Food culture has permeated the American zeitgeist in recent years thanks to the popularity of cuisine-focused television shows. Much of the programming highlights food truck and pop-up kitchen entrepreneurs. But truthfully, a corporate chef job is typically more lucrative. There’s no shame in running a large kitchen, and a hospitality professional who embraces the opportunity can build their career!

Here are the top five perks of a corporate chef job:

1. Terrific Income

While money isn’t everything, the primary purpose of work is to generate income. Salaries do matter, and large hospitality companies often provide the best pay.

Compensation will vary by region and organization, but data suggests the U.S. average is nearly $75,000/year. And, that’s not counting other employee benefits and perks. Job seekers hoping to maximize their income should focus on positions with large hospitality organizations in big cities.

2. Great Benefits

In addition to offering better compensation, a corporate chef job usually affords more robust benefits as well. Hip, small restaurants may be fun and trendy, but they typically don’t enjoy the operational scale to provide employees with industry-leading perks.

Large restaurants are usually part of bigger umbrella corporations. Therefore, their benefits often go far beyond simple health insurance and 401(k) plans. They may even offer lucrative additions like company stock options!

3. Job Stability

A considerable number of restaurants fail within their first few years of operation. Even those that make a huge splash early on often lose their shine in a matter of months.

A corporate chef’s job, however, is likely to afford stability. Large, national chains have been in business for years or even decades. Also, if one location struggles, restaurant leaders may have the opportunity to transfer to another.

4. Leadership Opportunities

Corporate chefs are leaders. A hospitality company in expansion mode may need experienced chefs to train new hires. Or, there may even be an opportunity to help develop a new menu that will be implemented nationwide!

5. General Career Growth

Wise professionals always keep an eye toward the future. Even someone happy in their current job must be mindful of their resume and how it stacks up against the competition. After all, they may find themselves on the job market due to an unforeseen layoff!

A corporate chef job looks good on any resume. Hiring managers and recruiters place value on leadership roles with large hospitality organizations. Although a chef coming from a small regional restaurant may be just as talented, their job history won’t present with the same credibility.

There are many great restaurants in need of top-tier hospitality leaders. But a corporate chef job is hard to beat. While some workers enjoy the cache of leading trendy neighborhood hot spots, such roles are usually less stable and not financially lucrative.

Are you looking for a job as a corporate chef?

Busy professionals simply don’t have the time to conduct a thorough and effective search, especially those in the hospitality industry. The best jobs aren’t always advertised clearly, which makes it hard to find the perfect position running a search on your own.

If you’re seeking a new restaurant or hospitality opportunity, be sure to check out the industry’s best jobs today!