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 1 September 2026£30,000
median advertised salary
397
live jobs right now
63%
permanent roles
64%
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. 63% of current adverts are permanent, and 64% 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 | 781 | 23% | 0% |
| Bookkeeper | £32,000 | 85 | 88% | 0% |
| Welder | £31,000 | 656 | 72% | 0% |
| Bus Driver | £31,000 | 27 | 80% | 1% |
| Chef | £30,000 | 397 | 63% | 0% |
| Retail Assistant | £29,000 | 15 | 84% | 0% |
| Administrator | £28,000 | 2,193 | 66% | 0% |
| Healthcare Assistant | £28,000 | 69 | 66% | 0% |
| Security Officer | £28,000 | 128 | 76% | 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 →