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The Global Insight

How much do line cooks make in California

Author

John Johnson

Updated on April 18, 2026

Between long hours and measly pay, the kitchen life ain’t easy. … Nevertheless, pay for restaurant work remain low, for both the front and the back of house. The Department of Labor recorded last year’s median annual wage for line cooks in New York City to be $25,060.

Can you make a living as a line cook?

Between long hours and measly pay, the kitchen life ain’t easy. … Nevertheless, pay for restaurant work remain low, for both the front and the back of house. The Department of Labor recorded last year’s median annual wage for line cooks in New York City to be $25,060.

How much do Outback line cooks make?

The typical Outback Steakhouse Line Cook salary is $15 per hour. Line Cook salaries at Outback Steakhouse can range from $10 – $22 per hour.

What is the minimum wage for a cook in California?

As of the beginning of 2020, the minimum wage in the state is $12 an hour for employers with up to 25 employees and $13 for companies with 26 or more workers. In 2021, these numbers will go up to $13 and $14 respectively, and there will be an annual increase until 2023 when all employees must receive $15 an hour.

Where do line cooks make the most money?

Hawaii, Washington, California, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts provide the highest Line Cook salaries.

How much does a prep cook make?

Job TitleSalaryWhite Spot Restaurants Prep Cook salaries – 7 salaries reported$14/hrCompass Group USA Prep Cook salaries – 6 salaries reported$16/hrBoston Pizza Prep Cook salaries – 5 salaries reported$15/hrAramark Prep Cook salaries – 5 salaries reported$18/hr

Where do cooks make the most money?

1. Hawaii. Hawaii is without a doubt the best state for chefs and head cooks in 2019. Not only are wages for chefs and head cooks in Hawaii the highest in the country, they also surpass – by a big margin – the average wage earned by a Hawaiian.

How much do chefs earn?

The average chef salary in New Zealand is $46,855 per year or $24.03 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $42,900 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $60,250 per year.

How much do cooks get paid?

How Much Does a Restaurant Cook Make? Restaurant Cooks made a median salary of $27,790 in 2019. The best-paid 25 percent made $32,600 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made $23,520.

How much does an Outback server make?

How much does a Server at Outback Steakhouse make? The typical Outback Steakhouse Server salary is $7 per hour. Server salaries at Outback Steakhouse can range from $2 – $26 per hour.

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Are line cooks in demand?

Overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 6 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Individual growth rates will vary by specialty. Population and income growth are expected to result in greater consumer demand for food at a variety of dining places.

Why are cooks paid so little?

While job opportunities dwindle, the amount of new cooks multiplies. Many very young, unexperienced or older chefs are forced to take any job available to them, at any salary, just to survive.

How much do line cooks make at Bonefish?

The typical Bonefish Grill Line Cook salary is $15 per hour. Line Cook salaries at Bonefish Grill can range from $12 – $18 per hour.

Is getting a culinary degree worth it?

As far as financial ROI goes, three out of four people said that culinary school was absolutely worth it—and two of them graduated completely debt-free, as a result of scholarships and personal savings.

Is Culinary a good career?

Pros of Being a Chef Culinary arts is an amazing field for individuals who want to showcase their creativity through food. If you’re an independent individual who values flexibility, culinary arts is full of potential. … You could also consider a career as a personal chef for even greater flexibility and freedom.

What's the difference between a line cook and a prep cook?

Line cooks are more experienced and often higher trained member of kitchen staff than a prep cook. The prep cook prepares the ingredients that the line cook then uses when cooking the meals at the restaurant. … Line cooks are directly responsible for cooking the main dishes.

Do prep cooks need experience?

Prep cooks are often required to have previous kitchen or food preparation experience using their skills and experience to efficiently perform the kitchen activities of a restaurant.

What does a prep cook do in a restaurant?

Prep cooks are tasked with preparing all the ingredients that’ll eventually be turned into dishes by the line cooks, and that means portioning meat, poultry, fish, and seafood; shredding or slicing cheese; preparing sauces and dressings; chopping and slicing produce; and labelling, dating, and storing everything in the …

How much do line cooks make at Olive Garden?

How much does a Line Cook make at Olive Garden in the United States? Average Olive Garden Line Cook hourly pay in the United States is approximately $14.86, which meets the national average.

Does chef have high salary?

Amount of Chef Salary In the United States, chef salary is somewhere between $23,000 up to $50,000. This annual average is applicable for novice to sous chef position. For higher chef positions like chief, executive and others, the salary range from $33,000 up to $84,000.

How much do waitresses make at Texas Roadhouse?

The typical Texas Roadhouse Waitress salary is $6 per hour. Waitress salaries at Texas Roadhouse can range from $2 – $22 per hour.

Do servers at LongHorn make good money?

Hourly pay is low. Have to have good regulars and be fast to make decent money. Benefits are nice.

How much does a waiter at LongHorn make?

How Much Do They Get Paid? Pay rates for LongHorn Steakhouse servers rest at state minimum wage for tipped employees. With tips, most servers earn an average of $8.00 or $9.00 per hour. On busy nights, LongHorn servers may earn as much as $10.00 or $11.00 per hour.

How many hours a day do chefs work?

One of the first things every new or aspiring chef hears is how long the work days are. Chefs and cooks are notorious for working between 50 and 70 hours per week, oftentimes on weekends, evenings, and for up to 12 hours per day.

Are pastry chefs in high demand?

Are pastry chefs in demand? Projected employment growth for pastry chefs is slightly slower than average, however, job opportunities are predicted to be good. This profession has a high turnover rate.

Can a chef make 6 figures?

Of those surveyed, chefs averaged between 15 and 20 years in the industry, while executive chefs earning six figures had more than 24 years of experience. … “I have had [culinary] students who have done well and those who didn’t do well, and I’ve had employees with no experience do well.

Do line cooks get breaks?

It’s fairly common for line cooks to not take breaks, or not take as many as other professions. Occasionally they are denied breaks, but that should be rare these days.

What is the highest paid chef job?

Job TitleAnnual SalaryWeekly PaySenior Development Chef$97,354$1,872Corporate Executive Chef$96,681$1,859Corporate Chef$87,950$1,691Senior Executive Chef$86,571$1,665

How much does bone fish pay?

Job TitleSalaryHost salaries – 35 salaries reported$9/hrHost/Hostess salaries – 19 salaries reported$7/hrHost/Hostess salaries – 17 salaries reported$12/hrServer/Bartender salaries – 17 salaries reported$3/hr

How much does a prep cook make at Bonefish Grill?

Job TitleRangeAverageGrill CookRange:$10 – $17 (Estimated *)Average:$13Prep CookRange:$9 – $13 (Estimated *)Average:$11CashierRange:$8 – $13 (Estimated *)Average:$10Chef AssistantRange:$9 – $18 (Estimated *)Average:$14

How much does a waitress make at Bonefish Grill?

How much does a Server at Bonefish Grill make? The typical Bonefish Grill Server salary is $6 per hour. Server salaries at Bonefish Grill can range from $2 – $27 per hour.