Attracting and retaining chefs in a tight labour market

Key takeaways

• The chef labour market in Australia remains extremely tight, with chef roles consistently listed among the most difficult to recruit and retain across all occupations. According to Jobs and Skills Australia data, chef employment has grown but vacancies remain high and chefs are still in shortage nationally.
• Apprenticeship commencements for chefs have declined sharply in recent years, raising serious concerns about future supply of qualified cooks and chefs.
• Key drivers of retention challenges include long hours, burnout, low pay relative to other industries like mining, and limited clear career progression within hospitality.
• Practical talent strategies for employers include enhancing pay and conditions, structured career pathways, improved workforce culture, flexible scheduling, bespoke recruitment incentives, and leveraging migration pathways to fill skill gaps.
• Regional employers face added challenges competing with higher belts in mining and resources sectors and must adopt tailored retention strategies.

Introduction

If you operate in hospitality, food service or commercial catering in Australia, you know how hard it has become to recruit and retain quality chefs. Post-pandemic labour shortages, rising competition from other industries and persistent lifestyle challenges have left kitchens stretched. Chefs now rank among the most in-demand professions, yet employers consistently struggle to fill vacancies even as hospitality employment overall grows.

Recruiting and retaining chefs is not purely an HR challenge. It affects guest experience, revenue stability, operational consistency and brand reputation. In regional areas the challenge is amplified by competition from mining and FIFO jobs that offer higher wages and steadier hours.

Why chefs remain hard to attract and retain

The labour landscape and demand picture

Chefs continue to be one of the most difficult occupations to recruit in Australia. According to a Jobs and Skills Australia quarterly labour market report, the number of employed chefs has risen (5.1 percent in the year to May 2024), yet vacancies remain stubbornly high.

Despite this growth in employment, chefs have been listed on the National Skills Priority List because labour supply is still insufficient to meet business demand.

Other indicators of labour market tightness include:

• Chefs remained in shortage for at least four years, even as overall hospitality vacancies slowly declined.
• Many hospitality employers report that cook and chef positions are harder to fill than wait staff or front-of-house roles.
• Regional cafes and restaurants struggle to compete with non-hospitality sectors for labour, especially high-paying mining jobs.
  
  

This supply gap matters because chefs are not easily interchangeable with general hospitality workers. The skills, training and experience required for kitchen leadership positions make qualified chefs a scarce and strategic resource.

Declining apprenticeship pipeline

One of the most significant pressures on future labour supply is falling apprenticeship numbers. According to industry reporting, chef apprenticeship commencements dropped by over 33 percent between 2022 and 2023, illustrating a shrinking pipeline of newly qualified chefs.

Recent policy changes to apprenticeship incentives may further dampen employer participation in chef training programs. The Federal Government is phasing down financial incentives for chef apprenticeships, a move that industry bodies warn could worsen labour shortages.

These trends underscore the importance of investing in home-grown talent development and long-term retention strategies rather than relying solely on recruitment from outside hospitality or migration.

Root causes of retention challenges

Chefs face distinctive pressures that influence career satisfaction and turnover. Understanding these drivers helps you shape retention programs that work.

Long hours and burnout

Kitchens are demanding by nature. A survey of chefs in Australia and New Zealand found:

• Two-thirds of chefs work more than 38 hours a week, with many exceeding 50 hours.
• A significant proportion work beyond 60 hours, often without adequate rest or breaks.
• Financial stress and mental fatigue are common, with some chefs reporting severe burnout symptoms.
  
  

For many chefs, this translates to chronic fatigue, poor work-life balance and an appetite for career changes outside hospitality.

Financial pressure and wage competition

Average base salaries for chefs in Australia are rising due to demand, but they still compete with sectors like mining, construction and FIFO work that offer significantly higher wages for less erratic shifts and better work-life balance.

In some regional areas, mining employers outbid hospitality jobs by tens of thousands of dollars per year for skilled workers.

The Restaurant Industry Award does set minimum wages for qualified chefs, but many employers near or just at award rates struggle to compete for talent.

Culture and career progression limitations

Many chefs report that workplace culture, lack of clear progression paths and inadequate leadership development contribute to turnover. Kitchens that operate in a high-stress, hierarchical or unsupportive environment often see experienced cooks leave earlier than they otherwise would.

For younger chefs, opportunities for leadership and menu development can be attractive, but if those pathways are unclear or inconsistent, retention suffers.

