Chef Salaries in United Kingdom

Updated 1 Dec 2023
Base Pay Range
£21K - £30K/yr
Average Base Pay

4,345 salaries

£22K

Low

£72K

High

Additional Cash Compensation
Average£8,143Range£1,588 - £41,766
The average salary for Chef is £33,039 per year in the United Kingdom. The average additional cash compensation for a Chef in the United Kingdom is £8,143, with a range from £1,588 - £41,766. Salaries estimates are based on 4345 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Chef employees in United Kingdom.

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What is the salary trajectory for a Chef?

in United Kingdom

£33,039 /yr
Chef
£125,069 /yr
Adjunct Chef
£39,557 /yr
Head Chef
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the salary trajectory for a Chef?

Job TitleSalary
Chef£33,039 /yr
Adjunct Chef£125,069 /yr
Head Chef£39,557 /yr
What is the salary trajectory for a Chef?

in United Kingdom

£33,039 /yr
Chef
£125,069 /yr
Adjunct Chef
£39,557 /yr
Head Chef
See Full Career Path

Download as data table

What is the salary trajectory for a Chef?

Job TitleSalary
Chef£33,039 /yr
Adjunct Chef£125,069 /yr
Head Chef£39,557 /yr

Salaries in United Kingdom

Location

or

Find a Specific Employer

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Company

Average Base Salary in (GBP)

Range

McDonald's
3.5

McDonald's

Chef

£22,022

 /yr
Range: £10K - £356K
160 salaries
See 371 salaries from all locations

£10K

£356K

£10,237 - £356,271 Range

wagamama
3.6

wagamama

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £9 - £15
143 salaries
See 164 salaries from all locations

£9

£15

£9 - £15 Range

Prezzo
3.6

Prezzo

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £9 - £12
135 salaries
See 144 salaries from all locations

£9

£12

£9 - £12 Range

Mitchells & Butlers
3.5

Mitchells & Butlers

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £7 - £19
132 salaries
See 184 salaries from all locations

£7

£19

£7 - £19 Range

McDonald's
3.5

McDonald's

Chef

£20,210

 /yr
Range: £10K - £184K
127 salaries
See 371 salaries from all locations

£10K

£184K

£10,237 - £183,854 Range

The Lounges
3.4

The Lounges

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £10 - £13
97 salaries
See 99 salaries from all locations

£10

£13

£10 - £13 Range

Greene King
3.4

Greene King

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £6 - £17
94 salaries
See 133 salaries from all locations

£6

£17

£6 - £17 Range

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HC-One
3

HC-One

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £7 - £14
65 salaries
See 65 salaries from all locations

£7

£14

£7 - £14 Range

Atalian Servest
2.9

Atalian Servest

Chef - Hourly

£13

 /hr
Range: £11 - £17
58 salaries
See 58 salaries from all locations

£11

£17

£11 - £17 Range

PizzaExpress
3.8

PizzaExpress

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £7 - £945
49 salaries
See 82 salaries from all locations

£7

£945

£7 - £945 Range

Mitchells & Butlers
3.5

Mitchells & Butlers

Chef - Hourly

£10

 /hr
Range: £9 - £12
45 salaries
See 184 salaries from all locations

£9

£12

£9 - £12 Range

Stonegate Pub Company
3.2

Stonegate Pub Company

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £7 - £14
45 salaries
See 52 salaries from all locations

£7

£14

£7 - £14 Range

J D Wetherspoon
3.5

J D Wetherspoon

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £8 - £17
40 salaries
See 59 salaries from all locations

£8

£17

£8 - £17 Range

Sodexo
3.6

Sodexo

Chef - Hourly

£12

 /hr
Range: £10 - £14
38 salaries
See 48 salaries from all locations

£10

£14

£10 - £14 Range

Whitbread
3.6

Whitbread

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £7 - £14
38 salaries
See 54 salaries from all locations

