What is the Average Annual Salary for a Chef?

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The chef is the highest paid member of the kitchen primarily because his or her obligations require them to function inside and outside of the kitchen and reflect upon the business as a whole. There are different types of chefs with different responsibilities and some of them are smaller, while all are very demanding. Either way, chefs are the highest paid working members in the kitchen, with the best average salary for a chef going to the executive chef. Here are statistics regarding the average annual salary for chefs across the United States.

Overall

According to the latest calculations and statistics, the average salary of all kinds of chefs amounts to $46,600 per year. The lowest average salary for a chef calculated has been $30,000. The best employers turned out to be the restaurants at the centers of big cities. The average payment for the best-paid chefs is $55,000. The chefs working at expensive country clubs receive the best salaries and their average salary is about $75,000.

As a whole, the chef profession is rising in popularity and rate of payment, but it is nonetheless rising very slowly. Making it to the position of a chef does take time. In order to become a chef, you will first have to start as an assistant and it will be a few years before you can qualify as an independent chef. Furthermore, in order to rise to a position of a higher-ranking chef, like a chef-de-cuisine or an executive one, you will need perhaps decades of experience. Also, take into consideration your skills, your time and your willingness to devote your life to the kitchen. An assistant receives under $20,000, a chef receives $35,000 at the minimum and from there the annual salary can rise.

Statistics

In addition, statistics have shown that the average salary of a chef according to their type and specific occupation; the sous-chefs are receiving on an average of about $41,000. The chefs-de-cuisine receives around $55,000. The best-paid chefs are naturally the executive chefs and they receive much more, around $80,000. Becoming an executive chef has been reported to be incredibly difficult, however. It usually takes at least two decades of previous experience in order to be chosen as an executive chef and receive this sort of payment.

The place of work can also deviate from the average salary statistics. Usually, the more lavish, big, expensive restaurants provide the best salary for workers in the kitchen. Stand-alone restaurants usually pay an average salary of $40,000 when it comes down sous-chefs. Chefs de cuisine gets $50,000, whereas executive chefs receive a solid sum of $65,000. The situation with hotels and banquet centres is slightly different for the best. Sous-chefs get $42,000, chefs-de-cuisine gets $55,000 and executive chefs get $80,000. The country clubs are widely known to be offering the best paid working positions. Sous-chefs get $40,000, chefs-de-cuisine gets $70,000 and executive chefs can go over $85,000.
These figures might help you figure out the best way to plan your successful cooking career.