How to hire a culinary chef

How to hire a culinary chef, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The culinary chef hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a culinary chef to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a culinary chef that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Culinary Chef	Description	Hourly rate
   Culinary 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.	$16-33
   Chef/Kitchen Manager	A kitchen manager or chef is someone who oversees the overall operations in the kitchen as well as the food operations. Kitchen managers make certain that food and related products are well prepared, cooked, and served to customers... Show more	$16-33
   Head Cook	A 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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Culinary
   • Fine Dining
   • Food Service
   • Cuisine
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Recipe Development
   • Food Handling
   • Safety Standards
   • Product Development
   • Food Quality
   • HACCP
   • USDA
   • Menu Planning
   • Food Products

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a kitchen of military personal and Japanese civilian chefs.
   • Provide informative culinary instruction and product knowledge to create exceptional customer experiences.
   • Balance emerging trends and culinary creativity with cost, utilization and operational execution.
   • Develop seasonal menus focusing on classical French cuisine with consideration to customer base, product availability and cost.
   • Develop and open a USDA inspect production facility.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your culinary chef job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A culinary chef can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, culinary chefs' average salary in idaho is 53% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level culinary chefs 51% less than senior-level culinary chefs.
   • Certifications. A culinary chef with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a culinary chef's salary.

   Average culinary chef salary

   $49,417yearly

   $23.76 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level culinary chef salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a culinary chef job description

   A good culinary 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 culinary chef job description:

   Culinary chef job description example

   Andaz Maui at Wailea is the first resort for the Andaz brand. Situated on Maui's premier southwestern coastline, the 15-acre beachfront resort is located along Mokapu Beach in Wailea, one of the most sought after leisure and resort destinations in the world. The luxury resort community of Wailea includes a 1.2 mile-long oceanfront beach path connecting five crescent-shaped, golden-sand beaches, a premier shopping center and distinguished restaurants.
   
   The Culinary 3 position must have a passion for food and the ability to execute food items at the highest level. Must be able to work hot-side, pantry portions and all aspects of the kitchen. This could be an entry level position that an employee must have some kitchen or culinary education experience. Must be able to run a station in multiple style kitchens and execute food for guests.
   
   Hyatt has redefined the hotel experience that reflects the Hindi meaning of "Andaz, personal style". Local inspirations, simplified luxuries, uncompromised service and leading edge design all create the Andaz concept which is growing worldwide.
   
   Hyatt is a place where high expectations aren't just met-they're exceeded. It's a place of outstanding rewards, where talent opens doors to exciting challenges in the hospitality industry. It's a place where career opportunities are as unlimited as your imagination. Discover your place to shine in our warm, respectful, and inclusive culture.
   
   $1,000 Sign On Bonus Details: New hire will receive $500 after completing 90 days of employment and the remaining $500 after completing 180 days of employment.
   **Qualifications:**
   
   + Refined Communication skills & polished presentation required
   
   + Min. 2 years of previous line experience.
   
   + Culinary degree or related hotel experience is preferred.
   
   + Candidate should be able to perform all basic cooking skills.
   
   + A true desire to satisfy the needs of others in a fast paced environment.
   
   + Ability to stand for long periods of time.
   
   + Must be able to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays.
   
   **Primary Location:** US-HI-Wailea
   
   **Organization:** Andaz Maui at Wailea
   
   **Pay Basis:** Hourly
   
   **Job Level:** Full-time
   
   **Job:** Culinary
   
   
   Hyatt is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status or any other group protected by law.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right culinary chef 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 culinary chefs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit culinary chefs 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 culinary chef job on Zippia to find and recruit culinary chef candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit culinary chefs, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 culinary chef

   Once you've decided on a perfect culinary chef 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.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new culinary chef. 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.)

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