TL;DR: Cooks in the Philippines average about ₱16,626 a month and line cooks ₱19,114, while chefs average ₱24,423, sous chefs ₱31,569, and executive chefs ₱49,532, according to Indeed Philippines salary data updated in late 2026. In Metro Manila, kitchen staff covered by the minimum wage must be paid at least ₱755 a day under Wage Order NCR-28 (effective September 26, 2026), which works out to roughly ₱19,700 a month for a six-day week. For comparison, Canada's Job Bank lists a national median of C$23.00 an hour for chefs and C$18.00 for cooks. The usual entry route is TESDA Cookery NC II (316 training hours) or a hospitality or culinary degree, and no PRC license is required.
Cooking is one of the few careers in the Philippines where you can start earning after a two-month TESDA course and still have a clear ladder to a ₱40,000-plus job. The catch is that pay depends heavily on rank, employer, and city, and there is no government salary scale for private kitchens. This guide lays out what each kitchen rank is reported to earn, the legal wage floor that applies to entry cooks, what the same jobs pay in Canada, and how the TESDA and degree routes compare. Private-sector figures come from Indeed Philippines, the official figures from DOLE wage orders, PSA, and Canada's Job Bank.
Disclaimer: private kitchens set their own pay. The figures below are reported averages from a salary aggregator, not guaranteed offers. Wage orders and overseas rules change, so confirm with DOLE, DMW, or the employer before relying on any number.
How Much Does a Chef Earn in the Philippines?
A chef earns about ₱24,000 a month on average, and pay roughly triples from entry cook to executive chef. These are Indeed Philippines averages by job title:
| Kitchen Rank | Reported Average Monthly Pay | Salaries Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Cook | ₱16,626 | about 1,300 |
| Line cook | ₱19,114 | about 1,500 |
| Chef | ₱24,423 | 331 |
| Head chef | ₱29,061 | 366 |
| Sous chef | ₱31,569 | 293 |
| Executive chef | ₱49,532 | 78 |
For context, the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2024 Occupational Wages Survey put the national average monthly wage for full-time, time-rated workers at ₱21,544. Entry cooks earn below that benchmark on average, while chefs and above earn more. We could not find reliable separate figures for commis or chef de partie, so we do not publish one.
What Is the Minimum Wage for Cooks and Kitchen Staff?
In Metro Manila, the floor is ₱755 a day for non-agriculture workers. Wage Order NCR-28 raised the daily minimum from ₱695 to ₱755 effective September 26, 2026. An earlier order, NCR-27, which would have added a second ₱25 tranche, was stopped by a court injunction, so no further increase is scheduled yet. At 313 paid days a year (a six-day work week), ₱755 a day works out to about ₱19,700 a month.
That is notably higher than Indeed's national cook average of ₱16,626, because the national figure includes provincial jobs where regional minimum wages are set separately by each Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board. If you are offered an entry kitchen job in Metro Manila, compare the daily rate with the current NCR minimum before you sign. Cooks hired by a private household fall under the separate kasambahay minimum instead (₱7,800 a month in NCR); our caregiver salary guide explains how that law works.
How Does the Kitchen Ladder Work?
Most hotels and larger restaurants organize the kitchen as a brigade, and each step up adds responsibility and pay:
- Commis or assistant cook: prepares ingredients and cooks under a station chef. This is the job TESDA's Cookery NC II regulation names as its target ("cook or commis" and "assistant cook").
- Line cook / chef de partie: runs a station such as hot kitchen, garde manger (cold kitchen), or pastry.
- Sous chef: second in command, handles daily kitchen operations, scheduling, and quality control.
- Head chef / executive chef: runs the entire kitchen. In hotels and restaurant groups, the executive chef also manages menus, food costs, suppliers, and multiple outlets.
The jump from sous chef (₱31,569 average) to executive chef (₱49,532) is the biggest step on the Indeed data, and it mostly reflects management work rather than cooking skill alone.
Which Cities Pay Cooks and Chefs the Most?
Metro Manila cities lead the cook averages on Indeed: Manila ₱19,951, Alabang ₱18,758, Taguig ₱17,360, and Quezon City ₱17,074 a month. For chefs, Pasig (₱30,629), Manila (₱27,444), Makati (₱26,463), and Taguig (₱25,719) all sit above the national chef average. Indeed also lists Cebu City at ₱51,641 for chefs, but city figures can rest on a handful of salaries, so treat outliers with caution.
