A school chef position can be a good fit when you have a passion for cooking and a love for kids. The position allows you to spend much time engaging with children as you prepare their best meals. Also, it offers you a chance to be at home every evening or on weekends. This aspect makes it a flexible task in the culinary industry.
But your passion will never pay your bills. You must convert it into a paying opportunity. In this essence, you need to know how much you will make as a school chef. This information will help you plan your life well. The salary or wage of some holding this position depends on various aspects. Here are factors that determine how much you will take home as a school chef:
The average salaries
School chef jobs are like other professions and have an average salary that one can expect. This amount depends on the agreed hourly rate set by the country. For instance, in the UK, the average is £23,888 annually.
However, a school cook can earn between £21,450 and £30,000 per year, depending on their levels and experience. So, the first determiner of your salary is the average hourly rate in your state, city, or country.
Your chef level
Like other catering facilities, some schools have different chef levels. You will find a school hiring chefs ranging from entry to the chief. Others will have junior and senior chef positions. Each of these positions has varying duties and tasks, attracting different hourly rates, allowances and bonuses. As such, the amount you will take home each month will depend on the chef level you occupy in the school.
Hours you will be working as a school chef?
Many schools use an hourly rate remuneration approach. They pay their staff depending on the number of hours they have worked. The same aspect applies to their kitchen staff. As a school chef in this institution, you will get paid for every hour worked.
This means that when you work extra hours, they will pay you overtime rates. Hence, your payslip will reflect the basic pay (number of hours worked), allowances, and other overtime benefits in the remuneration period.
Allowances and bonuses offered
Some schools offer their chefs a series of allowances and bonuses. For instance, they can offer paid leaves, travel and accommodation allowances, and other perks to motivate them. You will get information on these monetary motivators during interviews.
Also, some will include the information in their job descriptions. So, knowing the available bonuses and allowances, you will get as part of your salary is essential.
Type of school you work for
Like other organizations, schools pay their chefs differently. This depends on the type of school that recruits you as their chef. A chef in a boarding school is likely to receive a better salary than a day school chef.
The boarding school requires the preparation of several meals, which calls for extra working hours. For a day school, you only need to prepare breakfast, tea, and lunch. You are accessible on the weekend. As you know, more work hours equals more pay.
Wrapping up
In a word, how much a school chef gets paid depends on the average salary, hourly rate, type of school, and chef level. Your employer can also offer some bonuses and allowances.
Beyond the remuneration, you have an opportunity to enjoy time with students as you practice your passion. The position guarantees good pay, work-life balance, and flexibility. These aspects are hard to achieve in many culinary and catering positions. So, working as a school chef can be a good idea.
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