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Banquet chef salary
Average banquet chef salary
$48,026
Average Banquet Chef Salary
The banquet chef salary varies across different states and can be influenced by factors such as experience level, type of employer, and geographical location. As of October 2025, the average salary is $48,026 per year. Entry-level positions typically start lower, while experienced chefs in upscale venues can earn significantly more.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level banquet chefs can expect to earn around $30,000 annually, while those with five or more years of experience might see salaries rise to $55,000 or higher. Master chefs and those in managerial roles can earn upwards of $70,000, especially in metropolitan areas.
Highest Paying States
Banquet chefs in states like California, New York, and Florida tend to earn the highest salaries. The cost of living in these areas is higher, which often reflects in job compensation. For those looking to maximize their earning potential, focusing on high-demand locations is advisable.
Job Opportunities
Job seekers can find banquet chef roles in various settings, including hotels, catering companies, and fine dining restaurants. Utilizing job boards like Zippia can help candidates explore listings that align with their skills and salary expectations.
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Where can a Banquet Chef earn more?
Banquet chef salaries by experience level
Banquet chef salary estimates from across the web
Average banquet chef salary by state
The highest-paying states for banquet chefs are New Jersey, Hawaii, and Virginia. The lowest average banquet chef salary states are Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for banquet chefs
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $66,217 | $31.84 |
| 2 | Virginia | $61,693 | $29.66 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $61,177 | $29.41 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $60,626 | $29.15 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $56,027 | $26.94 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $59,352 | $28.53 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $74,001 | $35.58 |
| 8 | Michigan | $52,346 | $25.17 |
| 9 | New York | $59,004 | $28.37 |
| 10 | Florida | $48,892 | $23.51 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $57,512 | $27.65 |
| 12 | Indiana | $48,136 | $23.14 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $49,154 | $23.63 |
| 14 | Ohio | $51,319 | $24.67 |
| 15 | Georgia | $47,905 | $23.03 |
| 16 | Texas | $46,735 | $22.47 |
| 17 | Maine | $46,037 | $22.13 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $62,556 | $30.07 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $43,441 | $20.89 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| 21 | Alabama | $45,400 | $21.83 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $46,047 | $22.14 |
| 23 | California | $55,888 | $26.87 |
| 24 | Illinois | $49,488 | $23.79 |
| 25 | Alaska | $43,988 | $21.15 |
| 26 | Delaware | $50,672 | $24.36 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $42,402 | $20.39 |
| 28 | Nevada | $42,348 | $20.36 |
| 29 | Colorado | $44,405 | $21.35 |
| 30 | Maryland | $48,590 | $23.36 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $41,877 | $20.13 |
| 32 | Arizona | $41,187 | $19.80 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $42,420 | $20.39 |
| 34 | Washington | $46,625 | $22.42 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $39,687 | $19.08 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $43,033 | $20.69 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $42,062 | $20.22 |
| 38 | Missouri | $41,920 | $20.15 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $42,774 | $20.56 |
| 40 | Montana | $34,040 | $16.37 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $35,599 | $17.11 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $38,936 | $18.72 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $37,881 | $18.21 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $38,408 | $18.47 |
| 45 | Utah | $31,032 | $14.92 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $35,991 | $17.30 |
| 47 | Oregon | $39,665 | $19.07 |
| 48 | Iowa | $38,108 | $18.32 |
| 49 | Vermont | $37,473 | $18.02 |
| 50 | Idaho | $26,810 | $12.89 |
| 51 | Kansas | $34,340 | $16.51 |
Highest paying cities for banquet chefs
The highest-paying cities for banquet chefs are Washington, DC, Urban Honolulu, HI, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $66,206 | $31.83 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $62,484 | $30.04 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $59,366 | $28.54 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $59,209 | $28.47 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $58,450 | $28.10 |
| 6 | Napa, CA | $57,267 | $27.53 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $52,881 | $25.42 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $50,376 | $24.22 |
| 9 | Miami, FL | $49,868 | $23.98 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $49,648 | $23.87 |
| 11 | Columbus, GA | $47,949 | $23.05 |
| 12 | Asheville, NC | $47,652 | $22.91 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $46,794 | $22.50 |
| 14 | Charleston, SC | $45,955 | $22.09 |
| 15 | Dallas, TX | $45,804 | $22.02 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $44,308 | $21.30 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $42,407 | $20.39 |
| 18 | Milwaukee, WI | $42,121 | $20.25 |
| 19 | Scottsdale, AZ | $41,165 | $19.79 |
| 20 | New Orleans, LA | $36,070 | $17.34 |
Banquet chef salary details
A banquet chef's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $80,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a banquet chef's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $48,026 | $4,002 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying banquet chef jobs
The highest paying types of banquet chefs are executive chef, chef manager, and chef de cuisine.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Cook | $44,412 | $3,701 | $21.35 | 156,227 |
| Chef De Cuisine | $51,926 | $4,327 | $24.96 | 18,300 |
| Chef De Partie | $39,938 | $3,328 | $19.20 | 18,913 |
| Chef/Catering | $47,693 | $3,974 | $22.93 | 20,512 |
| Chef Manager | $53,470 | $4,456 | $25.71 | 22,346 |
| Pastry Cook | $34,858 | $2,905 | $16.76 | 136,754 |
Top companies hiring banquet chefs now:
Which companies pay banquet chefs the most?
