Employment

Chefs, head cooks, and food preparation and serving supervisors held 941,600 jobs nationally in 2008. Food preparation and serving supervisors held 88 percent of these jobs and chefs and head cooks held the remaining 12 percent. Nearly half of chefs and head cooks were employed at full-service restaurants (those that had table service). About 9 percent each were employed by hotels and the special food services industry that includes caterers and food service contractors. Eight percent were self-employed. Employment of chefs, head cooks, and food preparation and serving supervisors is expected to increase by 6 percent over the 2008-2018 decade, which is slower than the average for all occupations. Growth will be generated by increases in population, a growing variety of dining venues, and continued demand for convenience. As more people opt for the time-saving ease of letting others do the cooking, the need for workers to oversee food preparation and serving will increase.