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  1. Career Hub
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  4. Commis Chef
Hospitality
Temp & Flexible

Commis Chef: Duties, Pay & Jobs Near You

What does a commis chef do? A Commis Chef is an entry-level kitchen position where you learn fundamental cooking skills, assist senior chefs, and perform basic food preparation tasks.. Find commis chef jobs near you with average pay $14-$19/hr, required skills, and career path.

Find Commis Chef Shifts
Hourly Pay
$14-$19
Physical
Medium
Flexibility
Medium
Experience
Exp Req.
Growth
4 Levels
Schedule
Flexible
ByIndeed Flex Career Hub
Updated 2025-01-15
Table of Contents
  • Job Description
  • Key Facts
  • Job Duties
  • Skills & Qualifications
  • Career Growth
  • A Day in the Life
  • Resources & Guides
  • FAQs

What does a Commis Chef do?

A commis chef is responsible for A Commis Chef is an entry-level kitchen position where you learn fundamental cooking skills, assist senior chefs, and perform basic food preparation tasks. A Commis Chef is an entry-level kitchen position where you learn fundamental cooking skills, assist senior chefs, and perform basic food preparation tasks.

As a commis chef, you can expect to earn between $14 and $19 per hour depending on experience and location. According to BLS OEWS, May 2024, this role typically requires prior experience. It is generally a Moderate job with Flexible scheduling.

Key duties of a Commis Chef include:

  • Prepare ingredients (chopping, measuring, etc.)
  • Assist senior chefs with cooking tasks
  • Maintain clean and organized workstation
  • Receive and store food deliveries
  • Follow food safety protocols
Top skills:Basic cookingKnife skillsFood prepFollowing recipesKitchen safety
How to become a Commis Chef Commis Chef interview questions Calculate annual salary

Key Facts: Commis Chef

  • Average Hourly Rate$14-$19 / hour
  • Industryhospitality
  • Experience NeededPrior experience preferred
  • Key SkillsBasic cooking, Knife skills, Food prep

Market rates for a commis chef range from $14 to $19/hr. A typical commis chef is responsible for A Commis Chef is an entry-level kitchen position where you learn fundamental cooking skills, assist senior chefs, and perform basic food preparation tasks. Calculate your exact take-home pay or find current commis chef openings on Indeed Flex.

What are the job duties?

  • Prepare ingredients (chopping, measuring, etc.)
  • Assist senior chefs with cooking tasks
  • Maintain clean and organized workstation
  • Receive and store food deliveries
  • Follow food safety protocols

What skills do you need?

To succeed as a Commis Chef, you'll need a mix of hard skills and soft skills. Here are the most important ones:

Basic cookingKnife skillsFood prepFollowing recipesKitchen safety

What are the requirements?

  • Passion for cooking
  • Basic knife skills (trainable)
  • Physical stamina
  • Food handler certification preferred

Career Growth & Path

Here is a typical career progression for a Commis Chef:

1
Commis Chef
0-2 years
2
Chef de Partie
2-4 years
3
Sous Chef
4-7 years
4
Head Chef
7+ years

Want to see more paths? Check out our Career Path Explorer tool.

Start Earning Today

Average Pay
$14-$19/hr
Industry
hospitality
Career Growth
4 advancement levels

Find flexible commis chef shifts

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How to Start

1
Download App

Get the Indeed Flex app on iOS or Android

2
Complete Profile

Add your skills and verify your right to work

3
Book Your Shift

Choose when and where you want to work

Related Roles

  • Barback$12-$18/hr
  • Barista$13-$19/hr
  • Bartender$15-$25/hr
  • Server$12-$20/hr

What is it really like being a Commis Chef?

The Good

  • Structured training under a kitchen brigade with clear skill progression
  • Learn fundamentals: mise en place, timing, plating, and kitchen safety
  • Often includes free meals and exposure to every station over time
  • Entry point to line cook and chef-de-partie without culinary school

The Challenging

  • Lowest rung on the ladder: long hours of prep and support tasks
  • Pay starts below line cooks until you prove speed and reliability
  • Hot, loud environment with constant correction from senior chefs

Best For: Aspiring cooks who want a formal kitchen path, can take direction, and are willing to grind through prep to advance.

Calculate Your Commis Chef Earnings

Estimate your potential weekly and monthly earnings as a Commis Chef on the app.

