It’s official: Chefs have big egos

chef demo cooking saucing dish

A new ranking of jobs by the self-assessed skill level of the holder confirms what restaurateurs have known since the invention of fire: The biggest egos under their roof tend to be the ones in the kitchen.

Chefs and head cooks scored highest among employees who are peculiar to the restaurant business at No. 7, just above bartenders and just below plant and system operators.

But they seem like buckets of opportunity compared to the personal chef, who topped the list compiled by PayScale, a company that advises clients on what to pay their employees. The report ascribed a Big Ego score of 74% to private cooks, compared with a 72% rating for CEOs and a 65% rating for art directors, the runners-up on the list.

The score was based on how strongly participants agreed with the statement, “I am the top performer at my company for jobs similar to mine."

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

The ongoing dangers of third-party delivery

The Bottom Line: The parent company of Tender Greens, which filed for bankruptcy this week, is laying part of the blame on its heavier reliance on delivery orders.

Technology

As restaurant tech consolidates, an ode to the point solution

Tech Check: All-in-one may be all the rage, but there’s value in being a one-trick pony.

Financing

Steak and Ale comes back from the dead, 16 years later

The Bottom Line: Paul Mangiamele has vowed to bring the venerable casual-dining chain back for more than a decade. He finally fulfilled that promise. Here’s a look inside.

Trending

More from our partners