Chef Jobs Overview
Looking for one of the hottest professions that allows you to express your creativity, work with people, and never have to sit behind a desk? With an estimated 15% growth rate for the next decade, chef jobs have one of the best outlooks in the job market outside of tech or healthcare. If you’re not afraid of a fast-paced environment and working your way up in the field, this could be the career for you.
We all know that chefs prepare delicious meals, but what exactly does their job entail? Here are a chef’s typical responsibilities:
- Lead and supervise kitchen staff.
- Plan menus and specials.
- Source the most flavorful ingredients and monitor freshness.
- Keep equipment and food inventory on track with the restaurant’s needs.
- Manage kitchen costs.
- Ensure health and safety code regulations are respected.
- Hire and train new workers.
- Organize kitchen staff schedules (in smaller restaurants).
Being a chef is generally a full-time role, and you may work in various environments. The ones that offer the highest employment levels include:
- restaurants and other eating places
- special food services
- traveler accommodation
- other amusement and recreation industries
- elementary and secondary schools
Chefs also tend to work long hours, including during weekends and holidays.
Salary for Chef Jobs
A chef’s salary sits at $43,512 per year on average. However, you can earn much more than that. There is a broad spectrum of earnings for chef jobs because your specific education, experience and location can impact significantly your wage.
For instance, here are some of the top-paying industries for chefs and their average yearly wages:
- corporate canteens in securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities: $125,770
- corporate canteens in navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing: $91,900
- fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing: $86,340
In the same way, in some locations, you’ll earn more than in others. Here are some of the best-paying states for chef jobs:
- Hawaii: $83,600 per year
- Rhode Island: $81,070 per year
- New York: $75,940 per year
- Massachusetts: $72,780 per year
- District of Columbia: $70,950 per year
Would you like to see how that compares to your city? Check out Monster’s Salary Page. You’ll find a handy salary calculator to discover how much you would make as a chef in any city, as well as suggestions to progress in your career.
How to Find the Best Chef Jobs for You
Searching for a job can be a lengthy process, but there are several steps you can take to make it easier:
Define Your Goals and Preferences
Determine what type of work environment and cuisine you aspire to. For example, do you want to work in a Michelin-star kitchen, or would you feel more comfortable behind a burger grill?
Consider also how your work-life balance and career growth would be influenced. Although many chefs work irregular hours, you could look for establishments that are open in business hours, such as office canteens, to better suit your lifestyle.
Improve Your Skills
Don’t stop working on your culinary skills or learning from more experienced chefs. Attend workshops, take courses, and stay updated with the industry trends to stay relevant and have an easier time finding roles.
Network and Seek Recommendations
Connect with other chefs, industry professionals, and mentors who can provide insights on how to improve or find new opportunities. Chefs are creative people who love to share their appreciation of good food, so you never know what benefits you could find through networking to add to your resume.
Be Selective When Choosing Job Openings
Focus on roles that align with your aspirations, experience and the qualifications you already have or can easily obtain. If you don’t meet all the criteria, don’t be discouraged - apply anyway. You’ll be surprised how many employers are willing to work with you if you show enthusiasm and a can-do attitude.
How to Apply to Chef Jobs
Once you’ve chosen your ideal chef jobs, the real work begins. Now it’s time to whip up a job application that will make employers want to call you right back.
Write a Chef’s Kiss Worthy Resume
To find the right ingredients for the perfect resume recipe Monster can help with plenty of resume tips. Start by downloading our chef resume sample. You’ll have a wonderful base to top with your information and customize to your needs.
Crafting the perfect resume is a little bit like preparing the perfect steak. You meet the customer’s expectations – or in your case the hiring manager’s. To achieve this with your resume, go through the job ad to find out what restaurants are searching for. Some of the skills employers look for the most in chefs include:
- dexterity
- creativity
- leadership
- physical stamina
- ability to work under pressure
- time management
- communication skills
Add these to your resume, along with any specific information tailored to that job. Need more help? Sign up to Monster’s Resume Writing Services. An expert writer familiar with your industry will help you highlight your unique competencies and choose the best keywords.
Tips for Your Chef Cover Letter
Just like every dish has its own perfect wine pairing, so a resume should have an accompanying cover letter. Use it to give a taste of what you can do and let your passion for your job show.
Include quantifiable information about your performance in your chef cover letter, such as:
- production time per dish
- food wastage stats
- number of employees you manage
- number of covers you can provide service for
- actual food cost or cost of goods sold (CoGS)
- average table occupancy in previous workplaces
Then, also present with enthusiasm what made you apply to that specific eatery and what you can bring to the table with your expertise. End with a call to action to invite the recruiter to get in touch with you and learn more about what you can do for them.
