A starting chef's salary in Australia varies but often begins around $50,000 to $70,000 AUD annually, with entry-level roles like Commis or Junior Chef, or apprenticeships, setting the initial pay, while higher-end restaurants or big cities can offer more, reflecting strong demand and experience.
Based on 2022 neuvoo reporting, an entry-level Executive Chef may start around $80,000. In comparison, Senior Executive Chefs can make up to $107,300. The average wage for the position in Australia is $92,500. Skills that can lead to increased pay (Source: Payscale):
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $100,209 and as low as $22,628, the majority of Chef salaries currently range between $37,700 (25th percentile) to $69,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $90,510 annually in Los Angeles.
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Salary range for the majority of workers in Chefs - from R8 364 to R23 210 per month - 2026. A Chefs typically earns between R8 364 and R13 657 net per month at the start of the job. After 5 years of service, this is between R10 537 and R17 837 per month for a working week of 45 hours.
Some prefer to stay at this level because it's the highest level before entering into a management role, Chef Litherland says. Cook 1 is a higher level lead position, bringing a lot more responsibility and mastery of their specific skills.
A Level 3 Chef salary, often a Cook Grade 2 or Commis Chef, varies by location and award, but in Australia, it's around AU$26.70 - AU$29.51 per hour (or roughly $55,000 - $62,000 annually depending on hours/penalties), reflecting a qualified but junior/intermediate role, whereas higher levels like Level 4 (Demi Chef) earn more, and Executive Chefs earn substantially more ($80k+), according to Australian Fair Work Ombudsman and Tanda.
The 🤌 emoji, or "chef's kiss," signifies that something is perfect, excellent, or exceptionally good, originating from an Italian gesture (al bacio) where a chef kisses their pinched fingertips to praise delicious food, now used for anything superb, from a great idea to a perfect outfit. It's a visual shorthand for "perfection" or "magnificent" and can also be used sarcastically.
Entry-Level Chefs
The average beginning gross salary during starting your career usually lies between ₹2,00,000/- to ₹3,50,000/- per annum in India. Some initial jobs are common such as commis chef or a line cook when you are bound to learn more by assisting experienced chefs.
According to HESA, at an overall level in 2023, recent graduates in full-time paid work were most likely to be earning between £24,000 and £27,000.
The charge for a Chef de Partie (CDP) will differ from that of a sous chef and head chef. For instance, a CDP chef's hourly rate range between £16 and £20. As a sous chef, you will earn between £20 and £24 per hour, while a head chef can receive between £24 and £30 per hour.
Yes, $130k is a very good salary in Australia, placing you well above the median income and in the top earnings bracket, but whether it's "comfortable" depends heavily on your location (high-cost cities like Sydney/Melbourne vs. regional areas) and lifestyle, as high rents can still strain finances, though it generally allows for a solid middle-class life with budgeting.
They report that there are 129,810 chefs in the US with average salaries of $56,920. The top 10% of earners make $84,570 annually. Chron.com reports that the highest-earning chefs make $76,280, which is more than $36 an hour, and that the lowest-earning chefs make $23,630 annually, or $11.36 an hour.
10 Highest Paying Countries for Chef
Jobs paying $500k+ in Australia are primarily in highly specialized fields like Medical Specialists (surgeons, anaesthetists), Senior Finance/Executive Roles (CFO, Head of Treasury, Investment Directors), and high-end Sales & Construction Management (Elite Stockbrokers, Senior Project Managers/Estimators in complex sectors). While roles like Neurosurgeon and Ophthalmologist average well over $500k, achieving this in other sectors often involves performance-based bonuses or leading major projects, with opportunities listed on job boards like SEEK and Jora.
Top 10 chefs in Australia
As of July 1, 2025, Australia's National Minimum Wage is $24.95 per hour, or $948 per week for a 38-hour week, for adult employees not covered by specific agreements; however, many workers are covered by industry Awards, which often set higher rates, and casual employees receive a 25% loading, making their rate $31.19/hour. Minimum wages for younger workers (under 21) and apprentices are also lower.
On 25k, minus tax, national insurance, and pension contributions, this works out at around £7 an hour. Well below the Real Living Wage of £12 an hour suggested by the Living Wage Foundation. In 2001, the median starter salary for graduates was £18,000 a year. Adjusted for inflation, this would be £32,163 today.
It depends on the field you're in and your location, but $50,000 is below the average starting salary in the U.S. of $68,680 for college graduates in 2025. However, for those in certain fields, such as psychology, in which the average starting salary is $44,700, $50,000 would be a good entry level salary.
While 40% of undergraduate students were expecting to earn more than £30,000 after finishing their studies, just over half (53%) of postgraduate students indicated the same. Additionally, undergraduate students were twice as likely to say that they were expecting to earn a salary below £20,000.
An entry level cook chef (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of R371,319. On the other end, a senior level cook chef (8+ years of experience) earns an average salary of R635,123.
As per job outlook, chefs in Australia earn an average weekly pay of $1,250 per week. This figure, however, can vary based on several factors including experience, location, type of establishment, and level of expertise.
As a chef, you're likely on your feet much of the day, cooking and preparing food. You may experience some physical stress and get tired or uncomfortable during the workday.
The sequence 👩 ❤ 💋 👩 ❤ 💋 👩 represents two women in love, sharing kisses and affection, essentially meaning "two women kissing" or "women loving women," often used to express a romantic lesbian or queer relationship, combining the woman emoji (👩), heart (❤), and kiss mark (💋) to show a loving, often sensual, connection. It emphasizes romance, intimacy, and attraction between two females.
In professional kitchens, "hands" refers to available staff members who can actively participate in food preparation and service. When a chef or expeditor calls for "hands," they're specifically requesting available kitchen staff who can immediately assist with tasks.
Finger Kiss
This translates as 'excellent! ', or 'you deserve a kiss'.