How Much Does a Culinary Arts Professional Make?

Professional chefs get to use their love of food and flavor in their everyday work. Most of the people who choose to cook for a living do it because they have a passion for the culinary arts. Being a chef is more than just a fulfilling career option. It can be lucrative as well.

How Much Can I Make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average chef earned roughly $20.76 an hour in 2016. That equals $43,180 yearly, much higher than the $37,040 average for all occupations.

During the same time period, the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that the top 10% of professional chefs commanded an impressive $76,280 salary. Many factors influence the pay a chef earns.

• Length of previous experience
• Industry or type of establishment
• Education
• Natural talent
• Networking skills

The restaurant business is a diverse and ever-changing industry. Head cooks and chefs are needed to plan and execute menus at all kinds of eateries, from hot dog stands to cruise ships. Positions that require a greater degree of complexity usually offer the highest monetary rewards. For example, preparing multiple daily menus for a college cafeteria demands more skill and knowledge than overseeing a concession stand.

The Importance of Education

Like most professions, working your way up to the highest-paying ranks takes time. Starting with a firm educational foundation will shorten the amount of time it takes for you to qualify for the more lucrative positions.

Culinary education also gives you a wider knowledge base. This means you will qualify for a more diverse selection of entry-level positions when you graduate. More options give you the ability to plan your future career success with higher precision.

Successful completion of culinary training may also qualify you for higher starting wages. Employers benefit from hiring employees that don’t require a lot of paid training hours. Some may be willing to share the savings by offering you a little more on your first few paychecks.

Skills You Need to Be a Successful Chef

Chefs and head cooks have a natural love of food. To successfully lead a commercial kitchen, however, these professionals need to use other skills.

• Attention to detail. Head chefs are responsible for nearly every aspect of the dining experience. A keen eye ensures potential problems are spotted before they make it to the customer.
• Organizational skills. Head cooks are often responsible for bookkeeping, quality-control logs, inventory, ordering, scheduling, menu planning, and much more. Candidates need to be able to keep large amounts of information organized, accurate, and accessible.
• Creativity. Like all artists, professional chefs must be constantly innovating to stay relevant. Cooks who can continuously create new combinations of flavors and textures are more likely to qualify for higher-paying positions.
• Ability to lead and motivate a team. The chef is the center of the commercial kitchen’s activities. Motivating and coordinating staff to deliver the best service possible is a vital daily duty.

A head chef needs to know how to cook too. However, many high-paying cooking jobs don’t involve much food prep. These positions are likely to be administrative and organizational.

Should You Go to Culinary School?

A formal culinary education can put you on the fast track to top-paying restaurant jobs. You could years paying your dues in low-wage support positions, waiting for your chance to shine. Or you could learn exactly the skills employers seek.

Are you interested in becoming a chef? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, ECPI University’s Culinary Institute of Virginia offers this degree program at an accelerated rate. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions counselor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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Gainful Employment Information – Culinary Arts - Associate’s

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