Banquet chef salaries at J.F. Shea Co and AthleticClubColumbus are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average banquet chef salary at companies like MAJOR FOOD GROUP and Valley Hospitality are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J.F. Shea Co | $63,336 | $30.45 |
| 2 | AthleticClubColumbus | $56,710 | $27.26 |
| 3 | MAJOR FOOD GROUP | $55,403 | $26.64 |
| 4 | Valley Hospitality | $55,137 | $26.51 |
| 5 | Aimbridge Hospitality | $53,922 | $25.92 |
| 6 | Sodexo Management, Inc. | $53,892 | $25.91 |
| 7 | Proper Hospitality | $53,880 | $25.90 |
| 8 | HealthTrust | $52,548 | $25.26 |
| 9 | Goodwin Recruiting | $51,248 | $24.64 |
| 10 | Gold Key Processing | $51,204 | $24.62 |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin System | $49,603 | $23.85 |
| 12 | Aspen Meadows Resort | $49,459 | $23.78 |
| 13 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | $46,173 | $22.20 |
| 14 | Benchmark Group | $46,147 | $22.19 |
| 15 | Mainsail Lodging & Development | $46,084 | $22.16 |
| 16 | IHG Owners Association | $45,444 | $21.85 |
| 17 | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | $44,632 | $21.46 |
| 18 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $44,078 | $21.19 |
| 19 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $44,032 | $21.17 |
| 20 | Hyatt Hotels | $44,005 | $21.16 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Banquet chef salary trends
The average banquet chef salary has risen by $9,924 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average banquet chef earned $38,102 annually, but today, they earn $48,026 a year. That works out to a 24% change in pay for banquet chefs over the last decade.
Compare banquet chef salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average banquet chef salary over time
Compare banquet chef salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Banquet chef salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,000 | $23.09 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $46,400 | $22.29 | +6.0% |
| 2023 | $43,600 | $20.96 | +5.2% |
| 2022 | $41,300 | $19.88 | +6.0% |
| 2021 | $38,800 | $18.68 | +3.9% |
Recently added banquet chef salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcis Golf As | Banquet Chef | Littleton, CO | 06/29/2025 | $30,908 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Triplex Senior Banquet Chef | Lake Buena Vista, FL | 06/29/2025 | $87,000 |
| Mis En Place | Jeffrey A. Miller Hospitality Group Seeks A Off-Premise Event Banquet Chef | | Lansdowne, PA | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Marriott International | Banquet Chef | Boston, MA | 06/23/2025 | $82,000 |
| Sitio de Experiencia de Candidatos | Banquet Chef | Boston, MA | 06/23/2025 | $82,000 |
| IHG Career | Chef Banquet-Intercontinental Boston | Boston, MA | 06/23/2025 | $80,000 |
| Intercontinental Hotels Group | Chef Banquet-Intercontinental Boston | Boston, MA | 06/21/2025 | $80,000 |
| IHG | Chef Banquet-Intercontinental Boston | Boston, MA | 06/21/2025 | $80,000 |
| Coraltreehospitality | Banquet Chef | Indian Wells, CA | 06/21/2025 | $80,000 |
| Coraltree Hospitality | Banquet Chef | Indian Wells, CA | 06/21/2025 | $80,000 |
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