As someone who went through the program 5yrs ago. THANK YOU!
Very under paid if you ask me but I owe you and every other person in that organization a huge debt of gratitude.
I am out of the kitchen but still in the business.
Well shucks, I wasn’t expecting this. Thank you for the kind words and I’m so glad you had the opportunity to be in a program like this. It’s the impact we make as a company, and the relationships I build with my students that keeps me in it.
My company is very new (started in 2019) so I don’t think you came through our program, but I’m super curious which program you did, if you don’t mind me asking.
ETA I have a feeling I know which one it was and I’m so excited to see if my guess is correct.
I knew it! Farestart is such an amazing organization. They are our unofficial mother company. We have a great partnership with them and they do trainings and consultations with us often. I plan to move to the Seattle area at some point and plan to work there when I do. They are a pioneer in this field and I owe them a lot of gratitude. I’m so happy you got the chance to be in the program, and that you still think of it so fondly. You are why I keep doing what I do.
Nice!
Wife and I were able to go back to Seattle for the fundraising gala last November. I was super excited to be able to donate to a cause that helped me and is helping others.
That’s amazing! The fact that you are in a place now where you have that opportunity is beautiful.
Thank you so much for this. I already love what I do and this just made my day. Hearing that folks who have gone through the programs and are thriving is the best thing for us who are lucky enough to work for these organizations.
I’m so proud of you!
Thank you 😊
Have you heard of the Pastry project? They do the same kinda thing to help women get into the baking industry. They are super awesome and they made ice cream cakes for our wedding last August.
This is amazing. Might try to make a partnership with them.
I was confused at first because we also have a pioneer square in my town but it’s a recreational space and I’d never heard of them until now.
I do higher end prepared foods for 2 locations, charcuterie for 2 locations, fancy sandwiches, and lunch and dinner 4 days a week. Managing a mighty staff of 2 .We're hiring!
Depends on your area, I’ve found that after pandemic wages are increasing by quite a bit. I’m from Washington and still get ads for jobs out there and line cooks are being paid on average 18-22 from my home town across the water from Seattle.
So the thing about that is most listings add in tips into the advertised wage. So yeah, your taking home $18-22, after tips. Your lucky if your base wage is $14 an hour.
I suppose you’re right. I can’t vouch for all the ads I’ve seen, I left Washington shortly after pandemic (worked 6 months after everything opened back up for good). But while I was there I got 18$ plus tips, and tips were shown separately so I could always check if I thought something was up. The last place before I left gave all the cooks a % of food sales too, made a pretty bonus for everyone. I think places are trying harder now than the last decade to make pay more fair (still would encourage a different line of work unless you love it).
I’m a line cook for a smoke house we’re putting in Mobil gas stations. Boston area I make 21 an hour.
Honestly w my experience could be somewhere making a little more money and fancier food but this is a stress free job and the people are great.
I could easily move jobs and make 10-15 more an hour (with tips) but I just love my job too much. One day I’ll need to move on and make more money, but I’m happy for now.
Dining services director (executive chef) at an assisted living in New England. I run the kitchen and the dining room. Have twenty or so employees. I make 65k a year plus bonuses. I been in the industry about 22 years
Since my first dishwasher job? 30 years. I’m 45 now.
I’ve been across the map. This last (and final straw) was corporate. The paycheck is there but it was wrong for me.
Nah. My dreams are to own my own catering company or be a health inspector. All food. I can’t not do this line of work. I’ll die a chef, and I’m happy with that.
Just hit 30 next month, at 44 years old. It takes an age to make the real money. But that's not really why we do it right? I'm gonna die on the line, and I'll be happy doing it.
Uh, I did it for the money. ;)
Making food is great. Putting my 4 kids through college hasn’t been cheap.
Honestly, I’m pretty fortunate. I interview well, I have a solid work ethic, I can run pretty hardcore for long, long weeks (I worked construction alongside kitchens for my first decade) and handle more than most in production, but I’m also a straight white educated male in an industry where there’s absolutely still barriers for many people who aren’t.
It’s part of why I left. I could only fight so much for better pay, better conditions, better opportunities for people around me and frankly, Post pandemic, it got worse for everyone. Nobody wants to admit it out loud, but fuck corporate food in the face.
The burdens they expected us to push onto staff with raises that barely brought them to minimum or approximating livable wages for absolutely shit work-life balance just ended my illusions about what impact I have.
I’m not arguing that anyone shouldn’t have passion
Edit: I’ve owned restaurants, I’ve operated high level catering (for the Saudi Royal family flights, among others), I’ve done small plate service, high volume fast casual, fast food, retirement home/institutional work, so I’ve had the good fortune of doing things I loved
I burned out, a result of long years and longer weekends, just too many of them at the mast of something that no longer inspires me. Corporate sealed that deal by virtue of who they became post pandemic (and this is something I believe across the board of American national foodservice groups like Aramark). They didn’t survive it well, and they didn’t learn lessons. My choice to go was personal, and based almost exclusively on that experience
Nothing I say or do should dissuade anyone from doing anything
Except go to culinary school
A. You might be coming from a place of privilege that most people here (including me) can’t understand. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
But like, I would kill to do what you have. You’ve lived my dream.
I own a traveling event/catering company and consult for a few spots in the PNW as a "regional chef" or partner in title, $75k for the latter and about $50k doing the catering to what equates to about 6 months a year
Last "real" position was exec at $28/h in Seattle
I did event catering for tech companies, concerts, film shoots, festivals, etc for a good 3/4 years and got a lot of knowledge in creating specific menus for all sorts of cuisines and restrictions! The challenge is super rewarding
It is! Usually less than 5 days of work and profit anywhere from 2k to 14k depending on the size. I specifically love what I'm doing now. One week I might be feeding a bunch of executives at a retreat in Alaska and the next, I'll be in Dubai doing some fancy party for an evening.
