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Boston Career Explorer

Food Preparation and Serving Related

Chefs and Head Cooks

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.

Also called: Banquet Chef, Chef, Cook, Executive Chef (Ex Chef), Executive Pastry Chef, Executive Sous Chef

Median pay in Greater Boston
$72,470
$34.84/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
4,430
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+7.7%
710 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
5 years or more of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$48,820$56,790$72,470$85,000$100,740

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure42 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 39
  • Language-model AIOE 41
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 45

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools could help with desk tasks like ordering supplies, pricing menus, and keeping records. Cooking, training staff, and checking that kitchens are clean and safe still depend on people being there.

Likely to change

  • Ordering supplies and tracking inventory
  • Pricing menus and keeping records

Still relies on people

  • Cooking and seasoning food by hand
  • Training and leading the kitchen team

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

8 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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