Lead / Director Chefs and Head Cooks salary in California
Roles that direct strategy, lead teams, or hold full functional ownership. Typically ten or more years of experience or a Director-class title with budget responsibility.
Lead / Director Chefs and Head Cooks in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 7 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $93,038. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level IV — fully competent | 7 | $93,038 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Lead / Director Chefs and Head Cooks in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber India Foods Inc | Executive Chef | 2 | $93,038 |
| First Virtual Group, Inc. | Executive Chef | 2 | $81,349 |
| C-L Partners (Benu LLC) | Chef de Cuisine | 1 | $110,000 |
| Pala Band of Mission Indians | Managing Chef, Asian Cuisine | 1 | $120,000 |
| Rosewood Hotels & Resorts L.L.C. | Executive Pastry Chef | 1 | $100,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Executive Chef at Amber India Foods Inc$93,038Los AltosWage Level IVDecided Sep 18, 2025I-200-25254-301438
- Chef de Cuisine at C-L Partners (Benu LLC)$110,000San FranciscoWage Level IVDecided Aug 1, 2025I-202-25206-200915
- Managing Chef, Asian Cuisine at Pala Band of Mission Indians$120,000PalaWage Level IVDecided May 14, 2025I-202-25128-951509
- Executive Pastry Chef at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts L.L.C.$100,000MontecitoWage Level IVDecided Dec 18, 2024I-200-24346-534474
- Executive Chef at First Virtual Group, Inc.$81,349WoodsideWage Level IVDecided Oct 17, 2024I-203-24283-394684
- Executive Chef at First Virtual Group, Inc.$81,349WoodsideWage Level IVDecided Oct 15, 2024I-203-24281-388577
- Executive Chef at Amber India Foods Inc$93,038Los AltosWage Level IVDecided Sep 16, 2025I-200-25252-295147
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.