Chef in 1730: Palace and temple kitchens

How long does it take to become a head chef? Most cooks reach head chef roughly eight to twelve years after their first kitchen job — a few years learning stations as commis and chef de partie, several more running the pass as sous chef. There is no fixed timetable or exam; promotion depends entirely on a head chef judging you ready to run a kitchen.

What is the difference between a chef and a cook? In a professional kitchen, a cook executes a dish; a chef — from the French for "head" — is responsible for the menu, the standards and everyone else's work. Every chef has been a cook, but the title formally means leadership, not just skill at the stove, which is why a brigade has only one chef de cuisine.

It varies enormously by stage and country. Commis and line cooks are among the lowest-paid skilled trades; in the US the median for chefs and head cooks was about $61,000 in 2024. The real money sits with the small minority who become chef-owners or build a restaurant group, where income comes from the business, not a wage.