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How to hire a chef manager

Chef manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring chef managers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 64,175 chef managers in the US, and there are currently 22,346 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a chef manager is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per chef manager on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Philadelphia, PA, has the highest demand for chef managers, with 11 job openings.

How to hire a chef manager, step by step

To hire a chef manager, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a chef manager:

Here's a step-by-step chef manager 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 manager job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chef manager
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a chef manager do?

The primary role of a Chef Manager is to supervise food preparation. They may work in varies settings, such as restaurants, schools, and hospitals.

Learn more about the specifics of what a chef manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the chef manager you need to hire. Certain chef manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A chef manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, chef managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of chef managers.

    Type of Chef ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Chef ManagerChefs 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.$17-37
    Pastry CookThe 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
    Head CookA head cook is responsible for organizing the food preparation, organizing the kitchen operations, and ensuring the quality of the food presented. Head cooks' duties include monitoring the food inventory, creating new recipes, researching current market trends, responding to guests' inquiries and complaints, distributing kitchen tasks to the staff, and maintaining budget goals while maintaining the highest food quality... Show more$15-29
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Culinary
    • Fine Dining
    • Customer Service
    • ServSafe
    • Quality Standards
    • HACCP
    • Menu Development
    • Menu Planning
    • Food Preparation
    • Food Handling
    • Kitchen Operations
    • Food Cost
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Cost Control
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage day to day operation and supervise the staff FOH & BOH.
    • Manage the daily activities and schedules of the other cooks, dishwashers, and prep support.
    • Manage kitchen staff, delegates responsibilities, place groceries order, prepare menus and prepare food base on recipes.
    • Supervise and train all.associates in food preparation, HACCP in-service training and sanitation and safety procedures.
    • Maintain FIFO, daily account of labor vs sales.
    • Receive orders/check invoices, rotate according to FIFO and organize walk in/freezer.
    More chef manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your chef manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A chef manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a chef manager in Arkansas may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level chef manager usually earns less than a senior-level chef manager. Additionally, a chef manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average chef manager salary

    $53,470yearly

    $25.71 hourly rate

    Entry-level chef manager salary
    $36,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 20, 2025

    Average chef manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New Jersey$71,010$34
    2New Hampshire$62,271$30
    3District of Columbia$61,415$30
    4Massachusetts$59,237$28
    5Pennsylvania$58,791$28
    6Virginia$58,593$28
    7California$54,402$26
    8Illinois$52,387$25
    9Ohio$51,535$25
    10Texas$50,704$24
    11New York$49,782$24
    12Indiana$48,415$23
    13North Carolina$47,426$23
    14Florida$47,001$23
    15Minnesota$46,464$22
    16Colorado$45,874$22
    17Maryland$45,486$22
    18South Carolina$43,690$21
    19Alabama$43,253$21
    20Arizona$43,225$21

    Average chef manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Alameda Health System$80,141$38.53
    2Columbia University in the City of New York$69,533$33.43
    3Headway Workforce Solutions$65,336$31.41
    4Guest Services$65,113$31.306
    5SpaceX$64,992$31.254
    6Goodwin Recruiting$62,952$30.27
    7The Porter Co.$58,652$28.20
    8DoubleTree by Hilton Portland$56,131$26.992
    9NANA$55,627$26.7416
    10Iowa State University$55,613$26.74
    11Mitsuwa Marketplace$55,337$26.60
    12Cafe Services$55,102$26.49
    13Paramount Events$54,942$26.41
    14Acadia Healthcare$53,341$25.643
    15New Horizons Village$53,114$25.544
    16Brock Group$52,974$25.471
    17Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr.$52,850$25.41
    18Sodexo Management, Inc.$52,494$25.24324
    19Taher, Inc. Professional Food Service Management$52,334$25.1631
    20Elior North America$52,026$25.0122
  4. Writing a chef manager job description

    A chef manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a chef manager job description:

    Chef manager job description example

    EARN UP TO A $500.00 SIGN-ON BONUS!!

    Are you a chef with excellent leadership skills? Are you business minded and able to plan a menu that will attract guests while managing food cost and inventory? Are guest and employee satisfaction a priority for you? If you answered YES, then this may be the opportunity for you!

    Café Services is on the lookout for our next Floating Chef Manager to join our corporate dining team. In this role, you will provide coverage and support in a variety of corporate dining locations. This could include covering for a location manager, helping with a special event or project, cooking, training, or providing other support as needed. This position requires flexibility and adaptability as you will be working at various locations within a geographic area, Taunton to Waltham.

    The Floating Chef Manager position is designed to give a growth opportunity to candidates that have basic to advanced culinary skills and the ability and desire to grow. This is a terrific opportunity to join a hard-working team with the intent to learn the key functions of a location lead for future promotional opportunities.



    NO NIGHTS, WEEKENDS OR MAJOR HOLIDAY'S

    This position is: M-F Days - Taunton Ma to Waltham, MA

    Salary range $50,000 to $70,000 annually.

    Must Haves:

    • Team oriented with positive attitude

    • Ability to manage, mentor, and motivate team positively

    • Excellent culinary skills with the desire to stay on trend while menu planning

    • Excellent client relations and guest service skills

    • Business acumen, ability to manage food cost and budget

    • Ability to work quickly and efficiently

    • Multitasking and time management skills

    • Eager to learn through training

    • Cool in fast paced kitchen setting

    • Reliable Transportation

    • Must have or be able to obtain current certifications and licenses required by local, state, and/or Federal guidelines for food production management.

    • **Ability to clear a background check**

    We offer a competitive benefits program that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA, ST/LT, Life, Paid Vacations, Personal Time, a 401(k) with a company match, training, and opportunities for growth!


    PLEASE NOTE:
    Café Services, Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer and participates in E-Verify. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of gender, age, national origin, race/ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, or other protected group status.


    *Sign on bonus terms:

    Must work 12 hours on average each week during the payout period:

    $200 paid after 30 days

    $300 paid after 120 days


  5. Post your job

    To find the right chef manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with chef managers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit chef managers who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your chef manager job on Zippia to find and recruit chef manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting chef managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 manager

    Once you've decided on a perfect chef manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new chef manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a chef manager?

Hiring a chef manager comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting chef managers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of chef manager recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $53,470 per year for a chef manager, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for chef managers in the US typically range between $17 and $37 an hour.

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