Private Chefs Command $300,000 as Record Demand Lifts Household Staff Pay
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jul 10
Private Chefs Command $300,000 as Record Demand Lifts Household Staff Pay
1 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jul 10
Summary
$300,000 private-chef salaries and $180,000 butler pay are now appearing as wealthy households hire staff at record levels, according to Morgan & Mallet International.
Growing portfolios of multiple homes, larger families and a desire for private, at-home service have intensified competition for experienced workers, pushing top candidates to record global wage highs.
U.S. personal assistants can earn up to $250,000, household managers $150,000 to $250,000, and traveling nannies up to $163,000 in the UAE, with multilingual and special-needs experience drawing premiums.
Privacy and mobility are reshaping hiring: 77% of personal assistants hired in Los Angeles required nondisclosure agreements, social-media bans are common, and employers increasingly want passport-ready staff.
The talent squeeze is also shortening loyalty—average tenure has fallen to three years—as butlers and estate managers take on broader roles across security, technology and multiple legal jurisdictions.