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Chef Hourly Jobs in Oak Ridge, TN (NOW HIRING)

Chef

Knoxville, TN

$70K - $100K/yr

Chef Athenian Hospitality Group -- Knoxville, TN Full-Time, Salaried | $70,000-$100,000/year Athenian Hospitality Group is hiring an experienced Chef to lead our Knoxville kitchen. This is a hands-on ...

Chef

Mascot, TN · On-site

$29.46 - $50.21/hr

Chef Apply now Job no: 720037 Work type: Full Time, Part Time Location: Mascot Categories: Chef, Chef Supervisor Earn between $29.46 - $50.21 p/h + Super * Full time, part time and casual roles ...

Chef

Mascot, TN · On-site

Chef Apply now Job no: 722971 Work type: Full Time Location: Mascot Categories: Chef Chef $78,000k Base + Supernation * Friday to Tuesday shifts 4am to 12pm * Upskill Opportunities * Working in a ...

Sous Chef Athenian Hospitality Group -- Knoxville, TN Full-Time, Salaried | $67,000-$75,000/year Athenian Hospitality Group is hiring an experienced Sous Chef for our Knoxville kitchen. This is the ...

Sous Chef

Lenoir City, TN · On-site

$44K - $59K/yr

The Sous Chef works closely with the Executive Chef to align culinary operations with overall F&B objectives and provides a warm, engaging presence to enhance the member experience. WindRiver's new ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$47K - $64K/yr

Sous Chef We are seeking a talented and motivated Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations and delivering exceptional culinary experiences. This role includes supervising ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$47K - $64K/yr

Sous Chef We are seeking a talented and motivated Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations and delivering exceptional culinary experiences. This role includes supervising ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN

$47K - $64K/yr

Sous Chef We are seeking a talented and motivated Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations and delivering exceptional culinary experiences. This role includes supervising ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN

$47K - $64K/yr

Sous Chef We are seeking a talented and motivated Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations and delivering exceptional culinary experiences. This role includes supervising ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN

$47K - $64K/yr

Sous Chef We are seeking a talented and motivated Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations and delivering exceptional culinary experiences. This role includes supervising ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN

$47K - $64K/yr

Sous Chef We are seeking a talented and motivated Sous Chef to support the Executive Chef in leading kitchen operations and delivering exceptional culinary experiences. This role includes supervising ...

SOUS CHEF

Maryville, TN · On-site

$19.75/hr

We are hiring immediately for full time SOUS CHEF positions. * Address : 433 Maryville College ... Supervises hourly food service associates. Includes interviewing, scheduling, payroll, training ...

Sous Chef

Loudon, TN · On-site

$21/hr

Sous Chef Tellico Village | Loudon, TN Are you a Sous Chef seeking an exciting new career opportunity? Look no further! Tutera Senior Living & Health Care is seeking culinary rockstars to join our ...

Sous Chef

Loudon, TN

$44K - $59K/yr

Sous Chef Tellico Village | Loudon, TN Are you a Sous Chef seeking an exciting new career opportunity? Look no further! Tutera Senior Living & Health Care is seeking culinary rockstars to join our ...

Sous Chef

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$47K - $64K/yr

Today, the chefs of Upper Crust Food Service prepare tens of thousands of meals weekly for students across the country. Sous Chefs are responsible for supporting the Head Chef in food preparation ...

Sous Chef -- Knoxville Ghost Kitchen | $24-25/hour Knoxville Ghost Kitchen, located in Cumberland Food Hall on the University of Tennessee campus, is hiring a Sous Chef. This is a hands-on kitchen ...

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Chef Hourly information

See Oak Ridge, TN salary details

$9

$23

$42

How much do chef hourly jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average hourly pay for chef hourly in Oak Ridge, TN is $23.54, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.11 and $29.66 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a chef hourly?

Chef Hourly jobs refer to culinary positions where chefs are paid by the hour, rather than receiving a fixed annual salary. Hourly chefs typically work in restaurants, catering services, hotels, or institutional kitchens and are responsible for preparing, cooking, and presenting food according to menu specifications. These roles may include tasks such as maintaining kitchen cleanliness, supervising junior staff, and ensuring food safety standards are met. Compensation and hours can vary based on the employer, location, and level of experience. Chef Hourly positions are ideal for those who seek flexible work hours or are starting their culinary careers.

What are the typical responsibilities and team interactions for a chef hourly position?

