have add-ons for your party, such as wine pairings.You can expect to pay $100 to $400 for a personal chef ...

How much money do chefs really make?

The median salary of a regular chef makes less than $55,000 annually, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So how are celebrity chefs raking in their dough? Well, according to Insider, it's their TV shows and other entertainment ventures. Think Food Network.

What is an ideal work environment for a professional chef?

Chef work environment. Chefs can work in a variety of different environments. They may find employment in schools, hotels, private houses, company cafeterias, restaurants and other types of food service institutions. Chefs may also run their own catering companies. A chef often works in a busy environment with little time for rest breaks.

What is the highest paying chef position?

Head Chef. A head chef oversees the kitchen of a restaurant or other dining facility. They are the top of the chef chain-of-command in most establishments; larger restaurants have an executive chef above the head chef.

How much does professional chef make in the US?

The salaries of Professional Chefs in the US range from $10,900 to $290,692 , with a median salary of $52,979 . The middle 57% of Professional Chefs makes between $52,981 and $131,880, with the top 86% making $290,692.

Is Chef a stressful job?

Yes, cooking for a living — which may mean being a line or pastry cook or even a chef — is one of the most grueling lines of work in America. It's stressful with long hours, low pay, and little room for growth, according to Career Cast.

Is a chef a good career?

There Are Great Salary Opportunities What can you expect to make as a chef? As of 2019, Executive Chefs nationwide earn an average salary of $68,000 per year, though that number is higher in major cities like Los Angeles ($77,000 per year) and New York ($82,000 per year).

What is the highest paying job?

anesthesiologistThe highest-paying job in the world, in a traditional sense, holds the number one spot in this article: anesthesiologist. They are also the only job listed above $300,000 a year. The list, however, does not take into account mega-CEOs like Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos, who make considerably more than that.

How much does chef Ramsay make a year?

Salary Highlights Gordon Ramsay's salary per episode is $225,000. He typically earns around $45 million per year from his media and restaurant empire. Between June 2017 and June 2018, Gordon earned north of $60 million. Between June 2018 and June 2019 he earned $65 million.

Why are chefs so unhealthy?

Directly, chefs may be prone to high blood pressure as a result of their working environments. Indirectly, chefs can develop health problems based on how they choose to unwind and relax between shifts or at the end of the working day.

Why you shouldn't be a chef?

It's a Physically Demanding Job You'll also need to be lifting heavy pots of food, carrying large bags of food, and stocking walk-ins with food, which can put a strain on your body.

What are the weaknesses of a chef?

There are also several disadvantages to being a professional chef, which may include :Physical toll. As a chef, you're likely on your feet much of the day, cooking and preparing food. ... Displeased customers. ... Long working hours. ... Busy schedule. ... No benefits.

Why do chefs quit?

Chefs Have A Lot Of Pressure Perhaps the biggest factor in why chefs quit and why most walk out of their job, is pressure. A busy kitchen during an evening service can be incredibly stressful. It's unfortunate that when things start going wrong they usually snowball, resulting in a tough day at the office for everyone.

Why do chefs earn so little?

Long, unsociable hours are often poorly rewarded, and a sometimes brutal workload makes cheffing one of the most stressful ways to earn a living. Burnout is commonplace, and a healthy work-life balance difficult to maintain.

Are chefs rich?

Some successful cooks do make a very good living but, as far as I know, no chef has ever landed on any Forbes highest-paid lists. It's a fact that people don't become chefs to get rich – at least, not Mark Zuckerberg type wealth.

Do chefs make good money?

How much money chefs earn annually varies from under $23,630 for the bottom 10 percent to over $76,280 for the top 10 percent. Chefs working for restaurants averaged $43,750 a year, while chefs working for performing arts companies did better and earned $69,150 a year on average.

How much do executive chefs in NYC make?

The average Executive Chef salary in New York, NY is $103,436 as of July 26, 2022, but the range typically falls between $89,152 and $119,353. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.

How much money do chefs make a year?

Among US top chefs, a median salary of $57,080 is earned by those earning between $11,844 and $317,332 a year.

What is the most money a celebrity chef can make per year?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $104,500 and as low as $22,000, the majority of Celebrity Chef salaries currently range between $53,500 (25th percentile) to $87,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $96,000 annually across the United States.

How much does a CHEF make?

The average hourly pay for a CHEF in Boydton is $40,819 an hour.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for CHEF Jobs?

Barnstable Town, MA($49,552)Tudor City, NY($49,331)Sunnyvale, CA($49,312)Santa Cruz, CA($48,347)Santa Rosa, CA($48,058)Manhattan, NY($47,723)Cambri...

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related CHEF Jobs in the U.S.?

Senior Development Chef($97,266)Travel Chef($89,905)Senior Executive Chef($86,388)Corporate Chef($84,291)Product Development Chef($81,661)

How much does a Professional CHEF make?

The average annual pay for a Professional CHEF in Chicago is $51,704 an year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to b...

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Professional CHEF Jobs?

San Jose, CA($63,337)Oakland, CA($62,672)Hayward, CA($61,476)Seattle, WA($61,191)Wasilla, AK($60,452)Concord, CA($60,416)Sunnyvale, CA($60,270)Barn...

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Professional CHEF Jobs in the U.S.?

Senior Development Chef($97,266)Corporate Executive Chef($95,564)International Corporate Chef($91,103)Regional Executive Chef($91,000)Travel Chef($...

How much does a Chef make?

As of Feb 8, 2022, the average hourly pay for a Chef in the United States is $15.15 an hour.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Chef Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Chef job is above the national average. Topping the list is Sunnyvale, CA, with Santa Cruz, CA and Tudor City, NY close behind in the second and third positions.