Once your resume and cover letter are all set, set up a free account on Monster and upload them there to easily apply to your target job in seconds. Plus, you’ll be able to opt-in to customized alerts to receive the latest job openings matching your preferences. We’ll also promote your profile to restaurants looking for new hires with your skills.
How to Follow Up with an Employer
After applying for one or more chef jobs consider following up to maximize your chances of success. Here are a few steps to help you do so effectively:
- Wait for the appropriate time. Give your prospective employer some time to review the applications and make a decision. Many restaurants and eateries don’t have dedicated HR personnel, so be patient. Waiting for about one or two weeks after submitting your application is a reasonable timeframe.
- Find the right contact information. Look for the contact details of the person who published the job listing. If, even after some digging you can’t find it, simply call, mention you applied for the role and kindly ask for an email address.
- Craft a polite and professional message. No need for overly long text here. Shoot for a short but direct email in which you:
- mention the role you applied for
- express your continued interest in the role
- reiterate your qualification and skills
- inquire about the status of your application
Interviewing Tips for Chef Jobs
Taking some time to prepare for a job interview is critical for every role, chefs included. Restaurants are likely to invite you for a day trial to see your skills in action. However, you must first demonstrate that you are a good company fit and have what it takes to work in their kitchen. Here’s how to get there:
Research the Eating Establishment
Before meeting the hiring manager of a restaurant or eatery, it's important to do your research. Start by thoroughly studying the company website and reading reviews from critics, clients, and previous employees.
This will help you gain a better understanding of the restaurant's style and philosophy. Plus, you'll have a better idea about how to tackle the recruiter’s questions.
Work on Your Answers and Questions
Expect icebreaking questions about your motivations to become a chef, your education and your management style. Very common are also the classic “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” and “Why do you want to work here?”. Learn how to use the STAR method to master every scenario-based interview question too.
Finally, don’t be shy and ask your own questions as well. You can enquire about company culture, the team you would manage or work in, or clarify the responsibilities of the role. Above all, don’t forget to ask, “Do you know when can I expect to hear back from you?”. This question not only gives you a timeframe for following up, but it also shows you’re proactive and enthusiastic about the role.
Follow-up Before the Dish Gets Cold
If the hiring manager doesn’t get in touch with you after the expected time, follow up and don’t let them forget about you. You won’t go wrong either by phone call or by email.
Pick the day that is most likely the least busy for a restaurant, such as a Monday or Tuesday, and make sure to mention in your speech or email:
- your interest in the role
- something meaningful from your interview conversation
- the qualities that make you a good fit
- a thank you to the hiring manager for their time
What to Do When You Get an Offer
You’ve been browsing through hundreds of chef jobs, made countless applications, and attended many interviews, and now here you are at the offer stage - congratulations! On no, but wait, is the salary is less than you expected, or the benefits not what you imagined? What now? Don’t rush into a decision and take your time to do the following:
1. Review the Details of the Offer
Carefully go through the job offer including the salary and also consider the benefits, work schedule, and time off. Would you accept a job that pays a little less in exchange for better hours or more PTO?
2. Assess the Fit
Evaluate how well the job aligns with your career goals, skills, and preferences. Is it the type of cuisine you love? What about the clientele or the environment?
3. Negotiating
Whether what doesn’t convince you about the job offer is the pay, the benefits, or the hours, trying to negotiate is always a good idea. Just make sure you do it in a respectful and professional manner.
Chef Job Career Paths
There are chef jobs leading to career paths for all sorts of culinary enthusiasts. Before becoming the next Gordon Ramsey, you’ll start as a commis chef. Then, you’ll gradually grow your responsibilities into a chef de partie, sous chef, and finally executive chef.
As a top-level chef, with passion, hard work, and continuous learning, you can also explore different opportunities in the culinary world, besides the classic restaurant chef. These include:
- Personal chef. This is ideal if you prefer to cater to individual clients or families, provide customized meal plans and prepare meals in private homes. You must showcase your creativity and versatility while adapting to the different dietary restrictions and preferences.
- Catering chef. You’re thrilled to organize and prepare food for large events such as weddings, corporate meetings, and parties. To succeed in this setting, you need excellent organizational skills, the ability to work under pressure, and great imagination to create visually appealing dishes.
- Research and development chef. In this role, you’ll step out of traditional chef environments to work in food companies, culinary institutions, and research laboratories. You’ll combine culinary knowledge with a scientific approach. You’ll experiment with new recipes, and help develop innovative food products or create new ones.
- Food writer or critic. Once you have years in the industry, if you’re as good with words as with the stove, you can transition to a food critic role. You’ll share your expertise by writing restaurant reviews. Plus, you'll contribute to shaping the industry and future chef jobs by paying attention to trends.
Similar Occupations
Wondering what other food service jobs you could apply for? Here are similar job openings you can find on Monster: