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What is a certified executive chef and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a certified executive chef. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.08 an hour? That's $45,924 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 15% and produce 23,600 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCertified Executive ChefUS Average
Salary
3.6

Avg. Salary $45,924

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.2

Growth rate 15%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.68%

Asian 12.36%

Black or African American 11.41%

Hispanic or Latino 9.96%

Unknown 5.21%

White 60.37%

Gender

female 22.58%

male 77.42%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
9.2

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
0.2

Work life balance is

6.4 - fair

Certified executive chef career paths

Key steps to become a certified executive chef

  1. Explore certified executive chef education requirements

    Most common certified executive chef degrees

    Bachelor's

    43.5 %

    Associate

    40.3 %

    Master's

    9.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific certified executive chef skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Menu Development30.69%
    Safety Regulations26.09%
    Fine Dining13.01%
    Storage Facilities11.58%
    Labor Costs10.37%
  3. Complete relevant certified executive chef training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New certified executive chefs learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a certified executive chef based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real certified executive chef resumes.
  4. Research certified executive chef duties and responsibilities

    • Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
    • Create and prepare international cuisine for executive clientele by using ingenuity, organization, efficiency in production and attention to detail
    • Specialize in Italian, Mediterranean and French/Classical bistro establishments.
  5. Get certified executive chef experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a certified executive chef. The most common roles before becoming a certified executive chef include executive chef, sous chef team lead and chef.
  6. Prepare your certified executive chef resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your certified executive chef resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a certified executive chef resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable certified executive chef resume templates

    Build a professional certified executive chef resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your certified executive chef resume.
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
    Certified Executive Chef Resume
  7. Apply for certified executive chef jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a certified executive chef job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first certified executive chef job

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Average certified executive chef salary

The average certified executive chef salary in the United States is $45,924 per year or $22 per hour. Certified executive chef salaries range between $29,000 and $70,000 per year.

Average certified executive chef salary
$45,924 Yearly
$22.08 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do certified executive chefs rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Certified executive chef reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

Design & creating food making customer happy cooking every area as line, prep, steam, broil, grill, creating comfort food desserts and catering. Ordering and managing a kitchen

Cons

Nothing to complain about love being a chef


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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