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Chefs chop vegetables in a restaurant
kitchen. Head chefs supervise other chefs
and plan menus. Other chefs prepare salads,
sauces, and fi nished plates. All must be adept
with knives and other tools of the trade.

French Culinary Institute, writes that “everything about a profes-
sional kitchen . . . is easily 100 times more intense than your home
kitchen. Knives are sharper, stoves are hotter, space is tighter, and
everything moves at a sprint-like pace. Even simple tasks like
turning on a stove are much more diffi cult, and you’ll be expected
to fi gure everything out very quickly.” Because of the many haz-
ards in commercial kitchens, chefs have a high rate of on-the-job
injuries. To reduce risks, chefs typically wear long-sleeve shirts and
a chef’s coat (even in the heat of summer) and nonslip shoes.

Earnings

Salaries for chefs can vary widely based on years of experience,
proven talent, and reputation. According to the BLS, the typical
chef’s salary ranges from $25,000 to more than $78,500. The
website Salary.com cites a higher range, from $57,631 to $81,782.

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