Texas leads the nation for the most projected culinary industry jobs by 2032, according to a study by Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.
The state-by-state breakdown analyzed national and state-level employment projections, comparing projected trends and actual growth across all 50 states. Findings include:
- Texas ranks first, with over 52,000 new culinary positions projected to appear by 2032.
- With projected growth five times the national average, Utah leads in industry development.
- When it comes to recorded growth, the culinary industry in Washington outperformed the projections, adding 5,800 jobs instead of the 1,300 expected.
To analyze industry growth by state, the study identified three positions to function as a proxy for the overall restaurant industry: chefs and head cooks, restaurant cooks and foodservice managers. For each of these positions, long-term projections (2022-2032) were collected and supplemented with actual 2024 employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey data.
U.S. States with the Fastest-Growing Culinary Industry
Southern and Western states lead the ranking, capturing four of the top five positions. Texas ranks first, combining massive scale with a strong combined projected growth rate of 24.8%. The state is also expected to add over 52,000 culinary positions by 2032, more than any other region. California follows closely, with 51,200 new jobs. Together with Florida, Georgia and Washington, the top five overall states are projected to account for more than half of the nation’s culinary job growth over the next decade.
Top 10 States by Projected Growth Rate
Utah stands out with a combined growth rate of 40.19%, which far exceeds any other state. The state’s restaurant cook positions are projected to grow at 56.4%, chef positions by 35% and foodservice manager roles by 29.2%. This balanced, across-the-board growth suggests a culinary industry experiencing healthy, comprehensive expansion.
The Mountain West region dominates this category more broadly, with Wyoming (21.09%), New Mexico (30.22%) and Nevada (20.91%) all ranking in the top 10. Tennessee ranks third at 26.51%, making it the only Southern state to crack the top five in this category.
Top 10 States by Projected Absolute Growth
Texas and California are far in the lead in job creation, with each state projected to add more than 50,000 culinary positions by 2032. Other large states round out the top of the list: Florida ranks third with 25,800 new positions, followed by New York’s 21,100 and North Carolina’s 20,500.
The top three states alone—Texas, California and Florida—will add nearly 130,000 culinary jobs, almost 45% of all jobs created in this industry (despite those states making up about 28% of the nation’s population).
Top 10 States by Actual Growth 2022-2024
Washington leads the actual growth rankings, having added 5,800 culinary jobs in 2022-2024 against expectations of just 1,300. This is a 348% overperformance, suggesting the state’s culinary market is accelerating far beyond initial projections. Pennsylvania similarly outperformed, adding 8,430 jobs when only 1,785 were projected through 2024.
Georgia is the only state that appears in both the high growth rate and outperforming projections top 10, suggesting it may offer the rare combination of strong momentum today and promising long-term prospects.
