California · 2025 pay · 46 people
How much does an executive chef make in California?
$97,800typical pay for a executive chef in 2025
$88,232 – $103,153what most people earned
Includes everyone paid during 2025, including part-year workers. Typical pay rose 3.8% from 2024.
✓ Official data from California State Controller's Office · Matches the agency's latest release · sco.ca.gov ↗✓ Official data from California State Controller's Office · Matches the agency's latest release · sco.ca.gov ↗
Where executive chefs work
Typical pay at each employer, 2025 (everyone paid).
- University of California, Los Angeles20 people$97,443
- University of California, Davis9 people$97,794
- University of California, Santa Cruz4 people$81,791
- University of California, San Diego3 people$118,188
- University of California, Merced3 people$104,031
- University of California, Riverside2 people$83,303
- University of California, Santa Barbara2 people$119,044
- University of California, Berkeley1 person$181,971
- City of National City1 person$73,464
- University of California, Irvine1 person$97,806
Pay by level
Levels with 5 or more people.
- Executive Chef 436 people$96,207
- Executive Chef 59 people$125,959
Highest-paid executive chefs, 2025
Common questions
How much does an executive chef make in California?
The typical executive chef was paid $97,800 in 2025; most earned between $88,232 and $103,153. This counts all 46 people paid, including part-year workers.
How much of the pay is overtime?
Overtime made up 0.2% of all pay for executive chefs in 2025.
Which job titles are included?
Everyone whose payroll title is Executive Chef, at any level (for example "Executive Chef 4"). Part-time-schedule titles (such as "20 hours") are left out. Senior, supervising and trainee titles have their own pages.
Job titles are written out in full from the payroll's abbreviations (for example "SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR" → "Senior Correctional Police Officer"). "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this