{"version":"2026.03","released":"2026-03-29","occupation":{"title":"Chef","slug":"chef","category":"hospitality-and-food","category_label":"Hospitality & Food","pay":31000,"salary_low":22000,"salary_high":40000,"jobs":178200,"outlook":8.75,"outlook_desc":"Growing · uncapped demand","education":"GCSEs grades 4-9 (A*-C)","exposure":2,"exposure_rationale":"The core of a chef's role involves manual dexterity, sensory judgment, and physical presence in a high-pressure, unpredictable environment. While AI can assist with peripheral tasks like menu planning, inventory management, and recipe generation, the physical preparation and cooking of food remain highly resistant to automation in the medium term.","url":"https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/chef","zone":"baumol","elasticity":7.5,"elasticity_mechanism":"Lower costs would shift dining from a luxury to a daily utility, unlocking massive latent demand for prepared meals over home cooking.","elasticity_gate":"none"},"trajectory":{"slug":"chef","title":"Chef","category_label":"Hospitality & Food","baseline_jobs":178200,"curve":[{"year":2024,"jobs":178707,"pct":0.28},{"year":2025,"jobs":181388,"pct":1.79},{"year":2026,"jobs":184782,"pct":3.69},{"year":2027,"jobs":187264,"pct":5.09},{"year":2028,"jobs":187617,"pct":5.28},{"year":2029,"jobs":187058,"pct":4.97},{"year":2030,"jobs":187212,"pct":5.06},{"year":2031,"jobs":188211,"pct":5.62},{"year":2032,"jobs":189549,"pct":6.37},{"year":2033,"jobs":190958,"pct":7.16},{"year":2034,"jobs":192375,"pct":7.95},{"year":2035,"jobs":193793,"pct":8.75}],"time_to_disruption":null,"transitions":[],"regional":[{"region":"London","employment":41000,"pct":19.2},{"region":"North West","employment":24900,"pct":11.6},{"region":"Scotland","employment":23200,"pct":10.9},{"region":"South West","employment":19900,"pct":9.3},{"region":"South East","employment":19400,"pct":9.1},{"region":"West Midlands","employment":18600,"pct":8.7},{"region":"Yorkshire and The Humber","employment":17000,"pct":8},{"region":"East","employment":14900,"pct":7},{"region":"East Midlands","employment":14000,"pct":6.5},{"region":"Wales","employment":10500,"pct":4.9},{"region":"North East","employment":8400,"pct":3.9},{"region":"Northern Ireland","employment":2000,"pct":0.9}],"gender":{"male":134800,"female":43300,"female_pct":24.3},"soc_code":"5434"}}