What is a Chef or Head Cook?
Example of Chef Job 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.
What Do Chefs and Head Cooks Do On a Daily Basis?
- Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.
- Collaborate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes or menus, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability of ingredients or the likely number of customers.
- Record production or operational data on specified forms.
- Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Arrange for equipment purchases or repairs.
- Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.
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What a Chef Should Know
Chefs and Head Cooks state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles
- Pie Maker
- Cake Maker
- Executive Sous Chef
- Culinary Artist
- Head Cook
Chef Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 146,500 jobs in the United States for Chef or Head Cook. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 14,100 new jobs for Chef or Head Cook by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 20,300 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Chef are Utah, Arizona, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in West Virginia, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Chef
The salary for Chefs and Head Cooks ranges between about $26,320 and $81,150 a year.
Chefs and Head Cooks who work in New Jersey, Hawaii, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Chefs and Head Cooks make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,360 |
| Alaska | $51,990 |
| Arizona | $43,240 |
| Arkansas | $45,780 |
| California | $51,400 |
| Colorado | $50,980 |
| Connecticut | $58,830 |
| Delaware | $59,330 |
| District of Columbia | $65,780 |
| Florida | $52,350 |
| Georgia | $52,890 |
| Hawaii | $74,510 |
| Idaho | $38,590 |
| Illinois | $51,800 |
| Indiana | $49,450 |
| Iowa | $42,280 |
| Kansas | $40,510 |
| Kentucky | $50,930 |
| Louisiana | $45,730 |
| Maine | $52,200 |
| Maryland | $53,040 |
| Massachusetts | $56,330 |
| Michigan | $52,230 |
| Minnesota | $51,990 |
| Mississippi | $48,330 |
| Missouri | $54,300 |
| Montana | $48,290 |
| Nebraska | $44,180 |
| Nevada | $56,290 |
| New Hampshire | $53,610 |
| New Jersey | $70,260 |
| New Mexico | $50,220 |
| New York | $56,020 |
| North Carolina | $50,690 |
| North Dakota | $46,320 |
| Ohio | $41,070 |
| Oklahoma | $44,410 |
| Oregon | $46,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,630 |
| South Carolina | $40,820 |
| South Dakota | $48,280 |
| Tennessee | $47,750 |
| Texas | $53,170 |
| Utah | $43,590 |
| Vermont | $45,590 |
| Virginia | $54,760 |
| Washington | $57,680 |
| West Virginia | $54,500 |
| Wisconsin | $47,210 |
| Wyoming | $54,590 |
What Tools do Chefs and Head Cooks Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Chefs and Head Cooks:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Email software
- Delphi Technology
- Internet browser software
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro
- SoftCafe MenuPro
- EGS CALCMENU
- ADP eTIME
- Menu planning software
- ReServe Interactive
- Sage MAS 90 ERP
- GNOME Gnutrition
- IPro Restaurant Inventory, Recipe & Menu Software
- Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
- CostGuard
Becoming a Chef
What kind of Chef or Head Cook requirements are there?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Chef?
Where do Chefs and Head Cooks Work?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Career changers with experience as a Chef or Head Cook sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Army Europe Images via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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