Executive chefs train and manage kitchen staff, making over $41,176 per year on average. To become an executive chef requires a bachelor's degree and 8 or more years of practice and experience working as a chef. There are over 941,000 executive chefs worldwide, and the document provides tips for students interested in the career path, such as taking cooking classes in and out of school, learning to work in a group setting, and focusing on math and science courses.