23 Best Paying Jobs In Restaurants 2024 [Highest Salary]

Published November 28, 2022 · · Updated May 13, 2024 · 8 minutes · by Kamerpower ·

23 Best Paying Jobs In Restaurants 2024 [Highest Salary]. A career in the restaurant industry offers a variety of opportunities for you if you’re looking for a career with high earning potential. All restaurants have front-of-house staff, kitchen staff, and management. Front-of-house staff includes a host or hostess, wait staff, and support workers such as table bussers. Some restaurants have bartenders, and some rely on a more formal maître d’ instead of a host or hostess. 

Understanding the different jobs available and how much they pay may help you determine which role is right for you and your financial needs. Here, we will provide some examples of high-paying restaurant jobs. Some restaurants want culinary school education for people who work in the kitchen, but most offer entry-level positions such as a dishwasher, table cleaner, or food prep worker. 

Is Restaurant a Good Career Path?

Yes. The restaurant business is a great place to start a career. It is fast-paced and offers many opportunities for advancement. In addition, this business often offers high salaries to its employees. There are many different positions available, from entry-level to management positions, and it’s not hard to go up the ladder.

There are more than a million restaurants in the U.S. alone, employing more than 15 million people, but despite this, the business continues to grow. You can use these entry-level positions to gain experience and eventually transition to another position. Some restaurants provide on-the-job training for kitchen or waiting jobs.

Top 23 Highest-Paying Restaurant Jobs in 2024

The Best Paying Jobs in Restaurants are given below. As of 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) listed a wide range of jobs in the restaurant industry, from various management positions to cooks, servers and dishwashers. As you would expect, individuals in management positions earned the highest salaries.

1. Banquet Chef

The banquet chef is responsible for cooking large meals for special events, such as weddings or business meetings. To work as a banquet chef, you need to be able to work well under pressure and have experience in catering. In addition, it is necessary to have good time management skills and be able to delegate tasks to other members of the kitchen

2. Bar Manager

The bar manager is responsible for managing the bartenders and bar staff. They are also responsible for maintaining inventory, ordering supplies, and keeping the bar clean. To work as a bar manager, you must have experience as a bartender and understand the different types of alcohol. You must also be able to manage people and keep them organized.

3. Barista

A barista prepares hot and cold beverages, particularly coffee, espresso and tea drinks. They may also prepare pasties, sandwiches and similar types of small meals. Baristas take orders from customers, follow recipes and requests and clean work areas and equipment.

4. Expediter

An expediter helps facilitate restaurant operations and make them occur more efficiently. They assist kitchen staff with the timely preparation of orders, and they often work on assembly lines or heat certain food items. Expediters may also perform tasks like refilling drinks, delivering food to customers, preparing trays with liners or packaging food items.

5. Server

The duties of the server include taking orders, serving food and drinks, and excellent customer service. For this, they get extra money in addition to their salary. To work as a server, you need to be able to memorize customer orders quickly and have good people skills. You also need to be polite and courteous, not rude, and be able to resolve conflict peacefully.

6. Cooking Show Host

The cooking show host is responsible for showing the audience recipes and cooking techniques, as well as interviewing guests. To work as a cooking show host, you must have experience in the culinary arts. You must also be able to entertain the audience and keep their interest, which means you are not afraid to be in the spotlight and have acting talent.

7. Director of Restaurant Operations

The Director of Restaurant Operations is responsible for the overall operation of the restaurant: managing staff, developing menus, and more. To work as a restaurant operations director, you must have a background in culinary arts and management. You must also be able to multitask and handle difficult situations, as well as be a good leader.

8. Fermentation Engineer

A fermentation engineer uses advances in technology to remake existing food and create new food. To work as a fermentation engineer, you must have a degree in food science or a related field, and you must be able to work with hazardous chemicals and materials.

9. Shift manager

The shift manager is responsible for the work of the staff during his or her shift, creating employee schedules, training new employees, and handling customer complaints. To work as a shift manager, experience in customer service and management is important. In addition, you need to be a good leader and be able to make decisions, be responsible for them, and be attentive.