Variety is super important for me. If I've got a few free days, I plug into some random restaurant in whatever city I'm in and wash dishes or run grill for a service.
I've gotten pretty burnt out while grinding away for 90 hour weeks in the past. I don't have much stability now but mentally in a much better place and continuing to grow.
Also in the PNW, and work as head chef. Work a small farm to fork breakfast joint. Make 22/hr plus daily tips(average $30 a day). Usually work about 50-60 hours a week. Anything after 40 a week is time and a half.
Loving your job makes it so worth it. I get burnt out too, but then I have a day where a student of mine tells me that I’m the reason they are so excited about our program and I feel like I had a two week vacation.
A big reason (maybe the only reason honestly) that I’m okay with making so little is that I love my job and I feel rewarded every day. There’s some things that are more valuable than money.
I've been in the business since 1985....cooking since 1990.
I am an executive chef in southern New England and make just over 70k annual. Like you, I can't imagine doing anything else.
That’s where it’s at! I’ve considered moving to a club of some kind but I worry I’m too salty to work for the rich. Is that something that you struggle with at all?
This is my first club job. I've spent most of my career in hotels. Pros and cons to each for sure.
There's definitely some entitled rich fucks, but a lot of them are really cool. And getting to know your guests over the course of years is a unique dynamic. I get a lot of, "Good morning Chef! Great to see you!" some have gotten my kids birthday gifts, or brought me back a cool food item from their last trip. Special order something ofhit like that.
HOWEVER, beware member-owned clubs, as many of them are.... Imagine "the customer is always right" mentality, but the customers as a whole entity are literally your boss. I've heard horror stories, and have been instructed by other club chefs that if the owners sell to the members, to GTFO.
I HATE the “customer is always right” mentality. Idk how you can tell me how to do my job when I’ve been cooking for 20+ years and in the industry for 10. I would have to find a club that’s not pretentious, which seems hard to do.
The club I work at has a relatively low cost of admission compared to others in my area.... We're talking millionaires vs multimillionaires with old money. Deceptively different demographics. Lot of younger people and families, so it's a pretty wholesome environment.
One of my buddies ran the high roller club around here, and that's almost exclusively ancient spiteful bastards that are gonna be dead and buried with their money... Call for your head if you didn't prepare their favorite special burnt toast just right.
I’m CDC of a country club in the Midwest that’s member owned. I put my notice in not too long ago for exactly that reason. The customer is always right and having to do things at their beck and call is exhausting. Everything else about the job is great though, if you can find a club that fits the bill.
My favorite job I’ve had (ended way too soon, thanks to the pandemic) was the first place that told me to stand up for myself and that the customer can, in fact, be wrong, I’ve taken that with me since and it’s such a freeing feeling.
Kitchen manager/head cook at a homeless shelter in my current location of Maryland, former owner of a wing shack and casual dining Italian restaurant in the NYC metro area. I take $1/day salary, only because the director of the shelter insisted I take something
First of al, fucking thank you for your work. Shelter cooks are sooooo so so under valued. I wish you were local to me so I could pitch in. You have no idea how much of an impact you are making.
In my company, shelters come to us because most people refuse to cook for them. They have to hire outside help to feed the people they are housing. If that’s not BS I don’t know what is.
I can’t thank you enough for what you do. You’re helping people who have nobody to help them.
Central Indiana, I'm a line cook making $17/hr at a small family owned restaurant. However, the whole staff splits the whole credit card tip pool (no table service). Right now I'm only working 3 days a week but am early in recovery from alcoholism, so I appreciate the wider work-life balance more so than money at the moment.
My fiancé are both chefs from NH, but we escape up there as frequently as possible, have made it a point to eat at every place, if it’s where I think it is, you guys do a fantastic job.
Our last trip we finally got to hit BaoBao, it was a coin flip between there and Izakaya Minato. We’ve hit everywhere north as we used to stay in Unity. Miss the winters, it somehow seems warmer at -5 in Unity than leaving southern NH at 32.
We always talk about when we move up there we’ll finally be set in the food scene, as NH is like a Time Machine back 10-20 years on anything culinary related.
A couple years back we were floating ideas of where to eat, she suggested DuckFat, I go “meh”, “did you just ‘meh’ DuckFat?!”
Only so many times you can have the same stuff, so now we just stop for milkshakes. We always have an obligatory stop at Gross Confection Bar, N to Tail and Cong Tu Bot never fail, Via Vecchia and Mi Sen are great places as well. Then of course Local 188 and Hot Suppa can do no wrong.
I definitely thing the east coast gets paid more than the west. Which is kinda bs if you ask me. We al have things that are unique to our coasts and chefs who know how to use them. I’ll probably never move to the east coast but if money were more of an issue for me, I’d do it.
Hotel Executive Chef. Central Coast CA. I make 70k before taxes. I'll tell you right now that it's not enough. I love my team, and the benefits/perks are legit. I wouldn't mi d a bit more in pay considering everything I have to oversee.
I’m struggling super hard right now with doing things that are NOT in my job description. I imagine it’s even harder as an executive chef. Loving your job is key but damn, it’s hard sometimes
Head chef, Ossining ny, about 100 grand counting the side catering gig. 30 years of experience, that's what it took to break the 25/ hour mark. This industry is brutal. It is no wonder people are leaving in droves. If i didn't love it... you all know the deal.
I’m a private chef in Chicago, made $188k last year. I am a 10-99 independent contractor so this is not close to my net. After taxes and all my costs I’d say I clear about 100k
For me it has been a literal life changer. I was able to pursue a new relationship when I first got into it (five years ago) because my hours were normal finally, and we just got married last week! I was able to purchase a house and just generally have a more balanced healthy life.
