In private chef jobs, you're employed full time by one individual or family and cook for their household. A personal chef cooks for several clients, usually one a day.
The official UK median for full-time employee chefs is £33,334 a year gross (2026, provisional). One London agency's private household bands run from £30,000 to £40,000 a year at entry level to over £120,000 for senior chefs, and one international agency's 2025/26 report puts UK private chefs at £80,000 to £200,000 gross a year.
What private chef jobs involve
Another agency's guide lists the work: planning menus around the household's preferences, diets and lifestyle, sourcing ingredients, cooking daily meals, catering for events and maintaining kitchen standards.
Private chef vs personal chef? The American Personal & Private Chef Association is clear. A private chef works full time for one individual or family, often lives in, and prepares up to three meals a day. A personal chef serves several clients, usually one a day. Personal chefs generally report earning $200 to $500 a day, it says.
Types of private chef job
Private household chef jobs take four forms:
- Permanent, full-time roles for one household, live-in or live-out.
- Seasonal and rota placements, live-in or live-out, offered by another international agency.
- Yacht chef roles, which one international agency's report says require STCW training and carry a pay premium. See our guide to moving from yachting into private households.
- Personal chef work for several clients.
What private chefs earn
A private chef salary varies with experience, skill, travel and the household's expectations, says another agency's guide.
| Country | Gross a year |
|---|---|
| USA | $100,000 to $300,000 |
| UK | £80,000 to £200,000 |
| Switzerland | CHF 110,000 to CHF 130,000 |
| Belgium | €80,000 to €120,000 |
| Monaco | €90,000 to €110,000 |
| France | €45,000 to €60,000 |
| UAE | AED 180,000 to AED 360,000 |
| Saudi Arabia | SAR 180,000 to SAR 500,000 |
The same report says the US accounts for 35% of its private chef requests, and its registered chefs average eight years' experience.
| Who | A year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time employee chefs, median (gross) | £33,334 | ONS, 2026 provisional |
| Entry level private chef, usually under two years | £30,000 to £40,000 | One London agency's bands; gross or net not stated |
| Mid level, two to five years | £40,000 to £70,000 | Same |
| Senior, over five years | £70,000 to over £120,000 | Same |
The ONS figure covers employee chefs in every sector, not private households only, and not the self-employed. The middle half of full-time employee chef jobs paid between £27,433 and £40,166 a year gross in 2026 (provisional).
In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median for chefs and head cooks at $62,470 a year (May 2025), but its pay data don't include self-employed workers or workers in private households. In Spain, one Marbella property firm's 2026 guide gives €2,500 to €4,500 a month gross for a full-time live-out private chef, and €2,000 to €3,500 a month gross live-in, plus accommodation.
Hours, rest and holiday in British household jobs
In Great Britain, the 48-hour average weekly limit, the night work limits and the young workers' hours limits don't apply to a worker employed as a domestic servant in a private household (Working Time Regulations 1998, reg. 19). Northern Ireland has its own working time regulations.
But GOV.UK says workers over 18 are usually entitled to 11 hours' rest between working days, an uninterrupted 24 hours a week (or 48 hours a fortnight), and a 20-minute break when the working day is longer than six hours. Almost all workers get 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year.
For live-in chef jobs, if the accommodation is free, an accommodation offset of £11.10 a day (£77.70 a week, from April 2026) counts towards minimum wage pay. The minimum wage from April 2026 is £12.71 an hour at 21 and over.
What you need to get hired
For private chef jobs in the UK, an employer must check you're allowed to work for them before employing you.
If you already cook for a family abroad, the Overseas Domestic Worker visa covers domestic workers in private households, including cooks. You must be 19 or older and have worked for that employer for at least a year; they must be a British citizen who usually lives abroad, or a foreign citizen visiting, and not intend to stay more than six months. It lets you visit with them for up to six months and costs £726.
In Spain, household employment covers services for the family home, including household tasks (Real Decreto 1620/2011), and the 2026 minimum wage is €1,221 a month in 14 payments (Real Decreto 126/2026). See how household employment works in Spain.
One Spanish agency's live ads commonly ask for Spanish and international cooking, adapting to special diets, and references.
Looking for a private chef job?
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FAQ
How much do private chefs earn?
In the UK, one London agency's bands run from £30,000 to £40,000 a year at entry level to over £120,000 for senior chefs; one international agency's report gives £80,000 to £200,000 gross a year. The official median for full-time employee chefs is £33,334 a year gross (2026, provisional).
What's the difference between a private chef and a personal chef?
A private chef works full time for one individual or family, often lives in, and prepares up to three meals a day. A personal chef serves several clients, usually one a day.
Does the 48-hour limit apply to private chefs in the UK?
In Great Britain, it doesn't apply to a worker employed as a domestic servant in a private household (reg. 19). Daily and weekly rest and 5.6 weeks' paid holiday usually still apply.
Can I travel to the UK with the family I cook for?
Yes, on the Overseas Domestic Worker visa, if you're 19 or older, have worked for them for at least a year, and they're a British citizen who usually lives abroad or a foreign visitor, not intending to stay more than six months. It costs £726.
Last reviewed: 23 October 2026. Figures are published estimates and official statistics as at 23 October 2026; rules are summarised, not legal advice.
