Sous chef salary in France
Average monthly net salary in full-time equivalent in the French private sector, according to INSEE (occupation group “Cuisiniers et commis de cuisine”).
- Average net per month
- €1,981
- full-time equivalent, 2024
- Estimated monthly gross
- €2,503
- estimate with 2026 non-executive contributions
- Gap to the average
- -28%
- compared with all private-sector employees (€2,733 net)
- Compared with the SMIC
- 1.3 × the net SMIC
- 2026 net monthly minimum wage: €1,478
Source: INSEE, all-employees database 2024 (average net private-sector pay, full-time equivalent) · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
Source: French minimum wage (SMIC) as of 1 June 2026 · Data downloaded on 18 October 2026
By sex
| Women | €1,896 |
|---|---|
| Men | €2,007 |
By age
| Under 30 | €1,898 |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 | €2,003 |
| 40 to 49 | €2,017 |
| 50 to 59 | €2,032 |
| 60 and over | €2,028 |
Working as a sous chef in France
Search for "second de cuisine" or "sous-chef", both used in ads. The job is not regulated, but the usual route is a CAP Cuisine followed by experience as commis and chef de partie; the BP Arts de la cuisine or a BTS Management en hôtellerie-restauration help for larger kitchens. Employers check food hygiene training, and the kitchen must follow a food safety plan and declare the major allergens on its dishes. Most restaurants apply the HCR collective agreement (hôtels, cafés, restaurants), with split shifts and weekend work. Kitchen French is a must, since orders and corrections are called out loud during service.
How to read these figures
The salary shown is an average, not a median: a few high salaries pull the average up. It is net pay before income tax, converted to full time.
The gross figure is an estimate: it applies 2026 employee contributions for a private-sector worker to the net salary. It leaves out bonuses, overtime and health insurance.
Salaries are from 2024 while the minimum wage is the 2026 one, so the comparison gives an order of magnitude.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary of a sous chef?
According to INSEE, a sous chef employed in the private sector earns on average €1,981 net per month in full-time equivalent (2024), about €2,503 gross based on our estimate with 2026 contributions.
Do women and men earn the same as a sous chef?
According to INSEE (2024), the average full-time equivalent net salary is €1,896 for women and €2,007 for men in this occupation. The gap can come from the positions held, seniority or actual working time.
Does a sous chef earn more than the minimum wage?
The average net salary for the occupation (€1,981, INSEE 2024) is 1.3 times the 2026 net monthly minimum wage (€1,478). Early in a career, pay is often closer to the minimum wage than to this average.