£7

£14

£7 - £14 Range

Barchester Healthcare
3.5

Barchester Healthcare

Chef - Hourly

£13

 /hr
Range: £11 - £16
38 salaries
See 38 salaries from all locations

£11

£16

£11 - £16 Range

Four Seasons Health Care
4

Four Seasons Health Care

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £10 - £16
35 salaries
See 35 salaries from all locations

£10

£16

£10 - £16 Range

Blue Arrow
3.6

Blue Arrow

Chef - Hourly

£14

 /hr
Range: £11 - £18
35 salaries
See 46 salaries from all locations

£11

£18

£11 - £18 Range

Cosy Club
3.4

Cosy Club

Chef - Hourly

£11

 /hr
Range: £10 - £13
33 salaries
See 35 salaries from all locations

£10

£13

£10 - £13 Range

Greene King
3.4

Greene King

Chef - Hourly

£10

 /hr
Range: £6 - £13
33 salaries
See 133 salaries from all locations

£6

£13

£6 - £13 Range

Download as data table

Chef Salaries

Job TitleSalary
Chef salaries - 160 salaries reported£22,022/yr
Chef salaries - 143 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 135 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 132 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 127 salaries reported£20,210/yr
Chef salaries - 97 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 94 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 65 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 58 salaries reported£13/hr
Chef salaries - 49 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 45 salaries reported£10/hr
Chef salaries - 45 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 40 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 38 salaries reported£12/hr
Chef salaries - 38 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 38 salaries reported£13/hr
Chef salaries - 35 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 35 salaries reported£14/hr
Chef salaries - 33 salaries reported£11/hr
Chef salaries - 33 salaries reported£10/hr
Viewing 1 - 10 of 143,081

Frequently asked questions about a Chef salaries

The average salary for a Chef is £33,039 per year in United Kingdom. Salaries estimates are based on 4345 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Chef employees in United Kingdom.

The highest salary for a Chef in United Kingdom is £71,808 per year.

The lowest salary for a Chef in United Kingdom is £22,220 per year.

Chefs often work late into the night. Their wages vary by region and employer, however, pay is usually highest in upscale restaurants and hotels, as well as in major metropolitan and resort areas. Salary can vary from entry-level trainee roles to celebrity chefs. The highest paid chefs typically have attended specialised culinary institutes. Some chefs eventually open their own restaurant, and publish their own cookery books. Chefs who own their own restaurant can work to advertise their services and grow their own customer base.

To make more money in your career as a chef , consider a bachelor's degree in culinary arts. Since it's not required at most establishments, it demonstrates a higher level of knowledge, skill, and dedication to your craft, and should start you on a higher salary as a chef. Next, focus on gaining as much experience as possible, whether through hands-on internships, part-time roles, or on-the-job training. Not only should you master making diverse dishes from scratch, but you should be able to plan menus, order ingredients, handle a kitchen team, manage food safety procedures, and be on top of time management. Certification through the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) underscores your role by highlighting executive-level skills. Bear in mind that salaries vary widely depending on the prestige of the restaurant and location. You could work anywhere from your local eatery to a cruise ship.

When negotiating salary in your job as a chef, always ask what the kitchen budget is. The budget range for culinary professionals varies considerably from one restaurant to another and widely depends on location, setting, and experience level. Seek out establishments with the highest budget in your area of expertise, and negotiate a 5-10% increase. If the salary range for sous-chefs runs between £20,000 to £30,000, for instance, negotiate toward £30,000 by demonstrating a higher level of kitchen knowledge, skill, training, and experience than your peers. Always factor in benefits, such as extra holidays or job flexibility, and get any bonuses down in writing.

About 62.52% of Chef professionals feel satisfied with their salary, according to anonymous Glassdoor ratings. An additional £8,143 in potential pay per year, among other factors, can qualify the annual pay of a Chef in United Kingdom as a good salary.

Chef professionals in United Kingdom have a wide total pay range, between £17,788 and £217,267 depending on experience, with an estimated total pay of £33,039 following the average career path of a Chef.

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