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Working in the restaurant industry is no longer just an option for the typical out-of-work actor looking to pay the bills. With the number of jobs being advertised within the sector increasing by 20% on last year and the highest noted maximum salary reaching £60,000 in London, the potential to carve a serious, long-lasting career must not be overlooked. Mark Darby of Berkeley Scott provides the salary breakdown and market perspective.
At the highest level, working either front-of-house or in the kitchen can reap big rewards for those dedicated to their craft. The roles of area/operations manager and executive chef have the joint highest average salaries in London (£40,000), the South West (£38,000) and the Midlands (£40,000). In the North, executive chefs have the highest average pay of all the roles in that region at £38,000. This is to be expected of such experienced roles.
Restaurants: London
| Min. | Typical | Max. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area/ops manager | £36,000 | £40,000 | £50,000 |
| Gen Man | £25,000 | £38,000 | £60,000 |
| HR/Training Man | £25,000 | £34,000 | £45,000 |
| Asst Man | £22,000 | £24,000 | £28,000 |
| Exec Chef | £32,000 | £40,000 | £60,000 |
| Head Chef | £25,000 | £36,000 | £50,000 |
| Sous Chef | £22,000 | £26,000 | £28,000 |
| Chef de Partie | £16,500 | £21,000 | £25,000 |
| Commis Chef | £14,000 | £15,000 | £16,000 |
| Pastry Chef | £18,000 | £23,000 | £32,000 |
| Supervisors/Head Waiter | £19,000 | £22,000 | £24,000 |
| Bar Manager | £22,000 | £26,000 | £35,000 |
Restaurants: South East
| Min. | Average | Max. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area/ops manager | £30,000 | 38,000 | £45,000 |
| Gen Man | £24,000 | 31,000 | £40,000 |
| HR/Training Man | £25,000 | 30,000 | £35,000 |
| Asst Man | £20,000 | 22,000 | £25,000 |
| Exec Chef | £28,000 | 30,000 | £35,000 |
| Head Chef | £24,000 | 28,000 | £30,000 |
| Sous Chef | £16,000 | 17,000 | £18,000 |
| Chef de Partie | £16,000 | 17,500 | £20,000 |
| Commis Chef | £13,000 | 14,000 | £15,500 |
| Pastry Chef | £17,000 | 20,500 | £30,000 |
| Supervisors/Head Waiter | £16,000 | 20,000 | £22,000 |
| Bar Manager | £18,000 | 24,000 | £28,000 |
The highest noted maximum salaries occur in London, where a general manager and an executive chef both receive £60,000, reflecting the cost of living and the increased trade to establishments found in the capital. However, general managers in London experience the widest range of salaries from a minimum of £25,000 to a maximum of £60,000, a difference of £35,000. It is important to note that whilst front-of-house positions feature large wage fluctuations, especially in branded restaurants, salaries for chefs and catering staff are relatively more stable.
However, the picture is not quite as rosy at the bottom end of the employment scale. The lowest average salaries for each role are split across the North, South East and South West regions, with each area offering a mixture of the worst pay for roles.
In the North the following roles offer the lowest average salaries across the survey: area/operations Manager (£35,000); general manager (£30,000), pastry chef (£16,000) and supervisor/head waiter (£16,000). The South East offers the lowest average pay for these roles: executive chef (£30,000), head chef (£29,000) and sous chef (£17,000). The lowest average salary for a HR/training manager is £28,500 and it is offered in the South West.
In the kitchen, the lowest-paid position is the apprentice role of commis chef, which pays £12,000 as a minimum in the North, the Midlands and the South West, with slightly more in London (£14,000) and the South East (£13,000). The salary difference between the most junior chef (commis) to most experienced (executive) is typically over £20,000 in most regions, a vast and somewhat daunting gap for new starters. Disappointingly, these entry-level positions have also seen a slight dent to their earning potential due to the recession, with a decrease in starting salary of around 2-5% depending on the establishment, with the drop felt more sharply in branded restaurants.