10. Line cook

Line cooks are responsible for preparing meal orders. This includes preparing meat, vegetables, and pasta. They also set up the necessary kitchen utensils. To work as a line cook, you need to be able to work quickly and know the location of all kitchen tools well. In addition, it is important to be able to follow recipes.

11. Winemaker

The winemaker is responsible for making wine by selecting the right grapes, fermenting the wine, and aging it. To work as a winemaker, you need to know the different grape varieties and how to care for them. You must also be able to make decisions about when to harvest grapes and know different recipes.

12. Head Chef

The chef is responsible for the kitchen staff, menu development, and food quality, and for training the chefs to prepare those dishes. For this job, you will need experience in the culinary arts and the ability to manage a team of cooks. In addition, you will need to be creative in the preparation and invention of dishes, as chefs often have signature dishes.

13. Prep cook

A prep cook ensures the safety of kitchens and promotes efficient kitchen operations. They may clean and sanitize preparation areas and equipment and follow food storage standards. Prep cooks may also help prepare dishes and monitor the consistency and accuracy of each order.

14. Pastry chef

A pastry chef is a culinary professional who prepares various types of bread, desserts and similar items. They may follow existing recipes, develop new recipes or customize recipes for specific customer orders. Depending on their employer, pastry chefs may also manage inventory, prepare samples for tastings and supervise other employees.

15. Director of Restaurant Operations 

Director of restaurant operations is a position found in most areas of the hospitality industry. In this career, you are in charge of a variety of different tasks, but your primary focus is to ensure that the restaurant runs smoothly and efficiently. Your responsibilities include overseeing employees, improving customer satisfaction, developing and conducting training, and other managerial duties. Salary range: $84,000-$119,000 per year.

16. Sous chef

The sous chef is the second person in the kitchen. He is responsible for the work of the kitchen staff in the absence of the head chef, as well as controlling the quality and taste of dishes. To become a sous chef, you need experience in the culinary arts and the ability to manage a team of cooks. You also need to be creative and think creatively.

17. Sommelier

The job of a sommelier is that they taste the wines, and select the best ones according to the client’s tastes and the chosen dish. In addition, they take part in the training of waiters and wine storage. To work as a sommelier, you must have extensive knowledge of different wines. You must also know how to pair wines with dishes and understand storage methods.

18. Restaurant Manager

The restaurant manager is one of the best paying jobs in restaurants 2023. It is responsible for the day-to-day success of the restaurant, managing staff, and ensuring customer satisfaction. To become a restaurant manager, you must be able to solve problems quickly, be multi-tasking, and show leadership skills to keep staff obeyed.

19. Bartender

Bartenders prepare and serve alcoholic beverages. They are responsible for knowing the menu, preparing drinks, and keeping the bar area clean. To work as a bartender, you must be at least 21 years old, and you must know the safety rules for drinking alcohol. You must also be able to mix drinks quickly and accurately. You also need to communicate with people and keep in contact at all times.

20. Host

The host is the first person customers see when they enter the restaurant. They are responsible for seating guests and keeping the restaurant busy, taking orders, and answering the phone. Working as a host requires being organized and having good customer service skills. You must also be able to multitask and handle customer complaints in a professional manner.

21. Short-order cook

A short-order cook prepares simple dishes or food items. They often work at a large cooking surface, such as a grill or flat top griddle, to prepare orders for multiple customers at once. Short-order cooks may also often work on food trucks to prepare food quickly.

22. Executive chef

Primary duties: An executive chef leads the kitchen staff. They may create new recipes, build and price menus, purchase food from vendors and keep current with industry trends. Executive chefs typically supervise other kitchen staff members, including hiring and training them and ensuring they comply with all safety and sanitary requirements.

23. Fast-food manager

A fast-food manager supervises the day-to-day operations of a fast-food restaurant. They manage the restaurant’s budget and staff, create schedules, train other managers and complete administrative tasks, such as payroll. When necessary, fast-food managers may also resolve customer situations, assist with marketing efforts and help fast-food staff prepare food and orders.

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