Calculate Your Commis Chef Earnings
$17/hr
$14/hr$19/hr
25 hrs
5 hrs (Part-time)50 hrs (Full-time+)
Weekly
$425
Monthly
$1,840
Yearly
$22,100
Open Full Pay Calculator

A Day in the Life of a Commis Chef

Typical Shift Schedule
8:00 AM

Arrive, get prep list from sous chef, organize your station for the day

8:30 AM

Knife work - dice mirepoix, chop herbs, portion proteins for service

10:30 AM

Sauce and stock work - mother sauces, demi-glace, vinaigrettes

12:30 PM

Lunch break (often family meal made by the team)

1:00 PM

Continue prep - portion garnishes, label and date everything before storing

3:00 PM

Support a station chef during prep - learn techniques, ask questions

4:00 PM

Final mise check, restock low-pars, sweep and mop your station

4:30 PM

End of shift - review prep list with chef, get feedback, prep tomorrow's notes

Pro Tips from Experienced Workers
  • •Watch the chef de partie's hands during service - that's free education
  • •Sharpen your knife every shift - dull knives are slower and more dangerous
  • •Take notes on every recipe and technique you learn, then practice at home
  • •Volunteer for the gross prep no one wants - you'll move up faster
What to Bring
  • Chef knife and a paring knife (basic kit)
  • Small notebook and pen for recipes and feedback
  • Side towels (always bring extras)
  • Comfortable closed-toe slip-resistant shoes
Dress Code:

Chef whites (provided), checkered or black kitchen pants, non-slip closed-toe shoes, hair restraint, no jewelry on the line.

Common Challenges & How to Handle Them
Feeling slow compared to experienced cooks
Solution: Focus on accuracy first, speed second. Time yourself on basic prep to track honest progress.
Constant criticism from senior chefs
Solution: Treat feedback as instruction, not judgment. Ask 'how' instead of defending, and apply it the same shift.
Repetitive prep tasks for hours
Solution: Set internal challenges - cleanest cuts, fastest portion, perfect uniform dice. Make it a craft.

Compare Commis Chef Pay

See how Commis Chef pay compares across roles and locations

hospitality Role Salaries
Other roles
Current

Different roles offer varying pay based on skill requirements and demand.

Pay by Location
Other locations
Current

Pay rates vary by location based on cost of living and local demand.

FAQs: Commis Chef

Resources & Guides

Everything you need to advance your career.

Earnings & Pay

  • Take-Home Pay Calculator

Career Path

  • How to Become a Commis Chef

Interviews

  • Commis Chef Interview Questions

Related Roles

  • Barback
  • Barista
  • Bartender

Top Cities

  • Charlotte Jobs
  • Las Vegas Jobs
  • Dallas Jobs

Data Sources & Methodology

The information on this page is compiled from the following sources:

  1. [1]
    BLS OEWS — Official federal statistics on employment and wages by occupation and geographic area.Visit
  2. [2]
    BLS CES — Monthly survey of ~670,000 worksites providing industry-level employment and earnings data.Visit
  3. [3]
    BLS OOH — Career information including job outlook, education requirements, and median pay.Visit
  4. [4]
    Indeed Hiring Lab — Monthly posted-wage data by job title from Indeed job listings.Visit
  5. [5]
    Toast 2025 Report — Annual industry report on restaurant wages, tips, and employment trends.Visit

Data Freshness

CategoryWage Data
Last Updated2026-01-20
Next Update2026-04-20

We strive to keep all data accurate and up-to-date. Pay rates may vary based on location, experience, and employer.

About this data

Figures on this page are compiled from the public sources cited above and may be out of date. They are provided for general informational purposes only and do not constitute professional career, legal, tax, or financial advice. For the most current pay rates, verify with the original source, a qualified professional, or check the Indeed Flex app directly for real-time shift availability and compensation.

What Flexers Say

“It took one day for me to be able to find work! I've had a great experience. That's why I've stayed with Indeed Flex for three years.”

KatieHospitality

“Having lost my job, I sought something flexible to allow me to pursue my university studies and second career while earning money at the same time. As much as you want to work, you can do.”

SashaHospitality

“What brought me to Indeed Flex was the flexibility to work in different places as it gives you the opportunity and freedom to be creative as a chef.”

CharlieHospitality

Source: indeedflex.com

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