Hospitality salaries
Commis Chef Salary in Australia
A commis chef is a junior cook learning the craft across the kitchen’s sections. It’s the classic entry point into a professional kitchen and the first rung of the chef career ladder.
Fair Work award base rate
Award base — full-time
$26.47/hr
Award base — casual
$33.09/hr
Full-time (annual)
$52,305/yr
MA000009 base rate (classification L3), effective 1 July 2025. Excludes evening, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties — verify your classification at fairwork.gov.au.
What commis chefs actually earn on Tavro
Commis Chef pay — frequently asked questions
What is the award rate for a commis chef in Australia?
Under the Fair Work Hospitality Industry (General) Award (MA000009), the base rate for a commis chef is about $26.47/hr full-time, or $33.09/hr casual (which includes the 25% casual loading), as at 1 July 2025. These are base weekday rates — evening, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties are paid on top.
How much does a commis chef earn per year?
A full-time commis chef on the award base rate earns roughly $52,305 per year before penalties, superannuation and overtime. Actual pay varies by venue, experience and hours — on Tavro every listing shows the salary upfront.
Do commis chefs get penalty rates?
Yes. The figures above are base rates only. Under MA000009, hospitality staff are generally entitled to higher rates for evenings, weekends, public holidays and overtime. Check your exact entitlements at fairwork.gov.au.
Looking for commis chef work?
Every listing shows the salary upfront — no guessing.