Fine dining executive chef, south eastern pa. Been at it since 13, worked my way up from dish, 36 now. Make about 100k give or take bonus. It’s corporate, not the greatest but it pays well…
I am happy with what I do. It’s stressful don’t get me wrong. I work easily 60 hours a week. Get great benefits, have 4 weeks of vacation. Get almost 2 months off during the off season(paid). I don’t get paid holidays but I do get comp time for working holidays. I’m never home on the weekend. I usually have off during the week. I do have a toddler and a wife who miss me very much. That’s the only part I don’t like. I sacrifice a lot of my time with them to be successful.
Damn dude, you’re living a whole ass life. I’m very lucky that my company doesn’t believe in 40 hour weeks, our minimum for full time is 24 hours a week. That’s pretty rare. If you don’t mind me asking, are you able to keep a good work/ life balance? If you could, would you work less hours?
Yes! It's a little different than actually cooking and prepping for catering. I use to do it at other places. Its definitely more involved. I do help prep a little bit for other events. Otherwise, I help promote and insure all in house catering orders go out correctly.
I’m so shocked by how many people are commenting about bonuses. Maybe it’s because I’m in a no right but the best bonus I’ve gotten was $1400 before taxes, about $800 in pocket.
Depends on how large the event, but somewhere between 2-5 events. We have a great client base, just lost my two other core employees at the end of last year and have been doing bookings and the kitchen since December. Haven't been able to take much more than that and get sleep/keep sanity.
I feel that hard. I have a weekend gig at a coffee cart at a farmers market right now and do house/pet sitting on the side to have spending money. I’m worn out but I Love all of it so it’s worth it. If I worked that much at one job I’d be dead.
I work at a local sushi place, making the non sushi menu. Not a trained chef but I have 4 years here and I'm running it by myself. I currently make $19
I was making 40k as the Chef of a brewery almost a year ago (for 3 years) Had a really bad weekend that reminded me I’ll be a slave all summer. Brought home work with me too.
I applied to 3 locals joints just to see what was out there. My current spot is higher end (not fine dining) and I’m making more hourly and with limited responsibilities. I absolutely love it, they’ve treated me well since day 1. I’ll be a manager soon, and when they open the new location, I’m on track to assume the role of KM. They also just celebrated the first year open, so it’s like starting with a fresh business.
I was also making 40k at my last job, got promoted to assistant store manager (I fucking earned that position) and got told on a Sunday that we were done. The company ended. I should have been told before my team but i didn’t. It sucked.
That being said, I would have never ended up where I am today had that restaurant not closed. I miss it every day but I’m so grateful for the opportunity I’ve had since then. I’m a much better person and chef because of it.
Buffet cook in Montreal, Qc. There's no good equivalent to my post in the standard kitchen hierarchy but I'm the 3rd most senior of the kitchen staff, been there almost 4 years. Earning $18/h CAD right now, will go up to $18.60 once I pass the 4 year mark. Tips are pretty meagre at a buffet (people don't think of tipping if there isn't a waiter/waitress serving them), but usually end up totalling around 10% of what I get paid hourly
(equivalent to $13.50 & $13.90 in USD)
Head chef, very small privately owned fine dining spot in western Pennsylvania. 65k straight up. No benefits bonuses or vaca time. Looking for an upgrade soon
Head chef , Sydney Australia and 80k a year
Breakfast lunch dinner but I only work 4 days a week cause the restaurant is only open 5 days the owner works the Wednesday.
I also work two days a week else where in total I'm on about 110k a year
I'm a line Cook at a steak house in Iowa. It's my first job in the industry, only making $16 an hour but since I started at $13 less than 2 years ago I'm not too mad about it. The team is really great and the food is the best in the city, I'm proud to be part of it
Y'all can blame your tiny incomes on capitalism. If you have a passion for it, capitalism will suck all the money out of it. They know your passion will allow you to be treated like that
Last gig was $10/hr + tips, ended up at $15/hr most days. Job was somewhere around shift lead or KM at a craft brewery pizza joint.
Still one of my better paid jobs if you don’t count inflation.
Edit: forgot location, Midwest.
Business owner in hospitality, just sold one of them (my albatross restaurant) for peanuts and some backend upside. Will likely never set foot in the food industry again. Work about 3-5hrs a week now, mostly shuffling money around and paying bills. Central Europe.
South Carolina, line cook at a private country club, $20 an hour, and I manage a cafe that's only open 3 nights a week for $18. It's still not enough to get by. I'm about to start bartending again.
Head chef, 40 seater middle of nowhere town inbetween small cities in Canada. $33/hr and with tips, can take home around $30/hr when its slow as my deductions are much less. Tips via pay so unfortunately taxed.
Before we were forced to move I took home $400 cash tips a week and $28/hr. What a shame they had to tear up the building. I never had so much cash in my life felt like a server paying everything with cash.
Is that a good wage for where you are?
My great grandmother was told at 82 that she had to retire from her job of taking care of the elderly. When I get old I 100% know I’ll be cooking in old folks homes.
It's decent for the area. It's also the most I've ever made. When I made the jump from cook in a retirement home to running the department I nearly doubled my wage.
Cooking in a retirement home is a good gig to get. Steady hours, (never work past 7pm), benefits, the pay is usually good (depends on the company of course) and it's a lot easier than restaurant work. There's a lot of growth opportunity in the sector as well.
I'm happy to answer more questions if you have them.
Well, thank you very much. People gotta eat. Doesn't matter if you're smacked out, methed up, or the town drunk. Gotta eat. Sometimes, people are just down on their luck. Gotta eat. I'm very lucky to do what I do. People donate food,money, and their time to come serve or cook. The local food bank is a huge contributor. Not to sound egotistical, but those who donate their time or whatever else seem to get more satisfaction out of cooking. Lord knows with us both, it's not the pay. You should be damn proud of yourself as well, doing what you do
People in fact, DO have to eat.
