Chefs salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£26,531
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 80% of Chefs work full-time
- 7% are self-employed
- 96.3% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Chefs pay in the UK
The typical chefs in the UK earns a median salary of £26,531 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of chefs earnings fall between £17,587 and £33,245 a year. That is a wide range, a sign that pay climbs steeply with experience, specialism and employer, so the median is a starting point rather than a ceiling.
Where you work changes the picture: chefs pay ranges from £23,042 in Yorkshire and the Humber up to £30,928 in London, a difference of £7,886 (34%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see chefs pay in London, Chefs vs Marketing Manager or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for chefs at £30,928 — 17% above the UK median. Yorkshire and the Humber is lowest at £23,042.
UK median £26,531
| Region | Median payUK median £26,531 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £30,928 | £30,928 | £30,989 | +17% |
| North East | £27,236 | £27,236 | £25,614 | +3% |
| South East | £27,113 | £27,113 | £26,461 | +2% |
| Scotland | £26,967 | £26,967 | £26,884 | +2% |
| North West | £26,000 | £26,000 | £25,187 | -2% |
| Wales | £25,625 | £25,625 | £24,731 | -3% |
| West Midlands | £25,542 | £25,542 | £26,163 | -4% |
| South West | £24,183 | £24,183 | £24,466 | -9% |
| East of England | £24,083 | £24,083 | £24,909 | -9% |
| East Midlands | £23,315 | £23,315 | £22,661 | -12% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £23,042 | £23,042 | £23,128 | -13% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £30,928 | £30,928Mean £30,989 | +17% |
| North East £27,236 | £27,236Mean £25,614 | +3% |
| South East £27,113 | £27,113Mean £26,461 | +2% |
| Scotland £26,967 | £26,967Mean £26,884 | +2% |
| North West £26,000 | £26,000Mean £25,187 | -2% |
| Wales £25,625 | £25,625Mean £24,731 | -3% |
| West Midlands £25,542 | £25,542Mean £26,163 | -4% |
| South West £24,183 | £24,183Mean £24,466 | -9% |
| East of England £24,083 | £24,083Mean £24,909 | -9% |
| East Midlands £23,315 | £23,315Mean £22,661 | -12% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £23,042 | £23,042Mean £23,128 | -13% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£26,531); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local chefs pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow chefs pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for chefs by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
Compare with…
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