Cooking & Kitchen · 🇺🇸 United States

Private Chef Jobs in Boston, MA

$38–$75 an hour · Full-time, often rotational

Quick answer

Private Chef jobs in Boston, MA typically pay $38–$75 an hour (about $6,550–$13,000 a month full time). Both live-in and live-out positions are offered, with a usual schedule of full-time, often rotational. Employers ask for fine-dining or Michelin-level experience and a criminal background check. Register with AvailJob to be matched with families hiring in Boston.

Typical pay
$38–$75
per hour
Full-time monthly
$6,550–$13,000
about 40 hours a week
Live-in
Sometimes
accommodation provided
Schedule
Full-time
often rotational
Open now
0
register to be matched

Open private chef positions in Boston

No open position is listed for Boston today. New private chef jobs are added as families hire. Register once and we will match you to the next opening near you.

Register as a Private Chef

About private chef jobs in Boston

A private chef runs the kitchen of a private residence or estate to fine-dining standards, often travelling with the family. In Boston, MA, these roles are offered by private households across Greater Boston Area, from busy professional couples to large multi-generation homes.

Boston is known for biotech, life sciences, education, and financial services, and many of the families who hire domestic staff here work for employers such as Biogen, Fidelity Investments, State Street, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Mass General. Greater Boston has the highest concentration of Nobel Prize winners and biotech companies per capita in the world.

Main duties

  • Create bespoke menus for the principal and guests
  • Cook for dinner parties and formal events
  • Manage kitchen staff, suppliers and wine pairings
  • Travel to secondary residences or yachts when required
  • Maintain discretion and confidentiality

Private Chef pay in Boston

Household incomes in Boston are shaped by an average local salary of around $82,000, which is why private chef pay here sits above the USA average. Pay rises with experience, references, live-in flexibility and extra duties such as driving or cooking.

Household roles in BostonTypical pay ranges, per hour. Private Chef highlighted.
Private Chef$38–$75
Home Cook$19–$32
Male Cook$19–$34
Female Cook$19–$32
House Driver$18–$30
House Manager$38–$65
Private Chef pay across USATypical ranges in the largest cities, per hour.
New York City$39–$78
Los Angeles$36–$72
Chicago$35–$69
Houston$34–$67
Dallas$34–$68
Miami$33–$66

Indicative ranges for 2026 based on local salary levels and published household pay; individual offers vary.

A day as a private chef

Typical day — Private ChefAn example day — real schedules are agreed with each family.
  1. 7:00Breakfast service
  2. 9:30Shopping & prep
  3. 12:30Lunch
  4. 15:00Batch cooking
  5. 18:30Dinner & clean-down

Why work in Boston?

The local job market is growing at 3.3% annually, so demand for reliable household staff keeps rising as more dual-income families move to Boston.

Boston is often described as “Biotech Capital of the East Coast”, and its households expect a professional standard of service.

Requirements

What families ask for

  • Fine-dining or Michelin-level experience
  • Private service references
  • Food safety certificate
  • Flexibility to travel

Working in United States

  • Right to work in United States: Workers must be authorised to work in the United States, and employers complete Form I-9 to verify eligibility.
  • Checks: employers usually ask for a criminal background check, identity and Social Security verification, a motor-vehicle record for driving roles and, for childcare, a sex-offender registry search.
  • Minimum pay: wages must meet the federal minimum wage or the higher state and city minimum, whichever applies.
  • Contract: A written work agreement covering duties, hours, pay, overtime, paid time off, termination notice and confidentiality prevents most disputes.

Live-in or live-out?

Most private chef roles in Boston are live-out, paid by the hour and booked for regular days. Ask whether travel time between homes, evenings or weekends are paid at a higher rate.

How to get hired

  1. Register

    Create your profile with your private chef experience, availability and references.

  2. Verification

    Complete USA right-to-work and background checks.

  3. Interview & trial

    Meet the family and work a short, paid trial day.

  4. Contract & start

    Agree pay, hours and leave in writing before you start.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a private chef earn in Boston, MA?

Private Chef jobs in Boston, MA typically pay $38–$75 an hour (about $6,550–$13,000 a month full time). Experience, live-in arrangements, hours and extra duties move pay within this range.

Are there live-in private chef jobs in Boston?

Both live-in and live-out positions are offered. Most private chef roles in Boston are live-out, paid by the hour and booked for regular days.

What do I need to work as a private chef in USA?

Employers ask for fine-dining or Michelin-level experience, private service references and a criminal background check. You must also have the right to work in United States.

What does a private chef do day to day?

A private chef runs the kitchen of a private residence or estate to fine-dining standards, often travelling with the family. Typical duties include create bespoke menus for the principal and guests, cook for dinner parties and formal events, manage kitchen staff, suppliers and wine pairings.

How do I apply for private chef jobs in Boston on AvailJob?

Register your profile with your experience, availability and references. When a family in Boston hires for this role, you are matched and contacted.

What hours does a private chef work?

A typical schedule is full-time, often rotational. Hours, days off and overtime should be written into your contract.