Chef salary in 2026
Median pay, hourly rates, top-paying cities, and live chef jobs from MAJC's coverage area. Numbers below combine U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics with 61 active postings.
Median (national)
$58,920
$28.33/hr · BLS May 2024
Top 10 percent
$99K+
$47.83/hr effective
MAJC posted median
$75,000
From 33 disclosed
National pay for chefs
$58,920median, full year
About $28.33/hr. Top 10 percent earn $99K+.
Of 33 MAJC postings disclosing salary in this category, median is $75,000. Source: actual job postings
BLS Occupation 35-1011Chefs and Head Cooks, May 2024. Source
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Chef pay by city
MAJC-active metros with at least one disclosed chef salary in the last 14 days. Median is across disclosed postings only; sample size noted per row.
| City | Active | Median posted | vs national | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 9 | — | — | See 9 → |
| Miami | 2 | — | — | See 2 → |
| Miami Beach | 1 | — | — | See 1 → |
| Coral Gables | 1 | — | — | See 1 → |
How chefs push pay above median
- Volume + format leverage. High-cover-count concepts (200+ covers, multi-outlet hotels) pay more than small independents — same role, different scope.
- Specialized knowledge. Wine or spirits certification, specific cuisine training, or technical systems (POS, inventory) all command premiums.
- Bilingual fluency. English/Spanish in the U.S. hospitality market is consistently worth a meaningful bump.
- Tenure + leadership. "Lead" or "Head" prefixes typically signal 15–30% over an "Associate" version of the same role.
- Disclosed-salary postings. Filter MAJC for chef jobs with disclosed pay — those tend to be the ones that compete on number, not vibes.
Top-paying live chef jobs right now
Highest disclosed salaries across 61 active chef postings.
- $141k to $225k
General Manager - New Michelin Star Trained Chef Owned Concept
- $105k to $122k
Manager, Business Development - Green Chef
- $100k to $115k
Executive Chef
- $95k to $115k
Head Chef
Frequently asked
- What is the average chef salary?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics median annual pay for chefs and head cooks is $58,920 ($28.33/hr) as of May 2024. The top 10% earn $99K or more.
- How much does a chef make per hour?
- BLS reports a median hourly rate of $28.33/hr for chefs and head cooks. Tipped roles (server, bartender, busser) can substantially exceed the base hourly with gratuities.
- Which cities pay chefs the most?
- Major metros (Miami, Houston, and high-tourist coastal cities) typically pay chefs 10–20% above the national median. See the city breakdown above for live disclosed rates.
- What skills increase chef pay the most?
- In hospitality, the biggest pay drivers are: specialized cuisine or beverage knowledge, fluency in a second language (Spanish in the U.S.), high-volume service experience, and proven leadership of a team. POS proficiency (Toast, Tock, Resy) and inventory or P&L responsibility also push pay above median.
- How do I find a chef job that pays above median?
- Filter MAJC's chef listings by "Salary listed" to surface postings with disclosed pay, then sort by salary. Hotels and high-cover-count restaurants tend to disclose more often than smaller independents. Browse all 61 chef listings below.