From Commis to Head Chef: The UK Chef Career Path and Real Salary Progression in 2026
Real salary data, realistic timelines, and the moves that actually accelerate your chef career in the UK.
Most chef career advice is written by people who haven't worked a service in years. This one is built from live UK job listings — what employers are actually paying right now, by position.
For full live numbers across UK cities, see our UK Chef Salary Index. Here we walk through the full path.
Stage 1: Kitchen Porter (KP) → Commis Chef
Where you start: Kitchen Porter (KP). Washing, prep support, cleaning. £11–13 per hour.
First promotion: Commis Chef — usually within 6–12 months if you show up, learn fast and ask questions.
Realistic Commis salary in the UK 2026: £22,000–£28,000 per year, or £12–14 per hour.
What to focus on at this stage:
- Knife skills — your cuts say more about you than anything else
- Mise en place discipline — chefs notice the commis whose station is always ready
- One section mastered properly (larder, garde manger, or pastry usually)
Time at this level: 1–2 years.
Stage 2: Commis → Chef de Partie (CDP)
The biggest jump in your early career. CDP means you run a section — sauces, fish, meat, larder, or pastry. The kitchen depends on you not breaking down at service.
Realistic CDP salary in the UK 2026: £28,000–£36,000 per year, or £14–17 per hour. Higher in fine dining and London.
What gets you promoted to CDP:
- Consistency under pressure — head chef has watched you for a year and knows you do not crack
- Speed plus accuracy — you can do 100 covers without re-firing
- Initiative — you spotted things to fix before being asked
Time at this level: 2–3 years.
Stage 3: CDP → Sous Chef
Sous chef is a leadership role. You stop being judged on your station and start being judged on the kitchen as a whole. Schedules, ordering, training the commis, holding the head chef's standards when they are not in.
Realistic Sous Chef salary in the UK 2026: £35,000–£45,000 per year. Top end for fine dining and group operations.
What gets you to sous:
- Strong CDP track record across at least two sections
- You can train others without losing your own service quality
- You handle suppliers, costings, GP — at least the basics
- Head chef trusts you to lead service when they are off
Time at this level: 2–4 years.
Stage 4: Sous → Head Chef
The transition where many chefs stall. Head chef is no longer about cooking — it is about running a P&L. You own GP, food cost, labour cost, menu development, hiring, supplier negotiations, kitchen culture.
Realistic Head Chef salary in the UK 2026: £45,000–£60,000 per year for independents and groups. £55,000–£75,000 for higher-end venues, hotels and well-funded restaurant groups.
What gets you there:
- You ran the kitchen reliably as sous for 1+ year
- You have at least one menu you designed and costed end-to-end
- You can hire — and have replaced people without disasters
- You understand the numbers: GP target, labour %, allergen compliance
Time at this level: 3–6 years before exec chef becomes realistic.
Stage 5: Head Chef → Executive Chef
Executive chef is multi-site. You stop running one kitchen and start setting standards for many. Group restaurants, hotel chains, contract caterers.
Realistic Executive Chef salary in the UK 2026: £60,000–£90,000+ per year. Top hotel groups and Michelin-level operations push £100,000+.
When to switch employers (this is where money actually changes)
Internal promotions in restaurants are slow and small (£2–3k bumps). External moves move you faster:
- Commis to CDP: Switch if you are not getting CDP within 18 months of asking. Average pay bump: £4–6k.
- CDP to Sous: Switch every 2–3 years if you want sous-level pay. Average pay bump: £6–10k.
- Sous to Head: External moves give the biggest jumps — £10–18k bumps when going to a smaller venue or new opening.
- Head to Exec: Almost always external. The good gigs are not advertised — they come from chef networks.
What chefs are actually paid right now
We track salaries from active UK job listings continuously. See our UK Chef Salary Index for the live median pay by position and city, including which UK cities currently pay best.
Where are you on this path? Add yourself to the ch3f.co.uk talent pool and let restaurants find you when the next role on your level opens up. Free, 2-minute profile.