The money you can earn as an Australian chef depends on experience, classification, location, and whether it’s a permanent or temporary role. As expected, there’s a significant difference between entry-level and head chefs’ wages. FIFO chefs have earning potentials above standard chef roles, while contract FIFO roles will have higher hourly pay rates than salaried chefs.
Check out the earning potential for FIFO Chefs with the following income examples.
How Much Does a Chef Earn in Australia?
Pay scales vary across companies and sectors of the industry, and salary levels can be dynamic depending on vacancy numbers, immigration levels, and FIFO demands.
Entry-level chefs earn an average salary between $55K to $58K, while experienced mid-career chefs can make over $80K per annum. Head Chefs typically make between $80K to $95K yearly, and Executive Chefs earn more than $110K.
If you would like information about the FIFO lifestyle and work opportunities, a specialist FIFO job agency can help enormously.
Entry-Level Chefs
When starting out as a chef, the job calls for food prepping, cooking standard recipes, and supervising kitchen staff. An entry-level chef is generally expected to have achieved a Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery or the equivalent.
Entry-level positions initially pay around the $55K mark, progressing to $73K after a few years of experience.
Mid-Career Chefs
A chef with more than a few years of experience under their belt can expect to make around the $82K plus mark.
Head Chefs
More responsibility with an oversight role in the kitchen moves head chefs up in the pay scale. Menu planning, devising new dishes, and keeping the kitchen running smoothly are expected tasks.
So, how much does a head chef earn in Australia? They usually start around the $68K level, progressing with experience to over $105K per year
Executive Chef Roles and Income
Executive chefs manage the entire kitchen operations of large restaurants. They carry responsibility for staff training, inventory, budget, and service standards and can make or break the establishment’s profitability.
Executive chef salaries start at over $80K, rising to around $120K with experience.
FIFO Chefs
FIFO roles in remote mining locations give chefs a much greater earning potential than regular chef roles in towns and cities across Australia. Generally, FIFO workers have either a week-on, week-off roster or a two-week roster cycle. Days average between 10 – 12 hours. However, specifics vary due to company policies and specific mine sites.
Salaries for FIFO permanent positions can pay up to $95K per annum. Head and Executive chefs on contracts will receive a higher pay rate and can make much more than $120K per year.
Do You Need to Increase Your Earning Potential?
If you’re after higher-income chef roles, get in touch with us at FIFO Chefs. We have the lowdown on the latest FIFO chef vacancies and future positions. As a remote mining site chef, you’ll experience a very different lifestyle from that in a city. You’ll also enjoy the perks of free meals and accommodation with free airfares to get you back home on your weeks off.
Let us get you started on landing your FIFO chef role today.