How employers can attract chefs in a tight market

Strengthen recruitment value proposition

To compete effectively for talent you must create a compelling employer value proposition (EVP) that reflects what chefs value most:

• Competitive pay and perks. Consider above-award wages, regular pay reviews and bonus programs.
• Work-life balance options. Flexible rostering or predictable schedules can appeal to mid-career chefs seeking stability.
• Clear career pathways. Create documented progression plans that show chefs how they can advance from commis cook to sous chef and beyond.
• Lifestyle and wellbeing support. Subsidised mental health support or wellness initiatives demonstrate you value chefs as whole people.
  
  

These components move you beyond transactional hiring to building career demand rather than merely filling roles.

Offer structured training and apprenticeships

Given the shrinking pipeline of apprentice chefs, businesses that invest in apprenticeships position themselves for long-term workforce advantage. Strategies include:

• Partnering with local TAFE or culinary institutions to create a training pathway.
• Offering structured mentorship and skills development programs.
• Sponsoring apprentices through financial incentives, travel allowances and paid study time.
  
  

This approach not only enhances your talent pipeline but improves retention by demonstrating a commitment to career growth.

Retention strategies that boost chef loyalty

Enhance workplace culture

Your kitchen’s culture directly influences chef retention and workplace satisfaction. Practical steps include:

• Encourage respectful communication and reduce hierarchical friction.
• Celebrate achievements and spotlight contributions in team meetings.
• Provide regular performance feedback and coaching rather than emergency corrections.
  
  

Creating a supportive, learning-oriented culture helps chefs feel valued and reduces attrition.

Invest in leadership development

Chefs at all stages benefit from leadership training, whether they are supervising pantry sections or leading the entire kitchen. Upskilling targeted leadership competencies such as conflict resolution, delegation and menu costing can increase job satisfaction and prepare your next generation of leaders.

Flexible rostering and work-life balance

Many chefs leave due to unpredictable schedules and excessive overtime. You can mitigate this by:

• Designing shifts that respect time off between services.
• Introducing job-sharing or part-time leadership roles where possible.
• Using technology to forecast demand and schedule staff efficiently.
  
  

While kitchens will always have busy nights, thoughtful scheduling signals respect for employees’ lives outside work.

Tailor benefits for different demographics

Chefs are not monolithic in their motivations. Young chefs may prioritise skill development and opportunities to innovate, while experienced chefs may want stability, consistent hours and leadership influence. Tailor benefits like study stipends, creative menu development days, or sabbatical opportunities to different career stages.

Regional recruitment - unique challenges and solutions

Competing with non-hospitality industries

Regional employers face dual challenges:

• A smaller labour pool.
• Higher wages and more predictable hours available in mining, construction and FIFO sectors.
  
  

To remain competitive regionally, businesses should:

• Offer relocation incentives or accommodation support.
• Provide clear career advancement and leadership roles to attract chefs who value community and connection.
• Leverage local produce and lifestyle benefits to appeal to chefs who prioritise slower pace and integration into the community.
  
  

Example - a regional hospitality success

Consider a regional Victorian café that struggled to recruit a sous chef. They improved their recruitment by offering a relocation stipend, flexible hours and formal mentoring with local culinary schools. Within eight weeks they filled the role and reduced turnover by 40 percent over 12 months thanks to a focus on retention and lifestyle alignment.

Leveraging migration and alternative talent pipelines

Targeted migration pathways

Because the Australian chef shortage is persistent, some businesses are using skilled migration pathways to supplement local talent. Visa categories such as the Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) allow employers to sponsor chefs when local recruitment fails.

However, this solution requires planning and compliance investment. It is not a quick fix but can help stabilise kitchen operations if done strategically.

Alternative talent pools

Other pools to consider include:

• Return to work programs for experienced chefs who left the industry.
• Flexible and gig workers for peak periods.
• Culinary boot camps or short courses for kitchenhands aiming to upskill into qualified chef roles.

Measuring success and continuous improvement

To understand if your attraction and retention strategies are working, track key metrics such as:

• Time to fill chef vacancies.
• Turnover rates for kitchen staff.
• Employee engagement and satisfaction survey results.
• Internal promotion rates within chef ranks.
  
  

Regular review of these indicators allows you to refine your approach and address emerging retention issues before they become acute.

Conclusion

Attracting and retaining chefs in Australia’s tight labour market requires intentional strategies that go beyond job ads. By understanding the labour landscape, addressing the root causes of retention problems and implementing targeted recruitment and retention initiatives, you can build a more resilient kitchen workforce.

Whether you lead a fine-dining restaurant, hotel kitchen or regional café, making chefs feel valued, supported and professionally challenged is at the heart of sustaining your team and your business success.