How Much Does a Private Chef Cost in 2027?

How Much Does a Private Chef Cost in 2027?

A full-time private chef costs £65,000 to £200,000 a year in the UK and $100,000 to $310,000 and above in the US in gross salary, based on our 2026 placements, job offers and candidates’ salary expectations. On top of salary you pay employer taxes, pension and any benefits. This guide is about a chef employed full time by one household or yacht, not a chef hired for a single dinner.

Private chef salary by country

These are ranges, not fixed rates. Where a role sits depends on the household, how many people the chef cooks for, how often there is entertaining, and the chef’s background.

What moves the cost up or down

• Resident or travelling. Travelling chefs are paid more than resident chefs. In the US, the median resident private chef earns about $135,000, and travelling chefs earn about 30 to 35% more.
• Daily service and entertaining. Head chefs for principal households with daily service and regular entertaining earn £110,000 to £190,000 and above in the UK.
• Location. The median resident private chef earns about $189,000 in New York and $175,500 in San Francisco. An executive chef running a private estate earns a median of about $200,000.
• Scope. Cooking for a family of four is a different job from running a kitchen for large parties, dietary programmes or several homes.
• Live-in or live-out. Accommodation is often part of the package and changes what salary a candidate will accept.

Yacht chef cost by yacht length

On a yacht, the head or sole chef is paid monthly in euros. Pay rises with the length of the yacht and the number of guests and crew.

Larger yachts add a sous chef (€4,000 to €6,000 and above a month) and, from 80m, a third chef (€4,500 to €5,500). See the yacht chef salary guide for more.

What it costs on top of salary

Salary is not the whole cost of employing someone in a private home. As the employer you also pay:

• Employer’s National Insurance: 15% on earnings above £5,000 a year (£417 a month) in the 2026/27 tax year.
• Workplace pension: private households must auto-enrol eligible staff, even if they employ just one person such as a nanny. The minimum is 8% of qualifying earnings (£6,240 to £50,270 in 2026/27), of which at least 3% comes from the employer. Staff earning over £10,000 a year must be enrolled.
• Holiday: most employees are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year, which is 28 days for someone working 5 days a week. Bank holidays can be counted within it.
• Insurance: anyone employing a nanny or housekeeper at home needs employers’ liability insurance, unless they employ only close family members. Many home insurance policies include it, so check yours.
• Benefits you choose to offer: accommodation, a car, health insurance, travel and bonuses are common in senior roles and are paid on top of base salary.

In the US, a household employer also pays:

• Social Security and Medicare: if you pay one household employee $3,000 or more in cash wages in 2026, you withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes. The employer’s share is 7.65% (6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare), and Social Security applies to wages up to $184,500 in 2026.
• Federal unemployment tax: if you pay $1,000 or more in cash wages to household employees in any calendar quarter, you pay federal unemployment tax: 6.0% on the first $7,000 of each employee’s wages, usually 0.6% after the credit for state unemployment tax.
• State taxes and insurance: state unemployment tax and, in many states, workers’ compensation or disability insurance. Rules differ by state, so check with a household payroll provider.

Full-time chef or occasional chef?

A full-time chef makes sense when you want the same standard every day, cook for dietary or health reasons, entertain often, or travel between homes. If you only need a chef for events, an agency or caterer is cheaper. Many families start with a trial period before a permanent hire.

Hiring a private chef?

Tell us the role and we send a shortlist of vetted, reference-checked candidates within 24 hours. There are no upfront fees: you pay only when we place someone, and every placement comes with a free replacement guarantee. Read how we recruit on our private chef recruitment page, or see the private chef salary guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a live-in private chef cost? In the UK, £65,000 to £200,000 a year gross, and in the US $100,000 to $310,000 and above. Accommodation is usually provided on top of salary. These ranges are based on our 2026 placements, job offers and candidates’ salary expectations.

Is a private chef more expensive in the US than the UK? Yes, for most roles. US salaries are higher, and the two are in different currencies and markets, so compare them with care.

How much does a yacht chef cost? €4,500 to €6,000 a month on a yacht under 30m, rising to €10,000 and above on yachts over 100m.

Do I pay the chef’s food budget? Yes. The grocery budget is separate from salary and is set with the chef.