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Chef Jobs in the U.S

We found at least five jobs related to the Chef job category that pay more per year than a typical Chef salary. Top examples of these roles include: Senior Development Chef, Corporate Chef, and Innovation Chef.

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Most common benefits

The average salary for a chef is $16.45 per hour in the United States. 7.8k salaries reported, updated at February 21, 2022.

How much should you be earning?

Get an estimated calculation of how much you should be earning and insight into your career options. See more details

Common questions about salaries for a Chef

Check the below Indeed career pages for the detailed pay ranges for the similar professions to chef here:

How much does an executive chef make?

How much does an Executive Chef make hourly in the United States? The average hourly wage for an Executive Chef in the United States is $35 as of October 29, 2021, but the range typically falls between $29 and $42. Hourly rate can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

What does an Executive Chef do?

Master and executive chefs may need to be available for any shift—depending on the establishment worked for—and commonly work 12-hour shifts to oversee all kitchen operations over the course of the day.

What is the role of human resources in the kitchen?

Manage Human Resources in the production and preparation areas of the kitchen in order to attract, retain and motivate the associates while providing a safe work environment.

Who does the Executive Chef report to?

Typically reports to top management. The Executive Chef typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in larger groups of moderate complexity. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of responsibility. May give input into developing the budget.

What factors affect hourly pay?

Hourly rate can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills , the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

How much does a Professional Chef make?

As of Feb 18, 2022, the average annual pay for a Professional Chef in the United States is $49,214 a year.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Professional Chef Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Professional Chef job is above the national average. Topping the list is San Jose, CA, with Oakland, CA and Tanaina, AK close behind in the second and third positions.

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Professional Chef Jobs in the U.S

We found at least five jobs related to the Professional Chef job category that pay more per year than a typical Professional Chef salary. Top examples of these roles include: Senior Development Chef, Corporate Executive Chef, and Corporate Chef.

Top searched states for Professional Chef Salaries

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New research shows that each woman experiences the disparity of gender pay gap in different ways, depending on her position, age, race and education.

What is the Pay by Experience Level for Personal Chefs?

An entry-level Personal Chef with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $19.00 based on 7 salaries. An early career Personal Chef with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $19.97 based on 89 salaries. A mid-career …Read more

What Do Personal Chefs Do?

Personal chefs prepare meals for individuals, families, and sometimes businesses. They can be hired to serve smaller or larger groups, but they generally work in a setting that is more intimate than a restaurant kitchen. Personal chefs work in a kitchen and require a variety of kitchen appliances and culinary tools to prepare meals for the client.

Job Satisfaction for Personal Chef

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Gender Breakdown

This data is based on 126 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.

How much does an executive chef make?

For example, the Executive Chef for the White House earns a surprisingly modest salary--under $100,000-- given the importance and notoriety of the position.

How much does a pastry chef make an hour?

Entry level work is usually not salaried, with earnings in the $8-$15 per hour range commonly found. Pastry Chefs and Sous Chefs stand between Executives and line-cooks in the hierarchy, and on the pay scale, in most kitchens.

What is the importance of culinary arts?

To be sure, a comprehensive culinary arts education increases your mobility potential in the kitchen, and instills a skill-set that is preparatory for entry-level employment in a wide range of kitchen roles. Your first job in a kitchen will not be as the Executive Chef, so measure your expectations early on, as you carve out your culinary niche.

How many people lost their jobs in the restaurant industry?

Young workers who often work in the hospitality industry were one of the hardest hit demographics. In the wake of lockdowns around 5.9 million people working in the restaurant industry temporarily lost their jobs, accounting for around 25% of all job losses across the United States associated with the COVID-19 crisis.

Is a salary arbitrarily derived?

Salaries, in most cases, are not arbitrarily derived. A host of factors influence your ability to earn in a kitchen, including:

Is the restaurant business a start up?

The restaurant business is highly competitive, and stands as one of the most volatile start-up business sectors, but there are success stories in every major city. The percentage of cooking professionals who become wealthy celebrity chefs, of iconic household-name status is small, but as foodie love continues to propel the industry, chef millionaires are increasing in numbers.

How to become a chef?

You are better off having four years of cooking experience than four years of college experience. Becoming a head chef requires you to work your way up, probably starting as a kitchen assistant or line cook and earning a reputation for your cooking ability.

What does a chef do?

The chef often handles hiring and firing decisions of kitchen staff. Head chefs sometimes own the restaurants that they oversee. In other cases, chefs collaborate with the owner and get that person's approval for menu changes, budgets and personnel decisions.

What is the job of an executive chef?

The executive chef is responsible for menu planning and may create new dishes each day to offer as specials or make changes to the standard menu as the seasons change. Inventory is also a critical part of the job. The head chef often makes ingredient lists, does the ordering, and manages the budget or oversees the person who handles these tasks.

How long does it take to become a sous chef?

It usually takes at least a few years to gain enough experience to be hired as an executive chef, but it could also take 10 years or more of working as a sous chef before you get your big break. Pay isn't tied to years of experience in this industry.

What is the job of a head chef?

Job Description. A head chef or executive chef is ultimately responsible for every dish that comes out of the kitchen. The chef doesn't typically handle prep work, like chopping vegetables and making sauces, but may cook entrees or put the finishing touches on finicky dishes.

Do chefs get paid by the hour?

Although some executive or head chefs are paid an annual salary, it's common for this position to be paid by the hour. There's a huge pay range in this position because some head chefs work in chain restaurants in small towns and others work in five-star restaurants in major cities.

Is it easy to be a chef?

It's also not an easy or glamorous job. Expect to spend your day on your feet working in a hot, crowded kitchen. Head chefs often have to work holidays in addition to primarily nights and weekends. Chefs may only have Monday off, when many restaurants close or are quiet enough to spare them.