Private chef salaries reach $300,000 as the rich seek Michelin stars

Private chefs can earn up to $300,000 a year, and butlers can earn up to $180,000 as the wealthy hire more household staff to manage their increasingly complex lives, according to a new study.

Demand for chefs, personal assistants, butlers, nannies, cleaners, drivers and property managers has reached records as the wealthy buy more homes in various locations and manage ever-larger families. Report by Morgan & Mallet International. The hiring boom has created a war for talent, driving up wages and increasing turnover of household staff.

“Many customers are surprised by the rising cost of home services,” the report said. “The reality is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure quality staff with proven experience, and wages for the best candidates are reaching record levels globally.”

House managers have the fastest-growing salaries among household staff as the real estate portfolios of the wealthy grow and the pool of good candidates shrinks, according to Laurine Mallet, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet.

The market for private chefs is particularly hot. According to the report, private chefs in the US can now earn between $100,000 and $300,000. Ultra-rich families are increasingly looking to hire Michelin-starred chefs to cook for them at home to avoid the crowds and public attention at top restaurants, the report said. The report stated that while celebrity chefs receive the highest bonuses, chefs who are trained on special diets, such as celiac disease-safe cooking, can also “set their prices.”

Nannies who speak three languages ​​and have experience caring for children with special needs are also in particularly high demand. According to the report, traveling nannies are coveted but rare; some earn up to $163,000 in the United Arab Emirates.

The most requested position from employers in the United States is personal assistant. Executive assistants and personal assistants can earn up to $250,000 per year, according to findings from Morgan & Mallet.

According to the report, privacy, confidentiality and technical skills are now among the core hiring requirements. 77% of personal assistants hired in Los Angeles required confidentiality agreements. Strict bans on social media are now common for all household staff positions.

In the past, domestic staff often worked for the same employer for decades. According to the report, the average tenure of an employer is now three years. As the wealthy increasingly move between homes and gain residency in more than one country, they want Western passport-ready staff.

Finding skilled property managers is becoming particularly difficult as they often have to manage more than three properties across multiple countries and legal frameworks, according to the report. It turns out that house managers in the US can now earn between $150,000 and $250,000.

Once depicted as buttoned-up, silver tray-carrying servants, butlers now manage complex staff, technology, security and logistics across multiple properties. Their salaries can go up to $180,000.

“Customers want efficient service with less formality,” the report said. “Security, privacy and reliability are the most important qualities. Adaptability, flexibility and strong people skills are also important.”