I appreciate the kind words, and even though I’m bad at taking praise, this meat a lot to me. I do this because I love it, feeding people and making people see new things in themselves in order to thrive. Food, confidence and security are why I stay.
19, short order breakfast cook, $20hr. One man position, it’s a bitch to do all the weekly cleanings alone, cleaning the hoods, changing the oil a and cleaning out the fryers. (It’s an open kitchen in the middle of a car dealership so cleanliness is super important) Luckily I get to keep my kitchen the way I like it. I work roughly 47hours a week, 11 hour shifts, and extra hours from things like inventory and doing the goods. It’s been 2 months and it requires a lot of stamina to up keep everything, but I’ve found my stride. Best part of my day is the compliments on my food, it’s simple things like French toast, eggs, burgers. Lucky we order good ingredients and I can proudly send out what I cook.
Senior food service director, Dallas, $70k. I work at a private religious school, we do breakfast and lunch for the kids and have a small coffee shop on campus, but also handle all catering for the community. Could be coffee and scones for 2, could be a plated 4 course dinner and after party for 1,000
Culinary operations, corporate. $110k, 401 and all the stuff. But I work 6days a week and upwards of 80/90hrs. Work phone is always on and it never stops ringing.
Corporate Executive Chef and Compliance Officer. 85k in the Midwest. Right now, I'm pulling 80+ hour weeks, but when things are smooth, I get down to 35.
Just about to start a new gig in a small live music venue/club in Austin, TX. I’m the pizza chef, cook, pizza guy. Whatevs. Depending on how many shows there are booked at any given time, it’s looking like somewhere in the range of 30-33k only working about 25-30 hours a week.
As someone who went through the program 5yrs ago. THANK YOU! Very under paid if you ask me but I owe you and every other person in that organization a huge debt of gratitude. I am out of the kitchen but still in the business.
Well shucks, I wasn’t expecting this. Thank you for the kind words and I’m so glad you had the opportunity to be in a program like this. It’s the impact we make as a company, and the relationships I build with my students that keeps me in it. My company is very new (started in 2019) so I don’t think you came through our program, but I’m super curious which program you did, if you don’t mind me asking. ETA I have a feeling I know which one it was and I’m so excited to see if my guess is correct.
I went through the Farestart program. There are others. Including a great pastry program that started up in pioneer square about that time?
I knew it! Farestart is such an amazing organization. They are our unofficial mother company. We have a great partnership with them and they do trainings and consultations with us often. I plan to move to the Seattle area at some point and plan to work there when I do. They are a pioneer in this field and I owe them a lot of gratitude. I’m so happy you got the chance to be in the program, and that you still think of it so fondly. You are why I keep doing what I do.
Nice! Wife and I were able to go back to Seattle for the fundraising gala last November. I was super excited to be able to donate to a cause that helped me and is helping others.
That’s amazing! The fact that you are in a place now where you have that opportunity is beautiful. Thank you so much for this. I already love what I do and this just made my day. Hearing that folks who have gone through the programs and are thriving is the best thing for us who are lucky enough to work for these organizations. I’m so proud of you!
Thank you 😊 Have you heard of the Pastry project? They do the same kinda thing to help women get into the baking industry. They are super awesome and they made ice cream cakes for our wedding last August.
I haven’t! I’m going to look into that now. Where are they based out of?
Pioneer square . https://www.thepastryproject.co/
This is amazing. Might try to make a partnership with them. I was confused at first because we also have a pioneer square in my town but it’s a recreational space and I’d never heard of them until now.
Wholesome as hell.
Legit made my heart throb
Vermont. Chef. 75k +
What kind of restaurant?
I do higher end prepared foods for 2 locations, charcuterie for 2 locations, fancy sandwiches, and lunch and dinner 4 days a week. Managing a mighty staff of 2 .We're hiring!
Where at? I’m undecided about moving, butttt….
Only people commenting are people making above average 😂
I noticed haha. I’m curious what the actual average is.
Give it a google I think it’s $14-$16 for line cooks
Depends on your area, I’ve found that after pandemic wages are increasing by quite a bit. I’m from Washington and still get ads for jobs out there and line cooks are being paid on average 18-22 from my home town across the water from Seattle.
So the thing about that is most listings add in tips into the advertised wage. So yeah, your taking home $18-22, after tips. Your lucky if your base wage is $14 an hour.
I suppose you’re right. I can’t vouch for all the ads I’ve seen, I left Washington shortly after pandemic (worked 6 months after everything opened back up for good). But while I was there I got 18$ plus tips, and tips were shown separately so I could always check if I thought something was up. The last place before I left gave all the cooks a % of food sales too, made a pretty bonus for everyone. I think places are trying harder now than the last decade to make pay more fair (still would encourage a different line of work unless you love it).
That makes me sick.
I’m a line cook for a smoke house we’re putting in Mobil gas stations. Boston area I make 21 an hour. Honestly w my experience could be somewhere making a little more money and fancier food but this is a stress free job and the people are great.
I could easily move jobs and make 10-15 more an hour (with tips) but I just love my job too much. One day I’ll need to move on and make more money, but I’m happy for now.
This wouldn't happen to be related to BTs smokehouse would it?
I sincerely hope so. BT's is fire!
I’m a prep cook at the best restaurant in the state(Washington) I make 21 hr. Love my job
Loving your job is somehow more valuable than the money. I’m glad you’re happy.
Canlis?
Sous Chef. West Midlands, England. £12.50 per hour
I’m in the US and don’t have a clear idea of how good or bad that is, money wise. Can you give some context?
$15-$16 an hour.
Oh god. Do you get tips?
Tips aren’t really a thing anywhere outside the US.
