Chef Salary UK 2026
The average advertised pay for a Chef, based on live UK vacancies — with how it compares to similar roles and how many jobs are available right now.
By Louisa Lowe, Editor — Careers & Workplace · Updated 16 June 2026£30,000
median advertised salary
410
live jobs right now
81%
permanent roles
59%
via agencies
The average advertised salary for a Chef in the UK is £30,000 a year, based on 79 live vacancies carrying salary information this month. 81% of current adverts are permanent, and 59% are posted through recruitment agencies.
Chef adverts mention AI or automation 0% of the time — among the most AI-proof roles we track.
How Chef pay compares
Median advertised salary across UK roles with similar pay.
Similar roles at a glance
| Role | Median pay | Live jobs | Permanent | AI mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labourer | £32,000 | 798 | 31% | 0% |
| Bookkeeper | £32,000 | 88 | 87% | 1% |
| Welder | £31,000 | 600 | 66% | 0% |
| Bus Driver | £31,000 | 53 | 79% | 0% |
| Chef | £30,000 | 410 | 81% | 0% |
| Retail Assistant | £29,000 | 114 | 78% | 0% |
| Administrator | £28,000 | 1,968 | 72% | 0% |
| Healthcare Assistant | £28,000 | 910 | 88% | 0% |
| Security Officer | £28,000 | 201 | 67% | 0% |
How we calculate this. Figures come from live Chef vacancies in the CV-Library feed, refreshed monthly. The median uses adverts that state pay; hourly and weekly rates are annualised (hourly × 37.5 × 52). Ambiguous or "competitive" salaries are excluded rather than guessed. Read the full methodology →