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Life As a Chef or Head Cook
Position Description 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.
Daily Life Of a Chef
- Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.
- 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.
- Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.
- Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
- 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.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Chef?
When polled, Chefs and Head Cooks say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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
- Certified Executive Chef (CEC)
- Kitchen Manager
- Head Cook
- Chef
- Chef Manager
Is There Job Demand for Chefs and Head Cooks?
There were about 146,500 jobs for Chef or Head Cook in 2016 (in the United States). 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.
What is the Average Salary of a Chef
The average yearly salary of a Chef ranges between $26,320 and $81,150.
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 each U.S. state?
| 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?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Chefs and Head Cooks may use on a daily basis:
- 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
How do I Become a Chef?
Education needed to be a Chef or Head Cook:
How many years of work experience do I need?
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
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