Hospitality salaries
Sous Chef Salary in Australia
The sous chef is the head chef’s right hand — running the kitchen day-to-day and stepping up when the head chef is off. It’s the key bridge role between the brigade and leadership.
Fair Work award base rate
Award base — full-time
$29.54/hr
Award base — casual
$36.93/hr
Full-time (annual)
$58,371/yr
MA000009 base rate (classification L5), effective 1 July 2025. Excludes evening, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties — verify your classification at fairwork.gov.au.
What sous chefs actually earn on Tavro
Sous Chef pay — frequently asked questions
What is the award rate for a sous chef in Australia?
Under the Fair Work Hospitality Industry (General) Award (MA000009), the base rate for a sous chef is about $29.54/hr full-time, or $36.93/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 sous chef earn per year?
A full-time sous chef on the award base rate earns roughly $58,371 per year before penalties, superannuation and overtime. Actual pay varies by venue, experience and hours — on Tavro every listing shows the salary upfront.
Do sous 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 sous chef work?
Every listing shows the salary upfront — no guessing.