Restaurants: South West
| Min. | Average | Max. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area/ops manager | £30,000 | 38,000 | £45,000 |
| Gen Man | £25,000 | 32,000 | £40,000 |
| HR/Training Man | £22,000 | 28,500 | £35,000 |
| Asst Man | £17,000 | 20,000 | £23,000 |
| Exec Chef | £30,000 | 38,000 | £50,000 |
| Head Chef | £25,000 | 29,500 | £35,000 |
| Sous Chef | £18,000 | 20,500 | £27,000 |
| Chef de Partie | £15,000 | 17,500 | £19,000 |
| Commis Chef | £12,000 | 13,500 | £15,000 |
| Pastry Chef | £16,000 | 20,000 | £28,000 |
| Supervisors/Head Waiter | £15,000 | 18,000 | £19,500 |
| Bar Manager | £18,000 | 22,000 | £25,000 |
Restaurants: Midlands
| Min. | Average | Max. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area/Operations Manager | £35,000 | 38,000 | £50,000 |
| General Manager | £23,500 | 38,000 | £50,000 |
| HR/Training Manager | £22,000 | 34,000 | £35,000 |
| Assistant Manager | £18,000 | 24,000 | £26,000 |
| Executive Chef | £30,000 | 40,000 | £50,000 |
| Head Chef | £25,000 | 30,000 | £40,000 |
| Sous Chef | £18,000 | 24,000 | £27,000 |
| Chef de Partie | £16,000 | 21,000 | £22,000 |
| Commis Chef | £12,000 | 14,000 | £16,000 |
| Pastry Chef | £16,000 | 20,500 | £28,000 |
| Supervisors/Head Waiter | £16,000 | 19,750 | £22,000 |
| Bar Manager | £16,000 | 26,000 | £30,000 |
Out front, waiters and bar managers also feel the pinch depending on area and wage fluctuation. In London, the lowest salary for a supervisor/head waiter is £19,000, dipping by a large £6,000 in the North (£13,000). In all areas, the average increase from lowest to highest earner is only £5,700 which is rather small compared to the back-of-house positions. Bar managers have the potential to earn slightly more, but still only pull in £16,000 at the lower end of the scale in the Midlands and the North.
To counter-balance the smaller wages at the lower end of the earnings scale, companies provide help in the form of perks and benefits. Waiting staff earn additional money via tips, which drives business, weans out weaker members of staff and provides financial bonuses to those who are more skilled.
Restaurants: North
| Min. | Average | Max. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area/ops manager | £28,000 | 35,000 | £45,000 |
| Gen Man | £22,000 | 30,000 | £35,000 |
| HR/Training Man | £25,000 | 27,000 | £30,000 |
| Asst Man | £15,000 | 20,000 | £22,000 |
| Exec Chef | £28,000 | 38,000 | £40,000 |
| Head Chef | £20,000 | 23,500 | £25,000 |
| Sous Chef | £17,000 | 20,000 | £24,000 |
| Chef de Partie | £14,000 | 17,500 | £18,000 |
| Commis Chef | £12,000 | 13,500 | £14,000 |
| Pastry Chef | £15,000 | 19,000 | £27,000 |
| Supervisors/Head Waiter | £13,000 | 16,000 | £19,000 |
| Bar Manager | £16,000 | 22,000 | £25,000 |
Although 'big-name' restaurants offer less in terms of salary at lower levels, the positives of working for them are largely felt through various generous benefit schemes. Firstly, in such uncertain economic times, working for a branded restaurant offers more job security than an independent brand or solo effort without the ability to shoulder losses over a number of outlets. Tips and bonuses are shared amongst staff, often with a fair distribution policy attached. Bigger names can offer discounts to staff wanting to eat at their venues and vouchers for high street stores or related chains in the area. Entry-level staff members are encouraged with an emphasis on skills and training, with all sorts of CV-boosting courses on offer from NVQs to in-house training on hygiene and fire safety. Job progression is also quite healthy once working for a branded restaurant, as staff vacancies occur frequently amongst the chain and promotion from within is preferred.
To conclude, employment within the restaurant business is as stable as ever despite economic decline. The recession has caused slight wage fluctuations at lower levels, with some members of staff on temporary contracts or paid by hour. However, for those wishing to forge a career and progress to more senior positions with permanency and higher wages, the future is overwhelmingly positive.