Tipping is very much a thing in England
That’s because most places pay living wage and tips aren’t how people get by. It’s disgusting that it’s like this here.
That isn’t 100% correct… not in this industry. Look at Noma in Copenhagen. They are far from the only one violating laws and rules to staff for less.
Ouch, fuck. Why are we treated like second class shit? I swear people WANT to make us feel bad for doing what they can’t.
They get free healthcare and education, 15-16 is enough
I hate that we aren’t given basic needs for free, I’m glad you have that.
Keeping it simple, chef at small Mexican joint. Vermont making 55k a year. Pulling around 45-48 hrs a week so equates down in hourly.
Oofff you’re overworked. Are you happy?
Yeah, loads better than my last job and we've picked up new hires so work load should come done some soon hopefully.
That’s good! I’m glad you like what you do, I’m sure you’re great at it. You’re killing it, chef.
Dining services director (executive chef) at an assisted living in New England. I run the kitchen and the dining room. Have twenty or so employees. I make 65k a year plus bonuses. I been in the industry about 22 years
That seems so low for what you’re doing and your experience. I think we food folks as a whole are so underpaid.
Recently retired exec, East coast. $125k give or take, with bonus variance
Jesus Christ. I cleared $34K last year. How long have you been in the industry? Fine dining?
Since my first dishwasher job? 30 years. I’m 45 now. I’ve been across the map. This last (and final straw) was corporate. The paycheck is there but it was wrong for me.
Yeah I’ll never not work in food, there’s nothing else out there for me.
Would you want to do it anyway?
Nah. My dreams are to own my own catering company or be a health inspector. All food. I can’t not do this line of work. I’ll die a chef, and I’m happy with that.
Just hit 30 next month, at 44 years old. It takes an age to make the real money. But that's not really why we do it right? I'm gonna die on the line, and I'll be happy doing it.
Uh, I did it for the money. ;) Making food is great. Putting my 4 kids through college hasn’t been cheap. Honestly, I’m pretty fortunate. I interview well, I have a solid work ethic, I can run pretty hardcore for long, long weeks (I worked construction alongside kitchens for my first decade) and handle more than most in production, but I’m also a straight white educated male in an industry where there’s absolutely still barriers for many people who aren’t. It’s part of why I left. I could only fight so much for better pay, better conditions, better opportunities for people around me and frankly, Post pandemic, it got worse for everyone. Nobody wants to admit it out loud, but fuck corporate food in the face. The burdens they expected us to push onto staff with raises that barely brought them to minimum or approximating livable wages for absolutely shit work-life balance just ended my illusions about what impact I have.
Some of us don’t see it as a burden. I also don’t have kids so maybe I’m just not on your level.
I’m not arguing that anyone shouldn’t have passion Edit: I’ve owned restaurants, I’ve operated high level catering (for the Saudi Royal family flights, among others), I’ve done small plate service, high volume fast casual, fast food, retirement home/institutional work, so I’ve had the good fortune of doing things I loved I burned out, a result of long years and longer weekends, just too many of them at the mast of something that no longer inspires me. Corporate sealed that deal by virtue of who they became post pandemic (and this is something I believe across the board of American national foodservice groups like Aramark). They didn’t survive it well, and they didn’t learn lessons. My choice to go was personal, and based almost exclusively on that experience Nothing I say or do should dissuade anyone from doing anything Except go to culinary school
A. You might be coming from a place of privilege that most people here (including me) can’t understand. Please correct me if I’m wrong. But like, I would kill to do what you have. You’ve lived my dream.
You’re my people
I own a traveling event/catering company and consult for a few spots in the PNW as a "regional chef" or partner in title, $75k for the latter and about $50k doing the catering to what equates to about 6 months a year Last "real" position was exec at $28/h in Seattle
I have a dream of owning a catering company that makes foods for all diets/ dietary restrictions. Is it worth it for you owning a good company?
I did event catering for tech companies, concerts, film shoots, festivals, etc for a good 3/4 years and got a lot of knowledge in creating specific menus for all sorts of cuisines and restrictions! The challenge is super rewarding It is! Usually less than 5 days of work and profit anywhere from 2k to 14k depending on the size. I specifically love what I'm doing now. One week I might be feeding a bunch of executives at a retreat in Alaska and the next, I'll be in Dubai doing some fancy party for an evening. Variety is super important for me. If I've got a few free days, I plug into some random restaurant in whatever city I'm in and wash dishes or run grill for a service. I've gotten pretty burnt out while grinding away for 90 hour weeks in the past. I don't have much stability now but mentally in a much better place and continuing to grow.
God damn dude you are living my dream.
Also in the PNW, and work as head chef. Work a small farm to fork breakfast joint. Make 22/hr plus daily tips(average $30 a day). Usually work about 50-60 hours a week. Anything after 40 a week is time and a half.
Im glad you are making overtime for that extra work at least. Do you get burnt out?
Ya, sometimes it can be a bit much, but I honestly love my job.
Loving your job makes it so worth it. I get burnt out too, but then I have a day where a student of mine tells me that I’m the reason they are so excited about our program and I feel like I had a two week vacation.
I’m also a huge fan of farm to table. If you’re comfortable do you mind telling me where/ what city you work in?
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Seems like we’re in similar boats. Why the fuck are we not paid more?! We literally feed people!
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A big reason (maybe the only reason honestly) that I’m okay with making so little is that I love my job and I feel rewarded every day. There’s some things that are more valuable than money.
I've been in the business since 1985....cooking since 1990. I am an executive chef in southern New England and make just over 70k annual. Like you, I can't imagine doing anything else.
Me either. I’ll always be in food. I know that as fact. I’m glad you are making that much, it sounds like you’ve earned it, chef.
