Information on Chef’s Average Salary

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When It’s not all Glamour

Many people are under the misconception that chefs make a lot of money and live the rich life. This could not be further from the truth. It is not unusual for a chef to put in long days on his or her feet; often times as much as twelve hours a day. A chef’s average salary is based on an annual pay scale. The type of chef you have chosen to become will have a strong influence on what your annual salary will be, as well as your location and whether you are working for a commercial restaurant, a corporate restaurant or with a hotel offering food services.

Chef Average Salary for Executive Chefs

Many chefs have chosen to specialize in more than one field. This is common for executive chefs, who not only learned to grill, broil, saute and make amazing soups and sauces, but are knowledgeable in the culinary aspects of baking and pastries, qualifying them for higher wages than those who have mastered only one aspect of the culinary arts. The executive chef usually makes the highest salary in the kitchen.

The average salary for an executive chef generally starts out at $50,000 a year. As they gain experience along with a reputation, their wages will increase. Executive chefs working in five star restaurants earn an average of $85,000 annually. Executive chefs will also be found in top executive kitchens, such as the White House.

Other Average Chef Salary Expectations

A baking and pastry chef must work in a kitchen for two to four years. The average chef salary for pastry chefs working in high-end restaurants is around $34,000 a year. Their skills in creativity and baking and delivering delicious and eye-appealing pastry goods can earn them up to an average of over $51,000 annually. As an incentive, there are benefit packages to compensate for what many people consider a low pay scale for a professional occupation. Executive baking and pastry chefs will also be found in such places as The White House, in casinos, bistros and on cruise ships.

There is some disparity between the average salaries for a male or female sous chef. A woman sous chef can expect an annual salary of $39,133 while a male Sous Chef will average $41,293. Salary expectations increase with the number of years in the culinary arts field. A sous Chef with eight years of experience will earn an average of $37,115, while those with nine to twelve years experience can expect to earn a chef’s average salary of $44,510 annually. Sous Chefs with twenty-six to thirty years of experience will earn an average $55,333 annually.

If, through your dedication and advancements through the stations of the kitchen, you have become an assistant chef, you can expect an annual average of $16,000 a year. This is due to the fact that you will not be paid a salary, but an hourly wage. Most line cooks and assistant chefs do not work more than 25-35 hours a week in a restaurant and will often seek double employment. Students with a degree in culinary arts are highly sought after and demand a higher pay scale.

When Experience Pays Off

As you gain experience through the years, the annual pay scale will rise. The top average chef salary for an assistant chef who has been in the restaurant business for a number of years is $35,000 annually.

Becoming a sushi chef takes years of practice and experience. In order to become a sushi chef, the candidate must be trained in Japanese cuisine as well as take culinary arts courses in fish preparations, restaurant hygiene and food safety. An entry-level sushi chef may make an annual salary of $25,000, but as with all the Culinary Arts, the average salary rises through experience and artistic merit. A top sushi chef can average as much as $70,000 annually. Skilled sushi chefs are found in the five star restaurants, hotels and resorts catering to tourism. They have one of the highest pay scale expectancies for top chefs. Whichever field you decide to pursue, it will be hands on learning experience and take years to perfect the craft, if you wish to become a top-paid chef trainer.