What This Job Pays: executive chef

November 16, 2007

What This Job Pays: executive chef

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Pay: The median pay for an executive chef in the Seattle area is $60,900 a year, with most making from about $52,700 to $70,500 a year, according to PayScale, a Seattle company that tracks compensation and benefits.

Demand: Job openings for chefs, cooks, and food-preparation workers are expected to be plentiful through 2014; however, competition should be keen for jobs in the top kitchens of higher-end restaurants.

Need to know: Executive chefs who work in fine-dining restaurants need many years of training and experience and an intense desire to cook. Many chefs are trained on the job, receiving real work experience and training from chef mentors in the restaurants where they work. Executive chefs coordinate the work of the kitchen staff and direct the preparation of meals. They determine serving sizes, plan menus, order food supplies and oversee kitchen operations to ensure uniform quality and presentation of meals. An executive chef is in charge of all food-service operations. Chefs may compete and test for certification as master chefs. Although certification is not required to enter the field, it can be a measure of accomplishment and lead to further advancement and higher-paying positions.

PayScale, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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