Utah Hospitality Opportunities for Chefs
Many Utah chefs work in the state's largest cities, including Salt Lake City, West Valley City, and Provo. Culinary job opportunities may be most plentiful in these cities, as the high concentration of restaurants and hotels offer chefs and managers a variety of positions.
Utah residents enjoy a low cost of living, about 10 percent below the national average. At the same time, Utah offers an attractive quality of life. Utah's mountainous areas contain an excellent collection of ski resorts and towns, boosting the state's hospitality industry. From apple beer to Jell-O salad, chefs provide local specialties to hungry tourists and locals alike.
Utah Culinary Arts Careers
The culinary industry can be extremely competitive, so a good way to start a career can be to earn a degree from a Utah cooking school. Students can learn the art of being a specialty chef, and can prepare for jobs as line chefs, sous chefs, executive chefs, and personal chefs. Utah culinary schools can also help students learn how a restaurant and its kitchen function, and can train aspiring chefs to become restaurant managers after several years of experience.
Working as a Chef or Restaurant Manager in Utah
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that Utah restaurant managers earned a mean annual income of $49,600 in 2007. Utah chefs and head cooks had average earnings of about $38,740 annually. The BLS listed Utah's food preparation and serving related workforce as employing 87,210 workers in 2007.The best way to increase your income potential as a Utah chef is to gain experience at a restaurant first, working your way up to a sous or head chef, and eventually going into restaurant management. Chefs looking for more flexibility and job variety in Utah can pursue careers as personal chefs, offering their own catering services to clients and businesses.
