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Chefs and Head Cooks in Michigan

Chefs and Head Cooks in Michigan

Thinking about a career as a Chefs and Head Cooks in Michigan? Here’s what you need to know. 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.

What do Chefs and Head Cooks Make in Michigan?

For chefs and head cooks working in Michigan, the typical annual salary is $58,430 per year (or roughly $28.09/hour).Earnings range from $38,730 at the 10th percentile to $77,030 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $38,730 $18.62
25th percentile $49,350 $23.72
Median (50th) $58,430 $28.09
75th percentile $64,980 $31.24
90th percentile $77,030 $37.03
Salary ranges for Chefs and Head Cooks in Michigan

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Michigan nationwide is 1.02.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, chefs and head cooks earn a median of $35,292 per year ($16.97/hour), above the Michigan median.

Chefs and Head Cooks earnings in Michigan vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,181,220 chefs and head cooks nationwide. In Michigan alone, around 5,310 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,860 chefs and head cooks.

Chefs and Head Cooks in Michigan vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Chefs and Head Cooks

Top Michigan Metros for Chefs and Head Cooks

These are the Michigan metros with the most chefs and head cooks in Michigan.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,490 $57,690
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 580 $60,460
Ann Arbor, MI 280 $60,190
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 210 $60,100
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 140 $60,320
Traverse City, MI 130 $57,060
Flint, MI 110 $58,090
Battle Creek, MI 100 $52,120
Saginaw, MI 100 $56,450
Niles, MI 90 $59,140
Monroe, MI 60 $55,480
Jackson, MI 50 $59,270
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 50 $55,640
Bay City, MI 40 $49,100
Midland, MI 40 $56,820

Top States for Chefs and Head Cooks Employment

These states have the highest employment of chefs and head cooks work.

State Number Employed
California 26,500
Florida 17,170
Texas 16,550
New York 15,420
Pennsylvania 7,060
New Jersey 6,060
Illinois 5,540
Massachusetts 5,330
Michigan 5,310
Nevada 4,560
Georgia 4,390
Colorado 4,180
North Carolina 4,100
Ohio 4,040
Virginia 3,900
Washington 3,840
Oregon 3,640
Connecticut 3,600
Maryland 3,310
Arizona 3,260

Highest-Paying States for Chefs and Head Cooks

These states pay the most for chefs and head cooks.

State Annual Median Salary
Hawaii $81,200
Rhode Island $79,160
North Dakota $76,630
District of Columbia $74,000
Massachusetts $71,330
Washington $69,800
New Jersey $69,660
California $66,780
Delaware $65,290
Wyoming $64,790

Skills

The most important chefs and head cooks skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Coordination  4.1 / 5
0
5
Monitoring  4.0 / 5
0
5
Time Management  3.9 / 5
0
5
Management of Personnel Resources  3.9 / 5
0
5
Speaking  3.9 / 5
0
5
Social Perceptiveness  3.9 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Food Production  4.1 / 5
0
5
Production and Processing  4.0 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  3.9 / 5
0
5
Personnel and Human Resources  3.7 / 5
0
5
Administration and Management  3.7 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  3.5 / 5
0
5

Abilities

Key abilities for chefs and head cooks, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Problem Sensitivity  4.1 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  4.1 / 5
0
5
Oral Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Information Ordering  4.0 / 5
0
5
Deductive Reasoning  3.9 / 5
0
5
Speech Clarity  3.9 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Chefs and Head Cooks typically:

  • Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
  • Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
  • Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
  • Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
  • Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
  • Check the quantity and quality of received products.
  • Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
  • Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.
  • Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.
  • Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.
  • Plan, direct, or supervise food preparation or cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel.
  • Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.

Work Activities

  • Training and Teaching Others
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
  • Developing and Building Teams
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Getting Information
  • Coaching and Developing Others
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Scheduling Work and Activities
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Facebook In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

  • Culinary Arts

Other careers like chefs and head cooks include:

Also Known As

Baker, Banquet Chef, Bread and Pastry Baker, Cake Froster, Cake Icer, Cake Maker, Cake Mixer, Certified Executive Chef (CEC), Chef, Chef Manager, Chef de Cuisine, Chef de Froid, Chocolatier, Confectioner, Cook.

References

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