Executive chef demographics and statistics in the US
Executive chef demographics research summary. Zippia estimates executive chef demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our executive chef estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about executive chefs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 137,430 executive chefs currently employed in the United States.
- 12.5% of all executive chefs are women, while 87.5% are men.
- The average executive chef age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of executive chefs is White (55.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.0%), Asian (10.8%) and Black or African American (10.3%).
- Executive chefs are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The hospitality industry is the highest-paying for executive chefs.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $75,757, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women executive chefs earned 91% of what men earned.
- 9% of all executive chefs are LGBT.
- Massachusetts is the best state for executive chefs to live.
- Executive chefs are 84% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Executive chef demographics by:
Executive chef gender statistics
12.5% of executive chefs are women and 87.5% of executive chefs are men.
- Male, 87.5%
- Female, 12.5%
Executive chef gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 87.5% |
| Female | 12.5% |
Executive chef gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$61,020
Female income
$55,711
Executive chef gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in executive chef positions over time. Currently, 12.5% of executive chefs are female.
Executive chef gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 89.25% | 10.75% |
| 2011 | 89.58% | 10.42% |
| 2012 | 89.65% | 10.35% |
| 2013 | 89.74% | 10.26% |
| 2014 | 88.59% | 11.41% |
| 2015 | 89.64% | 10.36% |
| 2016 | 88.72% | 11.28% |
| 2017 | 88.97% | 11.03% |
| 2018 | 88.26% | 11.74% |
| 2019 | 88.96% | 11.04% |
| 2020 | 87.86% | 12.14% |
| 2021 | 87.52% | 12.48% |
Executive chef related jobs gender ratio
We compared executive chefs with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, corporate executive chef and chef de cuisine have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lunchroom Monitor | 5% | 95% |
| Waiter/Waitress, Captain | 13% | 87% |
| Lunchroom Supervisor | 13% | 87% |
| Executive Chef | 88% | 12% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 90% | 10% |
| Corporate Executive Chef | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Executive chef demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among executive chefs is White, which makes up 55.9% of all executive chefs. Comparatively, 17.0% of executive chefs are Hispanic or Latino and 10.8% of executive chefs are Asian.
- White, 55.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.0%
- Asian, 10.8%
- Black or African American, 10.3%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Executive chef race
| Executive chef race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.0% |
| Asian | 10.8% |
| Black or African American | 10.3% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Executive chef race and ethnicity over time
See how executive chef racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Executive chef race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.15% | 11.79% | 8.06% | 15.11% |
| 2011 | 62.30% | 12.36% | 7.44% | 14.80% |
| 2012 | 62.31% | 11.19% | 7.49% | 15.50% |
| 2013 | 63.44% | 11.42% | 6.83% | 14.89% |
| 2014 | 62.09% | 11.02% | 7.91% | 15.55% |
| 2015 | 60.55% | 10.66% | 7.97% | 17.31% |
| 2016 | 62.06% | 10.66% | 7.59% | 15.89% |
| 2017 | 58.99% | 10.23% | 9.50% | 17.73% |
| 2018 | 60.60% | 10.53% | 7.30% | 18.35% |
| 2019 | 60.38% | 10.36% | 8.51% | 17.59% |
| 2020 | 57.22% | 9.62% | 8.86% | 18.32% |
| 2021 | 55.94% | 10.26% | 10.82% | 16.99% |
Executive chef wage gap by race
According to our data, white executive chefs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian executive chefs have the lowest average salary at $59,059.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $60,580 |
| White | $62,951 |
| Black or African American | $61,671 |
| Asian | $59,059 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $60,905 |
Average executive chef age
See how the average age of executive chefs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Executive chef age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 43 | 46.5 |
| Unknown | 38 | 36.5 |
| Asian | 44 | 49 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 | 43 |
| White | 40 | 41 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 40 |
Executive chef age breakdown
The average age of executive chefs is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the executive chef population.
Executive chef age breakdown
| Executive Chef Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 15% |
Executive chef educational attainment
The most common degree for executive chefs is associate degree, with 56% of executive chefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 26% and bachelor's degree degree at 7%.
- Associate, 56%
- Bachelor's, 26%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Executive chefs by degree level
| Executive chef degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 56% |
| Bachelor's | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Executive chef jobs you might like
Executive chef wage gap by degree level
According to the data, executive chefs with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $65,380 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, executive chefs earn a median annual income of $64,449 compared to $58,897 for executive chefs with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,897 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,449 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,380 |
Executive chef employment statistics
Most executive chefs work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where executive chefs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where executive chefs work.
Executive chef jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Executive chef jobs by company type
Employees with the executive chef job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most executive chefs prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Executive chef jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 84% |
| Government | 0% |
Executive chef jobs by industry
The most common industries for executive chefs are hospitality, manufacturing and retail.
Executive chef industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 63% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Education | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Executive chef turnover and employment statistics
Executive chef unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for executive chefs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Executive chef unemployment rate by year
| Year | Executive chef unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.68% |
| 2011 | 10.91% |
| 2012 | 6.88% |
| 2013 | 7.77% |
| 2014 | 5.16% |
| 2015 | 5.14% |
| 2016 | 4.13% |
| 2017 | 3.91% |
| 2018 | 3.66% |
| 2019 | 3.42% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 11.33% |
Average executive chef tenure
The average executive chef stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 54,103 executive chefs resumes in Zippia's database.
Executive chef tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 41% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Executive chef LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of executive chefs that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Worker | 6.78% | 86,773 |
| Cocktail Server | 7.02% | 74,674 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Food Service/Cashier | 7.36% | 247,779 |
| Bartender Manager | 7.68% | 96,408 |
| Banquet Coordinator | 8.43% | 21,856 |
| Executive Chef | 8.58% | - |
Similar executive chef jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Worker | 6.78% | 86,773 |
| Cocktail Server | 7.02% | 74,674 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Food Service/Cashier | 7.36% | 247,779 |
| Bartender Manager | 7.68% | 96,408 |
| Banquet Coordinator | 8.43% | 21,856 |
Foreign languages spoken by executive chefs
The most common foreign language among executive chefs is Spanish at 41.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 22.1% and Italian is the third-most popular at 16.2%.
- Spanish, 41.2%
- French, 22.1%
- Italian, 16.2%
- German, 3.9%
- Japanese, 3.1%
- Other, 13.5%
Executive chef languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 41.2% |
| French | 22.1% |
| Italian | 16.2% |
| German | 3.9% |
| Japanese | 3.1% |
| Other | 13.5% |