As a Chef Hourly, your daily responsibilities generally include preparing and cooking menu items according to standardized recipes, maintaining kitchen cleanliness, and ensuring food safety guidelines are followed. You will work closely with other kitchen staff such as line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers, as well as communicate regularly with front-of-house staff to coordinate timely food service. The role often requires adaptability during busy periods and a strong sense of teamwork to keep operations running smoothly. Effective communication and attention to detail are key to success in this fast-paced environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a chef hourly, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Chef Hourly, you need foundational culinary skills, experience in food preparation, and often a food handler's certification or culinary degree. Familiarity with commercial kitchen equipment, inventory systems, and point-of-sale software is typically required. Strong teamwork, time management, and adaptability are crucial soft skills for excelling in a fast-paced kitchen environment. These abilities ensure efficient kitchen operations, consistent food quality, and a positive dining experience for guests.

What is the difference between Chef Hourly vs Line Cook?

AspectChef HourlyLine Cook
CredentialsCulinary degree or equivalent experienceHigh school diploma or culinary training
Work EnvironmentVaries from fine dining to casual restaurants, often with more responsibilitiesKitchen stations in restaurants, focusing on specific prep or cooking tasks
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across all restaurant types, often with supervisory dutiesCommon in restaurants, hotels, and catering services
Search & Comparison IntentPeople comparing roles with more responsibility or higher payPeople seeking entry-level kitchen positions

While both roles work in restaurant kitchens, a Chef Hourly typically has more experience, responsibilities, and often supervises others, whereas a Line Cook focuses on specific cooking tasks. Understanding these differences helps job seekers find the right position based on their skills and career goals.

What are the most commonly searched types of Chef jobs in Oak Ridge, TN?

The most popular types of Chef jobs in Oak Ridge, TN are:

What cities near Oak Ridge, TN are hiring for Chef Hourly jobs?

Cities near Oak Ridge, TN with the most Chef Hourly job openings:

$70K - $100K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago


Job description

Chef
Athenian Hospitality Group — Knoxville, TN
Full-Time, Salaried | $70,000–$100,000/year

Athenian Hospitality Group is hiring an experienced Chef to lead our Knoxville kitchen. This is a hands-on leadership role with full ownership of the back of house — the food, the team, and the numbers.

Kitchen Leadership

You run the kitchen. That means setting the pace during service, expediting when it gets deep, and making the call when something goes sideways — a callout, a walk-in that fails overnight, a rush that arrives forty-five minutes early. Your crew takes its temperature from you, so composure under volume isn't a bonus here, it's the core of the job. When you're off, the kitchen should still run to your standard, because you built it that way.

Food Quality & Consistency

Every plate leaving the pass is yours. You set specs for portion, seasoning, temperature, and presentation, and you check them — not just on slow nights. Consistency is what turns a good meal into a returning guest, and it comes from written recipes, clear plate builds, and a chef who tastes throughout the shift instead of assuming.

Menu Development

You bring ideas and you cost them before they hit the board. That means seasonal specials, smarter cross-utilization so one product feeds three dishes, and prep methods that hold quality without adding hours. A good chef can look at a dish and tell you the food cost, the yield, and how it will hold up on a Saturday at peak.

Cost & Inventory Control

Ordering to par, receiving and checking every delivery, running inventory on schedule, and tracking waste daily. You manage food cost and labor against sales and can explain any movement in either — which product, which shift, which decision. Vendor relationships are part of this: you know your prices and you notice when they change.

Team Building & Training

You hire, train, schedule, and develop cooks. The measure of a chef isn't the food they can produce alone — it's the cooks they build who can produce it without them. That means teaching technique and the reason behind it, correcting in the moment without blowing up the line, and giving people a path forward so they stay.

Safety & Sanitation

Health code standards, temperature logs, dating and labeling, allergen protocol, and a clean, organized kitchen — every shift, not the morning of an inspection. Coolers organized, stations broken down properly, and a team that follows the standard because you've made it normal.

Requirements

  • Proven experience as a Chef, Executive Chef, Sous Chef, or Kitchen Manager in a high-volume kitchen
  • Strong command of food cost, inventory, ordering, and labor management
  • Demonstrated ability to hire, train, and retain kitchen staff
  • ServSafe certification (or ability to obtain)
  • Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as business requires
  • Scratch cooking background preferred; Mediterranean/Greek cuisine experience is a plus but not required

What We Offer

  • $70,000–$100,000 annually, based on experience
  • Growth opportunity with an expanding company
  • Direct working relationship with ownership
  • Employee meals

Athenian Hospitality Group is an equal opportunity employer.


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