AI can now invent recipes, plan menus and write a dish description in seconds, so chefs and cooks sometimes ask whether the kitchen is next. The data says kitchen work is among the least exposed to generative AI, and US projections expect strong growth for chefs and most kinds of cooks.
The short answer: current evidence does not point to AI replacing chefs. The ILO's 2025 index classes chefs, cooks and kitchen helpers as not exposed to generative AI. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7 percent growth for chefs and head cooks and 7 percent for cooks overall from 2025 to 2035, driven by people continuing to eat out and order food. AI touches menus, ordering and paperwork; cooking stays human. Projections can be revised.
A plain note on robots
The ILO index measures generative AI, the kind that writes text, recipes and plans. It does not measure kitchen robots or other automation, and this page does not forecast them (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025). The BLS reasons summarized below are about demand for food, not technology.
How exposed kitchen and restaurant jobs are
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO band | Mean task score |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Managers | Minimal exposure | 0.36 |
| Waiters | Minimal exposure | 0.28 |
| Chefs | Not exposed | 0.25 |
| Cooks | Not exposed | 0.18 |
| Kitchen Helpers | Not exposed | 0.13 |
Cooking is physical, fast and sensory. The office side of a restaurant, such as ordering, scheduling and costing, is where generative AI fits.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Chefs and head cooks | Grow 7% | About 25,200 |
| Cooks, all | Grow 7% | About 393,200 |
| Restaurant cooks | Grow 12% | |
| Fast food cooks | Grow 1% | |
| Short order cooks | Decline 5% |
The BLS describes chefs and head cooks as overseeing daily food preparation, and says income growth will raise demand for dishes at a variety of dining venues, with establishments hiring experienced chefs to ensure quality. For cooks, it expects people to continue to eat out, buy takeout or have food delivered, and new restaurants, cafeterias and catering services to open. The one decline it names, short order cooks, is because they are being replaced by more versatile restaurant cooks, not by technology.
Where AI fits in a kitchen
- Drafting menus, dish descriptions and allergen lists for checking.
- Recipe scaling and food costing.
- Forecasting demand and ordering stock.
- Staff scheduling.
- Writing training notes and standard procedures.
Anything AI writes about allergens or food safety needs careful checking; AI can be confidently wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
What stays with the chef
- Taste: tasting, adjusting and deciding what goes out.
- Running the line: timing, pressure and coordination during service.
- Creativity that comes from ingredients, seasons and guests, not just recipes.
- Leading a team and training cooks.
- Food safety and quality under real conditions.
How the job is changing
For chefs, AI is mainly a back-office helper for menus, costs and ordering. Demand for cooking skills is projected to grow. Chefs who combine kitchen leadership with good control of costs and planning tools have an edge.
See also jobs least exposed to AI, will AI replace plumbers? and will AI take my job?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for chefs and head cooks at $62,470 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. Across the 2 BLS occupations this page covers, median pay ranges from $36,640 to $62,470. The typical education needed to enter differs between the 2 BLS occupations this page covers. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace chefs?
Current evidence says no. The ILO classes chefs as not exposed to generative AI, and the BLS projects 7 percent US growth for chefs and head cooks from 2025 to 2035.
How exposed are cooks to AI?
In the ILO 2025 index, cooks score 0.18 and chefs 0.25, both classed as not exposed to generative AI.
Will robots replace cooks?
The ILO index measures generative AI, not robots, so it does not answer this. Current US projections expect cook jobs overall to grow 7 percent.
How is AI used in restaurants?
Mostly for menus and descriptions, recipe scaling and costing, demand forecasting, ordering, scheduling and training materials.
Is being a chef still a good career?
US projections expect much faster than average growth and about 25,200 openings a year for chefs and head cooks.