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Chef Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Sous Chef

Ames, IA

$41K - $55K/yr

Sous Chef Independence Village of Ames As a Sous Chef, you will be responsible for assisting the Executive Chef in successfully managing all aspects of the culinary and dining department. Required ...

Sous Chef

Ames, IA · On-site

$41K - $55K/yr

Sous Chef Independence Village of Ames As a Sous Chef, you will be responsible for assisting the Executive Chef in successfully managing all aspects of the culinary and dining department. Required ...

Sous Chef

Ames, IA

$48K - $66K/yr

Sous Chef Independence Village of Ames As a Sous Chef, you will be responsible for assisting the Executive Chef in successfully managing all aspects of the culinary and dining department. Required ...

Pastry Chef American Cruise Lines, the largest cruise line operating exclusively within the United States, is seeking talented Pastry Chefs to join our team for the 2026 season. Our modern riverboats ...

Pastry Chef American Cruise Lines, the largest cruise line operating exclusively within the United States, is seeking talented Pastry Chefs to join our team for the 2026 season. Our modern riverboats ...

Sous Chef

Des Moines, IA · On-site

$48K - $65K/yr

SOUS CHEF Position Profile Reports to: FOOD & BEVERAGE DIRECTOR, position is exempt WHO WE ARE Located in the historic Hippee Building in downtown Des Moines, Surety Hotel celebrates the city's past ...

Asian Chef

Carter Lake, IA · On-site

$47K - $64K/yr

The Asian Chef is under the general guidance and supervision of the Executive Sous Chef and with the limits of established Constance Hotel's policies and procedures, supervise, oversee and direct all ...

We know that a Chef's job isn't only about the food. It takes skills, dedication, patience, and the right opportunities. We're looking for Chef Manager who can help us deliver the best customer ...

We know that a Chef?s job isn?t only about the food. It takes skills, dedication, patience, and the right opportunities. We?re looking for Chef Manager who can help us deliver the best customer ...

We know that a Chef's job isn't only about the food. It takes skills, dedication, patience, and the right opportunities. We're looking for Chef Manager who can help us deliver the best customer ...

Lucky's Sous Chef

Tama, IA · On-site

$41K - $56K/yr

Document and report to Executive Chef incidents-of-interest involving F&B employees and customers related to safety, service, products and performance. Provide written shift summaries as directed.

We know that a Chef's job isn't only about the food. It takes skills, dedication, patience, and the right opportunities. We're looking for Chef Manager who can help us deliver the best customer ...

Sous Chef

Bettendorf, IA

$44K - $60K/yr

Sous Chef As Sous Chef, you'll be a key leader in our culinary team, supporting the Culinary Director in delivering high-quality, nutritious, and beautifully presented meals. You'll help oversee ...

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Chef information

See Iowa salary details

$9

$23

$41

How much do chef jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for chef in Iowa is $23.13, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.82 and $29.13 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a chef do?

A chef is a professional cook who is responsible for preparing meals, developing menus, and overseeing kitchen operations in restaurants, hotels, or other food establishments. Chefs ensure food quality, safety, and presentation standards are met, and often manage other kitchen staff. Their duties may include ordering ingredients, maintaining inventory, and creating new recipes. Chefs may specialize in specific types of cuisine or cooking techniques. They play a key role in delivering a memorable dining experience.

What is the difference between Chef vs Cook?

AspectChefCook
CredentialsFormal culinary training or certifications often preferredMinimal formal training, on-the-job experience common
Work EnvironmentProfessional kitchens, restaurants, hotelsVaries from home kitchens to restaurants, catering
Job ResponsibilitiesMenu planning, supervising kitchen staff, quality controlFood preparation, cooking, basic kitchen tasks
Industry UsageHigh-end restaurants, culinary institutionsWidespread across all food service settings

While both chefs and cooks work in kitchens and prepare food, chefs typically have formal training, oversee kitchen operations, and work in professional or upscale environments. Cooks usually focus on food preparation and cooking tasks, often with less formal education, and work in a variety of settings. The role of a chef involves leadership and menu development, whereas a cook primarily executes recipes and prepares dishes.

What Is a Chef?

A chef is a highly trained culinary professional who works as the chief cook in the kitchen of a restaurant. Many chefs earn a culinary degree and are formally trained by another accomplished chef, making them very skilled and competent in their craft. A chef spends a majority of their time in the kitchen cooking and directing other food preparers on the best ways to put together dishes, including appropriate garnish and presentation. Chefs are creative professionals, and are often involved in planning and making menus for the restaurant. Because chefs work as the head cooks in the kitchen, they are the supervisors of the other kitchen workers. In addition to overseeing food preparation, chefs coach and develop the other kitchen staff and help them grow and improve their skills. They are responsible for managing the logistics of the kitchen operations. They order necessary supplies, provide cost estimates to their employer, and monitor staff requirements and schedules.

