Salary by profession · UK · 2026
Chef salary in the UK
What is the average chef salary in the UK?
The average UK chef earns about £28,500 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025), typically £24,000–£40,000. That's around £2,003 a month take-home, and places the typical chef in roughly the 21st percentile of all UK earners — £10,539 below the national median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Chef pay and take-home
| Gross salary | Take-home (year) | Take-home (month) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | £24,000 | £20,800 | £1,733 |
| Typical (median) | £28,500 | £24,040 | £2,003 |
| Experienced / senior | £40,000 | £32,320 | £2,693 |
How chefs compare
The UK median full-time salary is £39,039. At £28,500, the typical chef is earning £10,539 less than the national median — around the 21st percentile of all earners. Head chef and senior kitchen roles at high-end venues pay well above the median.
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