Chefs and Head Cooks
Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.
Also called: Banquet Chef · Chef · Cook · Executive Chef (Ex Chef) · Executive Pastry Chef · Executive Sous Chef
Median pay (national)
$60,990
$36,000–$96,030 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
182,320
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+7.1%
~24,400 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for chefs and head cooks shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $96,030 versus $36,000 at the bottom 10% — 2.7x. The median of $60,990 leaves roughly 57% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +7.1% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 24,400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Hawaii pays the most for this role (median $81,200, +33% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $36,190 — a 124% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Speaking, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
- Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
- Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
- Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
- Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Check the quantity and quality of received products.
- Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
- Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.
- Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.
- Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- ADP eTIME
- Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro
- Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
- CostGuard
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- Delphi Technology
- EGS CALCMENU
- Enggist & Grandjean EGS F&B Control
- GNOME Gnutrition
- GroupMe
- IPro Restaurant Inventory, Recipe & Menu Software
- Menu planning software
Knowledge areas
- Food Production
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- English Language