Mid-level Chefs and Head Cooks salary in California
Roles that require qualified independent work on routine tasks. Typically two to five years of relevant experience.
Mid-level Chefs and Head Cooks in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 8 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $70,000. 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 II — qualified | 8 | $70,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Mid-level Chefs and Head Cooks in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST F&B Services Co. | Pastry Chef de Partie | 1 | $70,000 |
| Guerneville Ranch LLC | Lead Pastry Chef | 1 | $58,240 |
| Second Staff LLC | Chef de Cuisine | 1 | $70,000 |
| Umai Group LLC | Executive Chef | 1 | $53,040 |
| Feed the Future | Sustainability & Fundraising Chef | 1 | $150,000 |
| Benu LLC | Sous Chef | 1 | $68,640 |
| San Ho Won, LLC | Sous Chef | 1 | $70,000 |
| 3rd Street Collaborative LLC | Sous Chef | 1 | $70,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Pastry Chef de Partie at ST F&B Services Co.$70,000HealdsburgWage Level IIDecided Aug 29, 2025I-202-25234-261393
- Lead Pastry Chef at Guerneville Ranch LLC$58,240GuernevilleWage Level IIDecided Jul 28, 2025I-202-25202-187450
- Chef de Cuisine at Second Staff LLC$70,000ForestvilleWage Level IIDecided May 28, 2025I-202-25140-999235
- Executive Chef at Umai Group LLC$53,040ArcadiaWage Level IIDecided Apr 21, 2025I-200-25104-861396
- Sustainability & Fundraising Chef at Feed the Future$150,000San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided Mar 20, 2025I-200-25072-771709
- Sous Chef at Benu LLC$68,640San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided Jan 27, 2025I-202-25017-627012
- Sous Chef at San Ho Won, LLC$70,000San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided Nov 13, 2024I-202-24310-455129
- Sous Chef at 3rd Street Collaborative LLC$70,000San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided Oct 9, 2024I-202-24276-381695
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.