Chefs salary in London
Full-time average annual pay in London
£30,928
Based on ~32,000 employees · 2025 · moderate suppression
Median
£30,928
Mean
£30,989
| Statistic | Annual pay (gross) |
|---|---|
| Median | £30,928 |
| Mean | £30,989 |
Region-level range withheld by ONS — UK-wide, the middle half of chefs earn £17,587–£33,245. See full methodology →
Skilled Worker visa minimum
£33,400
Employment patterns
- 80% of Chefs work full-time
- 7% are self-employed
- 96.3% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Chefs pay in London
The typical chefs in London earns a median salary of £30,928 in 2025/26, based on around 32,000 employees — 16.6% (£4,397) above the UK-wide median of £26,531. 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.
Across the UK, London ranks 1st of 11 regions for chefs pay. Regional medians run from £23,042 in Yorkshire and the Humber up to £30,928 in London, a spread of £7,886 (34%).
The mean (average) salary is £30,989, close to the median — the two measures broadly agree for chefs in London, and the median remains the clearest guide to typical pay.
To see what £30,928 means after income tax and National Insurance, use the take-home pay calculator below — it also factors in student loan repayments.
Take-home pay estimate
Tax year 2025/26| Monthly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £2,577 | £30,928 |
| Income tax | £306 | £3,672 |
| National Insurance | £122 | £1,469 |
| Take-home pay | £2,149 | £25,788 |
Estimate only · 2025/26 HMRC rates · Standard tax code · No pension contribution · Not financial or tax advice
How Chefs 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 (current region) | £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 (current region) £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.
How chefs pay in London has changed over time
Median annual pay for chefs in London by year, shown against the UK-wide median (Source: ONS ASHE). The shaded band is the UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range — ONS does not publish percentile ranges at region level.
London median
UK median
▪ UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
Compare with…
How the figures are sourced
Data sources: Official UK earnings data (2025 provisional)(opens in new tab)
Related roles in Food Preparation and Hospitality Trades
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