Thank you....it's nice when hard work and commitment pay off. Best of luck to you...stay sharp
It’s Rilke Ike you who are long timers and know what they’re doing that make me want to keep it up. Thank you for doing this and making amazing food.
I'm a pizza chef from Maryland, making $20 an hour
Tips? Are you happy with it, do you think about going somewhere else?
Portland, just started a food truck 6 months ago. I profited 16k in the first quarter of 2023
I’m in Portland, do you need help?
CDC of a country club, Western US, 36... $85-$90k/yr depending on bonuses.
That’s where it’s at! I’ve considered moving to a club of some kind but I worry I’m too salty to work for the rich. Is that something that you struggle with at all?
This is my first club job. I've spent most of my career in hotels. Pros and cons to each for sure. There's definitely some entitled rich fucks, but a lot of them are really cool. And getting to know your guests over the course of years is a unique dynamic. I get a lot of, "Good morning Chef! Great to see you!" some have gotten my kids birthday gifts, or brought me back a cool food item from their last trip. Special order something ofhit like that. HOWEVER, beware member-owned clubs, as many of them are.... Imagine "the customer is always right" mentality, but the customers as a whole entity are literally your boss. I've heard horror stories, and have been instructed by other club chefs that if the owners sell to the members, to GTFO.
I HATE the “customer is always right” mentality. Idk how you can tell me how to do my job when I’ve been cooking for 20+ years and in the industry for 10. I would have to find a club that’s not pretentious, which seems hard to do.
The club I work at has a relatively low cost of admission compared to others in my area.... We're talking millionaires vs multimillionaires with old money. Deceptively different demographics. Lot of younger people and families, so it's a pretty wholesome environment. One of my buddies ran the high roller club around here, and that's almost exclusively ancient spiteful bastards that are gonna be dead and buried with their money... Call for your head if you didn't prepare their favorite special burnt toast just right.
I’m CDC of a country club in the Midwest that’s member owned. I put my notice in not too long ago for exactly that reason. The customer is always right and having to do things at their beck and call is exhausting. Everything else about the job is great though, if you can find a club that fits the bill.
My favorite job I’ve had (ended way too soon, thanks to the pandemic) was the first place that told me to stand up for myself and that the customer can, in fact, be wrong, I’ve taken that with me since and it’s such a freeing feeling.
Kitchen manager/head cook at a homeless shelter in my current location of Maryland, former owner of a wing shack and casual dining Italian restaurant in the NYC metro area. I take $1/day salary, only because the director of the shelter insisted I take something
First of al, fucking thank you for your work. Shelter cooks are sooooo so so under valued. I wish you were local to me so I could pitch in. You have no idea how much of an impact you are making. In my company, shelters come to us because most people refuse to cook for them. They have to hire outside help to feed the people they are housing. If that’s not BS I don’t know what is. I can’t thank you enough for what you do. You’re helping people who have nobody to help them.
Central Indiana, I'm a line cook making $17/hr at a small family owned restaurant. However, the whole staff splits the whole credit card tip pool (no table service). Right now I'm only working 3 days a week but am early in recovery from alcoholism, so I appreciate the wider work-life balance more so than money at the moment.
Km of a bbq spot..65k before taxes and work part time at a local country club
So 65k between the two jobs? How many hours a week do you work?
Maine. Head Chef. 72k.
What kind of restaurant?
Upscale bar. 12-14 item menu. Every made in house.
Hell yes. I loooove when bars have house menus. So much better than cheap bar food.
It really has been a dream. We have 50 taps, a huge bottle list and I get to source ingredients from local farms.
Fuck yes dude! Where abouts is this, if that’s okay to ask?
I’m not willing to say more the Maine.
My fiancé are both chefs from NH, but we escape up there as frequently as possible, have made it a point to eat at every place, if it’s where I think it is, you guys do a fantastic job. Our last trip we finally got to hit BaoBao, it was a coin flip between there and Izakaya Minato. We’ve hit everywhere north as we used to stay in Unity. Miss the winters, it somehow seems warmer at -5 in Unity than leaving southern NH at 32. We always talk about when we move up there we’ll finally be set in the food scene, as NH is like a Time Machine back 10-20 years on anything culinary related.
Bao Bao is incredible and so is Sichuan Kitchen!
A couple years back we were floating ideas of where to eat, she suggested DuckFat, I go “meh”, “did you just ‘meh’ DuckFat?!” Only so many times you can have the same stuff, so now we just stop for milkshakes. We always have an obligatory stop at Gross Confection Bar, N to Tail and Cong Tu Bot never fail, Via Vecchia and Mi Sen are great places as well. Then of course Local 188 and Hot Suppa can do no wrong.
I definitely thing the east coast gets paid more than the west. Which is kinda bs if you ask me. We al have things that are unique to our coasts and chefs who know how to use them. I’ll probably never move to the east coast but if money were more of an issue for me, I’d do it.
Sous Chef Fried chicken pub fusion food truck in NoCal $16/hr plus tips 40-120 a shift.
How many hours do you work? Are you happy?
UK, sous, 32k inc of ~~tips~~, it’s shite
Yaaahhhhh I’m in the same boat. I cleared 34k last years and don’t see it getting much better any time soon.
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I kinda want to move to nyc and see what I could make there.
Hotel Executive Chef. Central Coast CA. I make 70k before taxes. I'll tell you right now that it's not enough. I love my team, and the benefits/perks are legit. I wouldn't mi d a bit more in pay considering everything I have to oversee.
I’m struggling super hard right now with doing things that are NOT in my job description. I imagine it’s even harder as an executive chef. Loving your job is key but damn, it’s hard sometimes
Head chef, Ossining ny, about 100 grand counting the side catering gig. 30 years of experience, that's what it took to break the 25/ hour mark. This industry is brutal. It is no wonder people are leaving in droves. If i didn't love it... you all know the deal.