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

To thrive as a Chef, you need strong culinary skills, creativity in menu development, and comprehensive knowledge of food safety standards, typically supported by culinary school training or relevant experience. Familiarity with commercial kitchen equipment, recipe management software, and food hygiene certifications (such as ServSafe) is highly valuable. Exceptional organizational ability, teamwork, and leadership are critical soft skills for managing kitchen staff and maintaining a positive work environment. These competencies are essential for delivering high-quality dishes efficiently, ensuring kitchen safety, and running a successful culinary operation.

What are some common challenges chefs face in maintaining consistency across dishes and shifts?

Chefs often encounter challenges in ensuring that every dish meets the restaurant’s quality and presentation standards, particularly when managing a team with varying skill levels or during busy service periods. Maintaining consistency requires strong communication, standardized recipes, and rigorous training for all kitchen staff. Additionally, chefs must monitor ingredient quality and adapt quickly to supply changes, all while leading by example to uphold the restaurant’s reputation. Overcoming these challenges is key to delivering a reliable dining experience and building trust with patrons.
What are the most commonly searched types of Chef jobs in Iowa? The most popular types of Chef jobs in Iowa are:
What are popular job titles related to Chef jobs in Iowa? For Chef jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Chef jobs in Iowa look for? The top searched job categories for Chef jobs in Iowa are:
What cities in Iowa are hiring for Chef jobs? Cities in Iowa with the most Chef job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Chef jobs in IA? For Chef jobs in IA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Chef job openings in Iowa as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $48,114 per year, or $23.1 per hour.
Sous Chef

$41K - $55K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago

Be an early applicant


Job description

Sous Chef

Independence Village of Ames

As a Sous Chef, you will be responsible for assisting the Executive Chef in successfully managing all aspects of the culinary and dining department.

Required Experience

  • Working towards Sous Chef Certification or comparable work experience
  • Must demonstrate proven leadership abilities, strong organization, and time management skills

Primary Responsibilities

  • Assist Executive Chef in hiring, coaching, and performance management for culinary operations
  • Directly supervises all culinary staff
  • Assist Executive Chef in managing and training culinary and dining personnel
  • Supervises culinary staff regarding product quality, portion, cost controls, scheduling, and staffing
  • Responsible for quality of food served by tasting items and plate presentation
  • Assists with menu planning and development and ordering of food supplies
  • Prepare and cook meals to order
  • Responsible for managing the culinary department in absence of the Executive Chef
  • Assist Cooks as needed
  • When necessary, steps in to assist during emergencies or rush periods
  • Achieve 100% resident satisfaction through plate presentation and taste
  • Circulate all dining rooms during meal times daily for resident feedback
  • Supports the mission, values, and vision of Senior Village Management

Connecting Seniors, Families and Communities

For over 37 years, our senior living communities have served seniors and their families across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with each location offering unique services including independent, enhanced, and assisted living, as well as memory care and rehabilitation and skilled nursing. Through forming authentic connections and committing to creating the absolute best experiences each day for our residents and their families, we’ve created a special culture within our communities that allows our employees to do their best work and our residents to shine every day.

Not Just Making Every Day Great. Making Every Minute Great. There are 1,440 minutes in every single day. We aspire to make each one of them an exceptional moment. This philosophy is supported by our 6 powerful, yet simple pillars: Dream Big, Have Courage, Take Initiative, Be Accountable, Give Back & Enjoy it. We strive to fulfill the aspirational yet unattainable goal of creating the absolute best experience with every person, in every interaction, every minute of every day.

It begins with empowering our employees. Every employee, at every level of the company, is expected to perform like a leader. Everyone is encouraged and expected to put the needs of each other above everything else. No one here just “does their job” The mission is to create the absolute best experiences. This emphasis on putting people first has helped us successfully grow for the right reasons.

We have developed an environment that attracts dreamers, adventurers, creators, givers and believers to seek career opportunities with us. We find people who believe that true happiness is only found in the service of others. We want high-performers with diverse skill-sets and big hearts. We treat each other as family and find that close collaboration creates the biggest ideas.

If you love serving others, and are looking for an opportunity to thrive, CommonSail Investment Group and our businesses is your destination.

This classification description is intended to indicate the general kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that are required of positions given this title and should not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of the employees under her/his supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not exclude other duties not mentioned that are of a similar kind or level of difficulty.

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