Salary progression
Estimated annual compensation based on experience level
Growth Outlook
Strong within the 5-star and premium casual-dining segment. India's hotel pipeline (Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, and Taj all have active India expansion programs) guarantees sustained sous chef demand through 2028. IHM annual graduate output of approximately 10,000 is absorbed by both new hotel openings and cloud-kitchen operator demand. The sous-chef-to-executive-chef pipeline takes 3–6 years; strong sous chefs at Oberoi or Taj flagship properties are typically poached before they need to apply for executive chef roles.
Market Demand
Senior pay (India)
₹22.0 LPA
Top of the band
India salary band
Fresher (0-2 yrs)
₹3.0 LPA
Mid (3-6 yrs)
₹5.0 LPA
Senior (7+ yrs)
₹22.0 LPA