Chef / Head Cook

Directs and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. Plans and prices menu items, orders supplies, and supervises kitchen staff.

About This Role

Chefs and head cooks run the kitchen, balancing creative menu design with hands-on cooking and constant coordination of people and supplies. Late morning often starts with walking the coolers and dry storage, checking the freshness of produce, proteins, and prepared items, and inspecting deliveries for quality and accuracy before signing invoices. They refine menus and daily specials based on seasonality, costs, and what looks best that day, then write detailed prep lists and station assignments so the team knows exactly what to do. As prep gets underway, they taste sauces and components, correct seasoning, and coach cooks on techniques and consistency while keeping an eye on food safety practices and sanitation.

A Day in the Life

• 10:00 AM Inspect inventory and deliveries
  Walk the coolers and dry storage, check the quality of produce and proteins, and verify that vendor deliveries match orders and standards.
• 11:00 AM Plan menu and create prep list
  Finalize specials, adjust dishes for seasonal ingredients and costs, and write detailed prep lists and station tasks for the brigade.
• 12:00 PM Lead prep and oversee mise en place
  Direct cooks as they chop, marinate, and batch sauces, taste components, correct seasoning, and ensure food safety practices are followed.
• 2:30 PM Staff meal and short break
  Sit down briefly with the team for family meal, discuss the evening’s reservations and any VIPs, and take a quick rest before service.
• 3:30 PM Set up and organize the line
  Check each station’s mise en place, arrange garnishes and backups, communicate ticket flow expectations, and sync with front-of-house about specials and allergens.
• 5:30 PM Run dinner service
  Call and fire tickets, coordinate timing across stations, finish and check plates at the pass, and solve problems like substitutions or unexpected volume spikes.
• 9:30 PM Close down and debrief
  Review remaining inventory, log waste, update order sheets, oversee cleaning and breakdown, and talk with the team about what to adjust for the next service.

Tools & Technologies

• Spreadsheets: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets
• Office Suites: Microsoft Office
• Email: Microsoft Outlook
• Word Processing: Microsoft Word
• Web & Social Media: Facebook
• Presentations: Microsoft PowerPoint

Pay

Median salary: $61,000 per year.

Salary distribution for Chef / Head Cook:

• 10th percentile: $36,000
• 25th percentile: $48,000
• Median: $61,000
• 75th percentile: $77,000
• 90th percentile: $96,000

Most professionals earn between $48,000 and $77,000.

Pay by State

• Hawaii: $81,000 (Range: $70,000 - $130,000)
• Rhode Island: $79,000 (Range: $65,000 - $123,000)
• North Dakota: $77,000 (Range: $46,000 - $98,000)
• District of Columbia: $74,000 (Range: $55,000 - $109,000)
• Massachusetts: $71,000 (Range: $48,000 - $111,000)
• Washington: $70,000 (Range: $50,000 - $98,000)
• New Jersey: $70,000 (Range: $53,000 - $100,000)
• California: $67,000 (Range: $46,000 - $101,000)
• Delaware: $65,000 (Range: $45,000 - $86,000)
• Wyoming: $65,000 (Range: $47,000 - $94,000)
• New York: $64,000 (Range: $42,000 - $101,000)
• Colorado: $64,000 (Range: $44,000 - $90,000)
• Vermont: $63,000 (Range: $52,000 - $89,000)
• Alabama: $63,000 (Range: $37,000 - $85,000)
• Connecticut: $63,000 (Range: $40,000 - $113,000)
• Maryland: $62,000 (Range: $37,000 - $93,000)
• Arizona: $62,000 (Range: $38,000 - $96,000)
• Illinois: $61,000 (Range: $35,000 - $96,000)
• South Carolina: $61,000 (Range: $43,000 - $88,000)
• West Virginia: $61,000 (Range: $38,000 - $106,000)
• Oregon: $60,000 (Range: $44,000 - $88,000)
• Wisconsin: $60,000 (Range: $32,000 - $91,000)
• North Carolina: $60,000 (Range: $42,000 - $99,000)
• Virginia: $60,000 (Range: $44,000 - $82,000)
• Pennsylvania: $60,000 (Range: $40,000 - $90,000)
• Florida: $60,000 (Range: $31,000 - $99,000)
• Tennessee: $59,000 (Range: $41,000 - $87,000)
• Minnesota: $59,000 (Range: $46,000 - $92,000)
• Missouri: $59,000 (Range: $36,000 - $91,000)
• Nevada: $59,000 (Range: $35,000 - $92,000)
• Michigan: $58,000 (Range: $39,000 - $77,000)
• New Hampshire: $58,000 (Range: $37,000 - $90,000)
• Nebraska: $58,000 (Range: $41,000 - $111,000)
• Kansas: $58,000 (Range: $36,000 - $88,000)
• Alaska: $58,000 (Range: $32,000 - $89,000)
• Indiana: $57,000 (Range: $37,000 - $90,000)
• Ohio: $57,000 (Range: $37,000 - $98,000)
• Maine: $56,000 (Range: $45,000 - $77,000)
• Montana: $56,000 (Range: $38,000 - $79,000)
• New Mexico: $55,000 (Range: $44,000 - $89,000)
• Oklahoma: $53,000 (Range: $17,000 - $78,000)
• Georgia: $52,000 (Range: $36,000 - $86,000)
• Texas: $51,000 (Range: $30,000 - $86,000)
• Idaho: $50,000 (Range: $36,000 - $80,000)
• Arkansas