Kitchen chef demographics and statistics in the US
Kitchen chef demographics research summary. Zippia estimates kitchen chef demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our kitchen 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 kitchen chefs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 58,864 kitchen chefs currently employed in the United States.
- 30.0% of all kitchen chefs are women, while 70.0% are men.
- The average kitchen chef age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of kitchen chefs is White (53.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.4%), Asian (12.7%) and Black or African American (9.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 90% of what men earned.
- 9% of all kitchen chefs are LGBT.
- Kitchen chefs are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Kitchen chef demographics by:
Kitchen chef gender statistics
30.0% of kitchen chefs are women and 70.0% of kitchen chefs are men.
- Male, 70.0%
- Female, 30.0%
Kitchen chef gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 70.0% |
| Female | 30.0% |
Kitchen chef gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,696
Female income
$35,009
Kitchen chef gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in kitchen chef positions over time. Currently, 30.0% of kitchen chefs are female.
Kitchen chef gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.38% | 26.62% |
| 2011 | 74.06% | 25.94% |
| 2012 | 74.21% | 25.79% |
| 2013 | 74.40% | 25.60% |
| 2014 | 72.07% | 27.93% |
| 2015 | 74.19% | 25.81% |
| 2016 | 72.32% | 27.68% |
| 2017 | 72.82% | 27.18% |
| 2018 | 71.41% | 28.59% |
| 2019 | 72.81% | 27.19% |
| 2020 | 70.62% | 29.38% |
| 2021 | 69.97% | 30.03% |
Kitchen chef related jobs gender ratio
We compared kitchen 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% |
| Kitchen Chef | 70% | 30% |
| 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%
Kitchen chef demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among kitchen chefs is White, which makes up 53.3% of all kitchen chefs. Comparatively, 18.4% of kitchen chefs are Hispanic or Latino and 12.7% of kitchen chefs are Asian.
- White, 53.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.4%
- Asian, 12.7%
- Black or African American, 9.6%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Kitchen chef race
| Kitchen chef race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.4% |
| Asian | 12.7% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Kitchen chef race and ethnicity over time
See how kitchen chef racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Kitchen chef race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 59.51% | 11.11% | 9.90% | 16.51% |
| 2011 | 59.67% | 11.68% | 9.29% | 16.21% |
| 2012 | 59.68% | 10.51% | 9.34% | 16.91% |
| 2013 | 60.81% | 10.74% | 8.68% | 16.29% |
| 2014 | 59.46% | 10.34% | 9.76% | 16.95% |
| 2015 | 57.92% | 9.98% | 9.82% | 18.72% |
| 2016 | 59.42% | 9.98% | 9.44% | 17.29% |
| 2017 | 56.36% | 9.55% | 11.35% | 19.14% |
| 2018 | 57.97% | 9.85% | 9.14% | 19.75% |
| 2019 | 57.75% | 9.68% | 10.36% | 19.00% |
| 2020 | 54.59% | 8.94% | 10.70% | 19.73% |
| 2021 | 53.31% | 9.58% | 12.66% | 18.39% |
Kitchen chef wage gap by race
According to our data, white kitchen chefs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian kitchen chefs have the lowest average salary at $37,330.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,390 |
| White | $40,045 |
| Black or African American | $39,151 |
| Asian | $37,330 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,616 |
Average kitchen chef age
See how the average age of kitchen chefs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Kitchen 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 |
Kitchen chef age breakdown
The average age of kitchen chefs is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the kitchen chef population.
Kitchen chef age breakdown
| Kitchen Chef Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 15% |
Kitchen chef educational attainment
The most common degree for kitchen chefs is associate degree, with 34% of kitchen chefs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 23%.
- Associate, 34%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- High School Diploma, 23%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Kitchen chefs by degree level
| Kitchen chef degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 34% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| High School Diploma | 23% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Kitchen chef jobs you might like
Kitchen chef wage gap by degree level
According to the data, kitchen chefs with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $41,748 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, kitchen chefs earn a median annual income of $41,095 compared to $37,218 for kitchen chefs with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,218 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,095 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,748 |
Kitchen chef employment statistics
Most kitchen chefs work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where kitchen chefs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where kitchen chefs work.
Kitchen chef jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 25% |
Kitchen chef jobs by company type
Employees with the kitchen chef job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most kitchen chefs prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Kitchen chef jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 4% |
Kitchen chef jobs by industry
The most common industries for kitchen chefs are hospitality, retail and education.
Kitchen chef industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 41% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Education | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Media | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Government | 3% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Kitchen chef turnover and employment statistics
Kitchen chef unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for kitchen chefs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Kitchen chef unemployment rate by year
| Year | Kitchen 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 kitchen chef tenure
The average kitchen chef stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 749 kitchen chefs resumes in Zippia's database.
Kitchen chef tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Kitchen chef LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of kitchen 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Food Service Coordinator | 6.78% | 79,537 |
| Restaurant Server | 7.02% | 141,250 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Food Service Attendant | 7.36% | 229,108 |
| Banquet Bartender | 7.68% | 58,519 |
| Fountain Supervisor | 8.43% | 5,620 |
| Kitchen Chef | 8.58% | - |
Similar kitchen chef jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Food Service Coordinator | 6.78% | 79,537 |
| Restaurant Server | 7.02% | 141,250 |
| Gallery Host | 7.29% | 9,545 |
| Food Service Attendant | 7.36% | 229,108 |
| Banquet Bartender | 7.68% | 58,519 |
| Fountain Supervisor | 8.43% | 5,620 |
Foreign languages spoken by kitchen chefs
The most common foreign language among kitchen chefs is Spanish at 48.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 17.1% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 5.7%.
- Spanish, 48.6%
- French, 17.1%
- Japanese, 5.7%
- Italian, 5.7%
- Chinese, 2.9%
- Other, 20.0%
Kitchen chef languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.6% |
| French | 17.1% |
| Japanese | 5.7% |
| Italian | 5.7% |
| Chinese | 2.9% |
| Other | 20.0% |
