The rising popularity of kitchen dramas like “The Bear” have sparked the question: how much money do chefs and their staff actually make?
Business Insider has provided their analysis of what the average restaurant staff salaries of employees at The Bear would be in 2023 using national and Chicago-area wage data.
Head Chef: Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto
A chef or head cook in Chicago made an average annual salary of $68,620 in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Carmy’s supposed salary of $68,620 is more than the national average of $59,310 for chefs or head cooks and amounts to nearly $33 per hour. That puts him better off than the $28.51 national average for chefs.
Sous-Chef: Sydney Adamu
As sous-chef at The Bear, Sydney’s salary is less clear. If management paid her on par with Carmy, Sydney could expect to bring in $68,620 a year as a chef at a Chicago restaurant. Another potential category Sydney fits into is supervisors of preparing and serving food – according to Chicago data, this role made an average of $44,690 in 2023.
Maintenance and Repair Work: Neil Fak
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Neil Fak (played by Matt Matheson, who is an executive producer of the show) would have made $56,020 in 2023 as a general maintenance and repair working in Chicago. That’s considerably more than the $35,440 national average salary for repair workers.
Food Service Manager: Natalie Berzatto
Food service managers in Chicago made an average of $68,770 in 2023, meaning Natalie (Abby Elliot) would earn just a little bit more than Carmy and Sydney. That means that Natalie is The Bear’s highest earner, but her salary is a little bit less than the national average of $72,190.
Cook: Tina Marrero
As a cook at The Bear, Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) would make $38,030 – that’s the annual salary for a cook at a Chicago restaurant in 2023.
Tina’s salary may have improved the most among staff due to The Beef becoming The Bear. Fast food cooks in Chicago – like those at The Beef – made $30,790 in 2023. That means Tina gained an extra $7,240 a year when she signed her new contract at The Bear.
Host: Richard “Richie” Jerimovich
As a restaurant host, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) could earn $31,900 per year in Chicago. That translates to an average hourly rate of $15.34, which means Richie is The Bear’s lowest-paid employee. However, it’s more than the national average for front-of-house hosts, which was $30,270 annually and $14.55 an hour in 2023.
Baker: Marcus Brooks
Marcus Brooks (Lionel Boyce) would make $36,610 working as a baker in Chicago in 2023. That breaks down to an average hourly rate of $17.60. Brooks would have made more than the national average for bakers, which was $35,760 annually and $17.19 per hour.
The takeaway? Restaurant work might seem glamorous on TV, but the pay is generally not great and is, in some cases, unsustainable. Moreover, restaurant workers are often victims of wage theft.
If you believe you are a victim of wage theft or have questions about your rights as a restaurant worker, contact the attorneys of Pechman Law Group at 212-583-9500 or visit our website WaiterPay. We have recovered over $30 million for restaurant workers who have been victims of wage theft.
