Chef and cook pay in the UK

When a salary drops below the minimum

If you're paid a salary, the minimum wage is checked by dividing your pay for each pay period by the hours you actually worked in it. Long weeks in a busy kitchen can take a salary that looks fine below the legal minimum.

Example: a sous chef on £27,000 a year works 55 hours a week. That's £519.23 a week, or £9.44 an hour, which is £3.27 below £12.71. To meet the minimum at 55 hours, the salary would need to be at least £36,351.

Prep and clean-down

Coming in early to prep, taking deliveries and cleaning down after service are all working time. Keep a note of the time you actually arrive and leave, not the times on the rota, especially in peak weeks.

The 48-hour week

You can't be made to work more than 48 hours a week on average (usually over 17 weeks) unless you've signed an opt-out. Many kitchens ask new staff to sign one. You can cancel it with at least 7 days' notice, or up to 3 months if your agreement says so, and you can't be treated unfairly for refusing.

Tips in the kitchen

The tips law requires tips to be shared fairly among workers. That can include kitchen staff, depending on the venue's written policy. If your restaurant adds a service charge and the kitchen gets nothing, ask to see the policy.

Working in contract catering

Chefs in schools, hospitals, care homes and offices usually work fixed daytime shifts for a catering contractor. Hours are more predictable, and some of these contracts pay the Real Living Wage. Term-time-only contracts affect how holiday is worked out, so check your holiday entitlement.

Track it shift by shift

Shiftaan works out your hours and expected pay for every shift, even ones that cross midnight. Open the app.

Common questions