Employer type matters as much as location. Hotels, resorts, and restaurant groups usually have defined kitchen ranks and may share service charges with staff, while small restaurants may pay closer to the minimum. Ask whether an offer includes service charge share, meals, and overtime pay before comparing base salaries.
How Much Do Filipino Cooks and Chefs Earn Abroad?
Overseas kitchens pay more in absolute terms, but you are comparing against a much higher cost of living. Canada publishes official wage data by occupation:
| Canada (Job Bank, national) | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chef (NOC 62200) | C$16.03/hr | C$23.00/hr | C$32.69/hr |
| Cook (NOC 63200) | C$15.00/hr | C$18.00/hr | C$25.00/hr |
Job Bank updated these figures on November 19, 2025, based on Statistics Canada data for 2023-2024. Working in Canada requires an employer-backed work permit; the wage table tells you what the job pays there, not how easy it is to get in.
Cruise ships are the other common overseas path for Filipino cooks. Cruise compensation is set by contract in foreign currency, and many cruise positions add gratuity-based income to the base wage. We could not verify a reliable current figure for cruise galley ranks, so judge any offer by its full written compensation letter. Our seaman salary guide covers how sea contracts, standby months, and DMW rules work. For any overseas job, use only a DMW-licensed recruitment agency.
Culinary School or TESDA Cookery NC II?
Both routes work, and many chefs combine them. There is no PRC board exam for cooks or chefs, so employers hire on skills, certificates, and experience.
| Route | Length | What It Prepares You For |
|---|---|---|
| TESDA Cookery NC II | 316 nominal training hours | Cook or commis, assistant cook (per TESDA's training regulation) |
| Culinary arts certificate or diploma | Varies by school | Kitchen skills; content and internship terms vary by school |
| BS Hospitality Management or BS HRM | Four-year degree with practicum | Kitchen and food service management, supervisory roles |
TESDA Cookery NC II is the fastest, cheapest entry, at roughly two months full time, and it is often offered under TWSP scholarships (see our TESDA scholarship guide). A degree takes longer but adds food costing, operations, and supervisory training that matters once you aim for sous chef or executive chef. Compare programs in our BS Hospitality Management guide and BS HRM guide, and if you are an international student, see hospitality and culinary schools for foreigners.
What Raises a Chef's Pay?
- Rank and management duties. The biggest raises come from moving into sous chef and executive chef roles that handle staff, costing, and menus.
- Employer type. Hotels, resorts, and restaurant groups tend to have structured pay and benefits.
- Location. Metro Manila cities report the highest cook averages.
- Specialization. Pastry, cold kitchen, and specific cuisines can make you harder to replace.
- Certification. TESDA National Certificates show employers a verified skill level; our NC levels guide explains what each level signals.
- Overseas contracts. Canada and cruise lines pay in foreign currency, but weigh placement costs, contract gaps, and time away from family.
How to Decide If Cooking Is the Right Career
- Start cheap if you are unsure. Cookery NC II costs little or nothing under a scholarship and tells you quickly whether kitchen work suits you.
- Expect a lean first few years. Entry pay sits around the minimum wage, and the real increases come with rank.
- Plan for management skills. If executive chef is the goal, a hospitality degree or short courses in costing and supervision help.
- Start in Senior High. The Home Economics strand offers Cookery and Bread and Pastry Production as specializations.
Ready to train? Use SchoolFinderPH to find culinary schools, hospitality colleges, and training centers near you, and compare your options before you enroll.
Sources
- Indeed Philippines: Cook salary in Philippines
- Indeed Philippines: Line cook salary in Philippines
- Indeed Philippines: Chef salary in Philippines
- Indeed Philippines: Head chef salary in Philippines
- Indeed Philippines: Sous chef salary in Philippines
- Indeed Philippines: Executive chef salary in Philippines
- Philstar: NCR wage hike takes effect (Wage Order NCR-28)
- SunStar: NCR wage order granting P60 hike to take effect Sept. 26
- Philstar Life: Highest-paying jobs in the PH and average monthly wages, per PSA
- Job Bank Canada: Chef wages
- Job Bank Canada: Line cook wages
- TESDA: Training Regulations, Cookery NC II (Amended, October 2014)
