How to hire a chef

How to hire a chef, step by step

Here's a step-by-step chef hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a chef job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chef
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a chef do?

Post a chef job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your chef job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a chef for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect chef also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of chefs and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Chef	Description	Hourly rate
   Chef	Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served. They direct kitchen staff and handle any food-related concerns.	$14-32
   Pastry Cook	The Pastry Cook's responsibilities include preparing quality pastry items such as breakfast items, desserts, breads, ice creams, creams, simple syrups, amenities, and others. They are also responsible for minimizing waste and maintaining control to attain forecasted food cost.	$12-21
   Line Cook	Line cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. The term line cook brings to mind an assembly line... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Food Handling
   • Culinary
   • Food Service
   • Kitchen Operations
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Quality Standards
   • Cleanliness
   • Quality Food
   • Chefs
   • ServSafe
   • Cuisine
   • Fine Dining
   • Food Production

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prep; cook; deliver and manage off site catering events per BEO orders.
   • Integrate key culinary leaders into casino and food and beverage operations, achieving positive results and industry awards.
   • Prepare any there require drinks or food that is necessary for that BEO.
   • Train all BOH employees on new recipes and procedures of preparation for all menu items
   • Maximize productivity, profit and loss with continual on the job training of BOH staff.
   • Follow mandated health regulations with a HACCP program and proper sanctification procedures.

   More chef duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your chef job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A chef salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, chefs' average salary in wyoming is 62% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chefs earn 54% less than senior-level chefs.
   • Certifications. A chef with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a chef's salary.

   Average chef salary

   $46,824yearly

   $22.51 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chef salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average chef salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Hawaii	$71,516	$34
   2	Washington	$57,286	$28
   3	California	$55,617	$27
   4	Massachusetts	$55,491	$27
   5	Texas	$53,145	$26
   6	Pennsylvania	$52,140	$25
   7	District of Columbia	$51,303	$25
   8	Nevada	$51,263	$25
   9	Georgia	$49,011	$24
   10	Maine	$48,340	$23
   11	Arizona	$47,666	$23
   12	Illinois	$47,597	$23
   13	Colorado	$45,825	$22
   14	Oregon	$45,821	$22
   15	Missouri	$45,144	$22
   16	New York	$45,118	$22
   17	Florida	$43,734	$21
   18	Indiana	$41,630	$20
   19	Virginia	$40,646	$20
   20	North Carolina	$40,197	$19

   Average chef salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bridgewater Associates	$74,500	$35.82
   2	Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research	$70,723	$34.00
   3	Life Care Centers of America	$69,164	$33.25
   4	Opelousas General Health System	$68,165	$32.77
   5	St. Petersburg Yacht Club	$68,053	$32.72
   6	NHC	$67,105	$32.26	4
   7	American Bar Association	$64,413	$30.97
   8	Club	$61,985	$29.80	23
   9	Encompass Health	$61,391	$29.51	1
   10	Ciena Healthcare	$59,093	$28.41
   11	HealthTrust	$58,575	$28.16
   12	The Culinary Institute of America	$58,355	$28.06	6
   13	LifePoint Health	$57,780	$27.78
   14	Aspen Snowmass	$57,555	$27.67	19
   15	Goodwin Recruiting	$57,372	$27.58
   16	Romano's Macaroni Grill	$56,948	$27.38
   17	McCalls Catering & Events	$56,888	$27.35	3
   18	Bright Star Schools	$56,631	$27.23
   19	Monarch Casino & Resort	$56,412	$27.12	7
   20	Lake Mohawk Golf Club	$56,336	$27.08

4. Writing a chef job description

   A good chef job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a chef job description:

   Chef job description example

   • Minimum of 1-year experience in cooking strongly required.

   • Ability to maintain a professional and courteous demeanor during stressful and/or busy times.
   • Ability to entertain and perform in front of guests is strongly desired.
   • Must be able to work as part of a team and recognize the importance of each team member's role in the guest dining experience.
   • Ability to prepare food for consumption with background knowledge of proper techniques and equipment to be used.
   • Knowledge of industry standards on food storage and handling techniques is highly desirable.
   • Exercise sound judgment and possess good problem-solving skills.

   • Previous experience in the restaurant or hospitality industry required.
   • Where applicable, holds a state and/or local food handlers card.

   • Must be 18 years of age or older or in accordance of state law.
   • High School diploma or GED preferred. Equivalent combination of education/experience will be considered.
   • Must be eligible to work in the United States.
   • Must be able to work different shifts, including holidays, nights and weekends. Must be able to work overtime as required.

   Here are some of the sizzling benefits of working for us:

   • Training: At Benihana your chef career will include more than crafting incredible meals. You'll learn how to deliver an experience. We offer a 5-week paid training course.
   • Fun working environment: You will work in a caring environment where you are highly valued and will have the opportunity to continue to develop and grow.
   • Free shift meals: We believe in coming together as a family and want you to be able to enjoy a great meal. We provide all of our employees a free shift meal, every day.
   • Benefits are important: We know how important it is to take care of yourself and your family. We offer a full benefits suite that includes 401K, and Medical, Vision and Dental for you and your family.
   • C ompetitive Pay: Along with a competitive paycheck, you will have an opportunity to be well rewarded.

   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please note this is not the full job description.

   
   
   

   PI193997456

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find chefs for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your chef job on Zippia to find and recruit chef candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with chef candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new chef

   Once you've selected the best chef candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new chef first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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