We’ve gathered 500 Head Chef opportunities in the United States — along with salary and company information, job requirements, benefits and more.
How Much Can You Earn From Head Chef Jobs?
Head Chefs who work in the U.S. have an average annual salary of $73,632. On a monthly basis, this would be around $6,136.
Where Can US-Based Head Chefs Earn Higher Salaries?
When looking for Head Chef jobs across the U.S., it's important to know which states and districts you're more likely to get higher pay.
[Calculated using Indeed, Salary.com, ZipRecruiter and Talent.com data]
This graph is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the graph to see detailed data.
The graph above shows that the District of Columbia offers the highest average salaries for Head Chefs, followed by New York and Washington. Average salaries for Head Chef vary across different locations due to factors like local economic conditions and company budgets.
Additionally, when it comes to a Head Chef's individual salary, it often depends on their level of culinary expertise and training.
Check out our Head Chef Salary page for more comprehensive insights into compensation for this role.
Legal Requirements Related to Head Chef Jobs
Below are some federal laws and regulations on kitchen operations and employment that Head Chefs need to follow.
State-mandated health inspections
Given that Head Chefs are in charge of the overall back-of-house operations, one of their responsibilities is to make sure their establishment passes health inspections. To do that, they must constantly check if everyone in their team is adhering to kitchen safety and sanitation requirements.
Requirements for hiring minors
Head Chefs can hire minor-age applicants for their staff as long as the applicant is at least 14 years old. However, the Head Chef must ensure that these younger applicants have an employment certificate or permit.
Moreover, Head Chefs must know which kitchen tasks are legally allowed for employees below the age of 18. For instance, those aged 14 to 15 cannot be assigned to perform baking tasks or cook food over an open flame.
Exemptions from overtime pay
Most Head Chefs fall under the "learned professionals" category of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which means they're exempt from overtime pay.
As per the FLSA, learned professionals are employees who make at least $684 a week and have primary duties that require advanced knowledge - both of which are the case with many (if not all) Head Chefs.
Criteria for Selecting Our Head Chef Jobs
Curious about how we picked which Head Chef jobs to include on our list? Here are the three main factors we took into consideration:
- Competitive yearly salaries: The jobs above offer a starting salary of at least $71,000. This is because we aimed to feature Head Chef positions that pay close to or above the U.S. average salary for this role.
- Prime locations: Each of the job listings above is located in a metropolitan area and/or a fairly popular tourist destination. After all, these kinds of places typically have lively dining industries — therefore providing ample opportunities for Head Chefs to showcase their culinary expertise.
- Reputable companies and establishments: We’ve made sure to feature Head Chef jobs from employers that are well-respected within the restaurant and hospitality industry. In fact, some of these jobs are in Michelin-starred establishments.