Headline risk
9%
Low RiskChefs and head cooks
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 4% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 60,990
Employment 2024
197.3K
Projected Change (2024–34)
7.1%
Openings (2024–34)
24.4K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of chefs and head cooks is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations. AI use: 0%
- 2. Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food. AI use: 0%
- 3. Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation. AI use: 0%
- 4. Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation. AI use: 0%
- 5. Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards. AI use: 0%
- 6. Check the quantity and quality of received products. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 40.5 · 516K employed
Under 25: 12% · 25–54: 72% · 55+: 16%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
major_group_fallback · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served.
Chefs and head cooks work in restaurants, hotels, and other food service establishments. They often work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. The work can be hectic and fast-paced. Most chefs and head cooks work full time.
Chefs and head cooks typically need a high school diploma and work experience to enter the occupation. Some attend a culinary program at a community college, technical school, culinary arts school, or 4-year college. Others learn through apprenticeship programs.
The median annual wage for chefs and head cooks was $60,990 in May 2024.
Employment of chefs and head cooks is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.