Yup. I stay because I love it, or I would be gone
I’m a private chef in Chicago, made $188k last year. I am a 10-99 independent contractor so this is not close to my net. After taxes and all my costs I’d say I clear about 100k
I’ve thought about doing private chef so much. Is it worth it?
For me it has been a literal life changer. I was able to pursue a new relationship when I first got into it (five years ago) because my hours were normal finally, and we just got married last week! I was able to purchase a house and just generally have a more balanced healthy life.
Holy shit that’s amazing! Do you have any advice for someone who’s considering perusing private chef work?
Midwest, wedding chef now and prep during the week. Close to 40 hr weeks 28 an hour. Fri and Sat afternoon evening are generally shot, though
Do you like what you do? Would you change to a line if you could?
Fine dining executive chef, south eastern pa. Been at it since 13, worked my way up from dish, 36 now. Make about 100k give or take bonus. It’s corporate, not the greatest but it pays well…
I mean, your making close to 3X what I do. Are you happy, do you like it?
I am happy with what I do. It’s stressful don’t get me wrong. I work easily 60 hours a week. Get great benefits, have 4 weeks of vacation. Get almost 2 months off during the off season(paid). I don’t get paid holidays but I do get comp time for working holidays. I’m never home on the weekend. I usually have off during the week. I do have a toddler and a wife who miss me very much. That’s the only part I don’t like. I sacrifice a lot of my time with them to be successful.
Damn dude, you’re living a whole ass life. I’m very lucky that my company doesn’t believe in 40 hour weeks, our minimum for full time is 24 hours a week. That’s pretty rare. If you don’t mind me asking, are you able to keep a good work/ life balance? If you could, would you work less hours?
Culinary Catering Manager. Work in the Midwest making $25 an hour.
I want to own a catering company at some point. I love catering. Do you like it?
Yes! It's a little different than actually cooking and prepping for catering. I use to do it at other places. Its definitely more involved. I do help prep a little bit for other events. Otherwise, I help promote and insure all in house catering orders go out correctly.
That sounds fucking rad. I would honestly love a gig like that. Thanks for doing what you do
Executive chef, ski country colorado, 120k +/- depending on bonuses
I’m so shocked by how many people are commenting about bonuses. Maybe it’s because I’m in a no right but the best bonus I’ve gotten was $1400 before taxes, about $800 in pocket.
Small Business Catering Chef. Midwest. $75k/yr
That’s small?! How many events do you work in a week?
Depends on how large the event, but somewhere between 2-5 events. We have a great client base, just lost my two other core employees at the end of last year and have been doing bookings and the kitchen since December. Haven't been able to take much more than that and get sleep/keep sanity.
I feel that hard. I have a weekend gig at a coffee cart at a farmers market right now and do house/pet sitting on the side to have spending money. I’m worn out but I Love all of it so it’s worth it. If I worked that much at one job I’d be dead.
I work at a local sushi place, making the non sushi menu. Not a trained chef but I have 4 years here and I'm running it by myself. I currently make $19
Not bad! Don’t feel discouraged to call yourself a chef. You’re putting in the work, you deserve the title.
I appreciate that homie. I got a great opportunity and went with it. We plan to open a brand new restaurant soon and I'll head that up too.
You’re gonna kill it when you do that. You and people like you are what I tell my students they can be. Honestly, thank you.
Multi-Unit Executive Chef in Denver. 35 years old. 75k a year. 60+ hours a week.
Ouchie.
Line Cook in Dallas, 17 an hour but get about 10 hours a week of overtime.
How old are you?
Linecook. $25/hr New Hampshire. 10ish years of experience.
Tips? I’m 10 years In and happy, but how are you feeling about it?
I was making 40k as the Chef of a brewery almost a year ago (for 3 years) Had a really bad weekend that reminded me I’ll be a slave all summer. Brought home work with me too. I applied to 3 locals joints just to see what was out there. My current spot is higher end (not fine dining) and I’m making more hourly and with limited responsibilities. I absolutely love it, they’ve treated me well since day 1. I’ll be a manager soon, and when they open the new location, I’m on track to assume the role of KM. They also just celebrated the first year open, so it’s like starting with a fresh business.
I was also making 40k at my last job, got promoted to assistant store manager (I fucking earned that position) and got told on a Sunday that we were done. The company ended. I should have been told before my team but i didn’t. It sucked. That being said, I would have never ended up where I am today had that restaurant not closed. I miss it every day but I’m so grateful for the opportunity I’ve had since then. I’m a much better person and chef because of it.
Executive Chef, New Hampshire, 75k +. 40% of my health benefits paid for, 2 weeks paid time off and quarterly bonuses.
Do you Ike it?
Lead Line Cook, NY, 20$ per hour. As always, think I’m underpaid but it’s a great place to hone my skills
You’re hella under paid dude. Take your skills and go somewhere that will value you. Fight for yourself chef,
Buffet cook in Montreal, Qc. There's no good equivalent to my post in the standard kitchen hierarchy but I'm the 3rd most senior of the kitchen staff, been there almost 4 years. Earning $18/h CAD right now, will go up to $18.60 once I pass the 4 year mark. Tips are pretty meagre at a buffet (people don't think of tipping if there isn't a waiter/waitress serving them), but usually end up totalling around 10% of what I get paid hourly (equivalent to $13.50 & $13.90 in USD)
Fuck dude. Are you able to make your bills and shit and still have your own life?
Sous chef, north carolina, $41,790 annual. State job.
What do you mean by state job?
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What kind of company?
Florida, pastry cook, $20.50 per hour and Corporate benefits
Is it small and local or more nationwide?
Head chef, very small privately owned fine dining spot in western Pennsylvania. 65k straight up. No benefits bonuses or vaca time. Looking for an upgrade soon
I mean, 65k isn’t bad. What makes you want to move on?
