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Chef Jobs in Waterville, ME (NOW HIRING)

Camp Manitou

Executive Chef

Oakland, ME

$71K - $98K/yr

The executive chef for Camp Manitou is a culinary trained professional responsible for the overall management of the kitchen, including camp and crew meals, provisioning, food safety, maintaining ...

Eatn Park Hospitality Group

Sous Chef

Waterville, ME

$49K - $67K/yr

Sous Chef - Parkhurst Dining Are you looking for a values-driven environment with opportunities to learn and grow? Do you want to join a fun, supportive team where you can build lifelong ...

Eatn Park Hospitality Group

Sous Chef

Waterville, ME

$49K - $67K/yr

Sous Chef - Parkhurst Dining Are you looking for a values-driven environment with opportunities to learn and grow? Do you want to join a fun, supportive team where you can build lifelong ...

Eatn Park Hospitality Group

Sous Chef

Waterville, ME · On-site

$49K - $67K/yr

Sous Chef - Parkhurst Dining Are you looking for a values-driven environment with opportunities to learn and grow? Do you want to join a fun, supportive team where you can build lifelong ...

Eatn Park Hospitality Group

Sous Chef

Waterville, ME

$49K - $67K/yr

Sous Chef - Parkhurst Dining Are you looking for a values-driven environment with opportunities to learn and grow? Do you want to join a fun, supportive team where you can build lifelong ...

The Ridge RTC

Chef - Residential Treatment

South China, ME · On-site

$21 - $24/hr

Job Summary Paradigm Treatment Centers and Ridge RTC are seeking a skilled and dependable Chef to support our residential treatment programs. This role is responsible for planning, preparing, and ...

Horizon Hospitality

Senior Executive Chef

Waterville, ME · On-site

$95 - $105/hr

The Senior Executive Chef will serve as the top culinary leader, directing daily operations, driving culinary excellence, and ensuring exceptional guest satisfaction. This role partners closely with ...

Granite Hill Estates

Cook/Chef Per Diem

Hallowell, ME · On-site

$20 - $22/hr

Description Position at Granite Hill Estates Chef / Cook Per diem to pick up shifts as needed. Must be have weekend availability. Where Talent Meets Heartfelt Hospitality Why Join Our Culinary Family:

Granite Hill Estates

Cook/Chef Per Diem

Hallowell, ME

$20 - $22/hr

Chef / Cook Per diem to pick up shifts as needed. Must be have weekend availability. Where Talent Meets Heartfelt Hospitality Why Join Our Culinary Family: We care about our team and offer lots of ...

Performance Foodservice

Territory Sales Manager

Canaan, ME · On-site

$75K - $85K/yr

Meet with restaurant operators, chefs, hospitality leaders, healthcare facilities, and other foodservice customers to understand their business needs. * Introduce foodservice products, menu solutions ...

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Chef information

See Waterville, ME salary details

$10

$24

$44

How much do chef jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average hourly pay for chef in Waterville, ME is $24.58, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.78 and $30.96 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 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 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 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.

Is 25 too late to become a chef?

Becoming a chef at 25 is not too late, as many chefs start their careers in their twenties or later. Success in the culinary industry depends on skills, training, and experience, which can be gained through culinary schools, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training at any age.
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The top searched job categories for Chef jobs in Waterville, ME are:

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Infographic showing various Chef job openings in Waterville, ME as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 76% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $51,129 per year, or $24.6 per hour.

Executive Chef

Camp Manitou

Oakland, ME

$71K - $98K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 13 days ago

Job description

Looking for a change or challenge? How about working in beautiful Maine along the lake in a gorgeous camp setting?

The executive chef for Camp Manitou is a culinary trained professional responsible for the overall management of the kitchen, including camp and crew meals, provisioning, food safety, maintaining strict hygiene standards, and covid-19 guidelines. The executive chef will work in conjunction with the Director of Culinary to provide amazing and varietal foods to campers and staff. A successful candidate for this position will have excellent references, experience provisioning in various regions of the world, and a good understanding of maintaining a budget effectively. This role requires strong communication/presentation skills, the ability to thoroughly understand camper and staff preferences, extensive food and nutrition knowledge, creative menu planning, an artistic flair, and at least five years in the capacity of Head Chef with HIGH VOLUME experience. This is not your normal camp food. Camp Manitou offers a culinary diversity that appeals to our campers and staff from all over the world.


Employment Type: Temp/Seasonal
Bonus/Commission: No