Chef Jobs in California
Chef jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in fine dining, hotel and resort kitchens, entertainment venue catering, and fast-growing fast-casual restaurant groups, with openings at every level from prep cook and line cook through executive chef. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego are the largest hiring metros, where employers like Marriott International, Disneyland Resort, and Hilton Hotels maintain large, ongoing kitchen operations. The most in-demand specialties include pastry, sushi and Japanese cuisine, plant-based cooking, and banquet production. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Title: Chef
Location: San Diego, CA (onsite)
We're building the Android of self-driving cars. Our cars drive hundreds of millions of miles every year all around the world. We're looking for a full-time chef to run lunch and dinner for our team in Old Town. This is a Monday through Friday, onsite role cooking for a small group — usually 20–25 people for lunch and 15–20 for dinner. We're looking for someone who can consistently make good food, keep the kitchen running smoothly, and make smart calls with minimal oversight. That means planning healthy meals people actually want to eat, staying on top of snacks and drinks, and managing cost without making the food feel cheap or repetitive.
- Cook lunch and dinner for the office
- Plan menus and manage ordering
- Own inventory, snacks, drinks, and budget
- Keep the kitchen running smoothly
- Work with existing vendors and dietary needs
You should apply if
- You cook well and care about consistency
- You’re organized and self-directed
- You can balance quality, variety, and cost
- You’ve owned kitchen operations before
Comp
- Full-time salary, based on experience
- Stock options
- Health/Dental/Vision
- Office gym and workout classes
To apply, email your resume to work@comma.ai and include a sample lunch/dinner menu.
Job Title: Chef
Location: San Diego, CA (onsite)
We're building the Android of self-driving cars. Our cars drive hundreds of millions of miles every year all around the world. We're looking for a full-time chef to run lunch and dinner for our team in Old Town. This is a Monday through Friday, onsite role cooking for a small group — usually 20–25 people for lunch and 15–20 for dinner. We're looking for someone who can consistently make good food, keep the kitchen running smoothly, and make smart calls with minimal oversight. That means planning healthy meals people actually want to eat, staying on top of snacks and drinks, and managing cost without making the food feel cheap or repetitive.
- Cook lunch and dinner for the office
- Plan menus and manage ordering
- Own inventory, snacks, drinks, and budget
- Keep the kitchen running smoothly
- Work with existing vendors and dietary needs
You should apply if
- You cook well and care about consistency
- You’re organized and self-directed
- You can balance quality, variety, and cost
- You’ve owned kitchen operations before
Comp
- Full-time salary, based on experience
- Stock options
- Health/Dental/Vision
- Office gym and workout classes
To apply, email your resume to work@comma.ai and include a sample lunch/dinner menu.
See All 132+ Chef Jobs in California
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Find Chef JobsChef Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Chef Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Sodexo14
- Chef Robotics11
- Eataly6
- Eataly Silicon Valley6
- Troon6
Top Industries Hiring
- Food & Beverage31
- Hospitality & Tourism30
- Technology & Software18
- Retail16
- Sports & Recreation9
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in chef jobs across California.
- Valid California Food Handler Card or ServSafe certification required by most employers
- Culinary degree or completion of an accredited culinary arts program strongly preferred
- Demonstrated experience in a specific cuisine type such as French, Italian, or Japanese
- Ability to manage food cost, inventory, and kitchen labor within budget targets
- Physical ability to stand for extended shifts and work in high-heat kitchen environments
- Strong communication skills to lead and coordinate a diverse kitchen team effectively
Chef Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a chef in California?
Becoming a chef in California starts with earning a California Food Handler Card, which is required by law for anyone who handles food in a commercial kitchen. Most employers also expect a culinary arts degree or certificate from a program at an institution like the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Los Angeles Trade-Tech, or City College of San Francisco. From there, candidates typically progress through line cook and sous chef roles to reach a lead or executive chef position.
How much do chefs make in California?
Chefs in California earn a median of about $64,500 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $37,380 for the lowest 10% to over $101,870 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire chefs in California?
Employers hiring chefs in California right now include Sodexo, Chef Robotics, and Eataly, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's large hotel groups, theme park operators, and expanding restaurant chains tend to post chef roles year-round given the state's tourism volume and dining culture.
Which California cities have the most chef jobs?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Carlsbad have the most chef openings in California. Los Angeles dominates because of its enormous restaurant industry, major hotel corridors, and entertainment studio catering operations, while San Francisco and San Diego draw demand from high-end dining, convention hospitality, and resort properties concentrated in those metro areas.
Are there remote chef jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Chef work is almost entirely hands-on and kitchen-based, so remote arrangements are uncommon. About 0% of chef openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, and those listings are nearly always for roles like recipe development, culinary consulting, or food content creation rather than operational kitchen positions.
How can I get hired as a chef in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a prep cook or kitchen assistant role at a hotel, resort, or high-volume restaurant that runs structured kitchen training programs. Large California employers like Marriott, Hilton, and Disney operate culinary apprenticeship and cross-training tracks that develop entry-level hires into line cooks and beyond. Earning a California Food Handler Card before you apply and completing a certificate program at a California community college culinary program gives candidates a clear edge over applicants with no credentials.
Where can I find and apply to chef jobs in California?
You can find and apply to chef jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and the type of kitchen you want to work in, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 132+ Chef Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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