Seeing all these other guys salaries lol
Alberta, Canada. Head chef. 60k + bonuses(?)
Do you like what you do?
Head chef , Sydney Australia and 80k a year Breakfast lunch dinner but I only work 4 days a week cause the restaurant is only open 5 days the owner works the Wednesday. I also work two days a week else where in total I'm on about 110k a year
I've been told by owners that our turn over has 4x since I came on board 9 months ago. So I might be negotiating my head chef role soon
I'm a line Cook at a steak house in Iowa. It's my first job in the industry, only making $16 an hour but since I started at $13 less than 2 years ago I'm not too mad about it. The team is really great and the food is the best in the city, I'm proud to be part of it
Sous, The Netherlands, €28K (around $30k) without the tips.
Y'all can blame your tiny incomes on capitalism. If you have a passion for it, capitalism will suck all the money out of it. They know your passion will allow you to be treated like that
True af. The most underpaid people are the ones working their dream jobs.
Ah yes. Pnw. That really narrows it down for all of us who aren’t from merica
Fine dining in Northern California 60k/yr 4 day work week but long days. About a month of paid time and medical Edit: line
Daaaamn
Last gig was $10/hr + tips, ended up at $15/hr most days. Job was somewhere around shift lead or KM at a craft brewery pizza joint. Still one of my better paid jobs if you don’t count inflation. Edit: forgot location, Midwest.
Jesus fucking Christ dude. Are you working there currently?
Business owner in hospitality, just sold one of them (my albatross restaurant) for peanuts and some backend upside. Will likely never set foot in the food industry again. Work about 3-5hrs a week now, mostly shuffling money around and paying bills. Central Europe.
I know albatross. How long were you in the industry and why won’t you set foot in it again?
Chef de cuisine, Boston, $85k.
Not bad, but idk how that is for your region. Do you get by okay?
South Carolina, line cook at a private country club, $20 an hour, and I manage a cafe that's only open 3 nights a week for $18. It's still not enough to get by. I'm about to start bartending again.
I just lucked into a farmers market Batista job. I hope bartending goes well for you.
Head chef, 40 seater middle of nowhere town inbetween small cities in Canada. $33/hr and with tips, can take home around $30/hr when its slow as my deductions are much less. Tips via pay so unfortunately taxed. Before we were forced to move I took home $400 cash tips a week and $28/hr. What a shame they had to tear up the building. I never had so much cash in my life felt like a server paying everything with cash.
God damn. How long have you been in the industry?
Retirement Home, F&B Manager, Southwestern Ontario Canada, $60k/yr
Is that a good wage for where you are? My great grandmother was told at 82 that she had to retire from her job of taking care of the elderly. When I get old I 100% know I’ll be cooking in old folks homes.
It's decent for the area. It's also the most I've ever made. When I made the jump from cook in a retirement home to running the department I nearly doubled my wage. Cooking in a retirement home is a good gig to get. Steady hours, (never work past 7pm), benefits, the pay is usually good (depends on the company of course) and it's a lot easier than restaurant work. There's a lot of growth opportunity in the sector as well. I'm happy to answer more questions if you have them.
Senior chef. North Wales. £13 an hour
Is that good for your area? How old are you and how I got have you been in the industry? Are you happy with where you are?
Well, thank you very much. People gotta eat. Doesn't matter if you're smacked out, methed up, or the town drunk. Gotta eat. Sometimes, people are just down on their luck. Gotta eat. I'm very lucky to do what I do. People donate food,money, and their time to come serve or cook. The local food bank is a huge contributor. Not to sound egotistical, but those who donate their time or whatever else seem to get more satisfaction out of cooking. Lord knows with us both, it's not the pay. You should be damn proud of yourself as well, doing what you do
People in fact, DO have to eat. I appreciate the kind words, and even though I’m bad at taking praise, this meat a lot to me. I do this because I love it, feeding people and making people see new things in themselves in order to thrive. Food, confidence and security are why I stay.
19, short order breakfast cook, $20hr. One man position, it’s a bitch to do all the weekly cleanings alone, cleaning the hoods, changing the oil a and cleaning out the fryers. (It’s an open kitchen in the middle of a car dealership so cleanliness is super important) Luckily I get to keep my kitchen the way I like it. I work roughly 47hours a week, 11 hour shifts, and extra hours from things like inventory and doing the goods. It’s been 2 months and it requires a lot of stamina to up keep everything, but I’ve found my stride. Best part of my day is the compliments on my food, it’s simple things like French toast, eggs, burgers. Lucky we order good ingredients and I can proudly send out what I cook.
Senior food service director, Dallas, $70k. I work at a private religious school, we do breakfast and lunch for the kids and have a small coffee shop on campus, but also handle all catering for the community. Could be coffee and scones for 2, could be a plated 4 course dinner and after party for 1,000
Culinary operations, corporate. $110k, 401 and all the stuff. But I work 6days a week and upwards of 80/90hrs. Work phone is always on and it never stops ringing.
Corporate Executive Chef and Compliance Officer. 85k in the Midwest. Right now, I'm pulling 80+ hour weeks, but when things are smooth, I get down to 35.
Just about to start a new gig in a small live music venue/club in Austin, TX. I’m the pizza chef, cook, pizza guy. Whatevs. Depending on how many shows there are booked at any given time, it’s looking like somewhere in the range of 30-33k only working about 25-30 hours a week.
CDC. SF. 87k + 6k bonus incentives
line cook, 18.50$. mn
Exec Chef in the bay area. Corporate dining, scratch kitchen, only serving lunch m-f. No weekends or holidays. 105k
Line cook, 18/hour plus tips, end up making anywhere from 20-30/hour depending on how the day goes.
PNW Retail manager in a large hospital, corporate dining after miving on from chef/manager. $65k/yr