Culinary Arts and Nevada Casinos: Both Big Business
Professionals in Nevada's leisure and hospitality industry can mainly be found in the state's casinos, from Las Vegas to smaller cities such as Henderson and Reno. About 339,600 workers were employed in the leisure and hospitality industry at the end of 2007--the state's largest--which includes careers in culinary arts, restaurant and hotel management, and catering.
Cost of living in Nevada is approximately 1 percent higher than the national average. Salary.com reports that in Las Vegas, executive chefs make anywhere from $48,256 to $107,887 annually, depending on training and experience. Executive pastry chefs in casinos can make anywhere from $43,387 to $230,397 per year. Sous chefs may earn between $31,547 and $56,874 per year.
Las Vegas, NV Chefs Demand Excellence in Culinary School Graduates
Chefs with culinary training, skill, and experience may find work in top Las Vegas restaurants under celebrity chefs like Joel Robuchon, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Bobby Flay, and Tom Colicchio. While no culinary arts training program can guarantee a particular career or salary, these top restaurants often look for formal culinary training when considering their hiring choices.
The culinary industry across Nevada offers growth opportunities to workers with the right training and experience. Casinos require caterers, restaurant and hotel managers, and a large staff of trained chefs to create a complete dining experience. Celebrity chefs may draw tourists to a restaurant, but it is the staff of sous chefs, pastry chefs, and line chefs that creates and serves delicious and inventive meals.
