BROILING FOR DOLLARS

According to traditional guidelines, years of hard study and sacrifice were required before the aspiring young professional could expect to generate a reasonable income. The prerequisite was four years at an Ivy League institution, a year of internship, followed by a minimum of four years of residency. Only then could you become a journeyman plumber.

Contemporary realities of the job scene might convince the success-oriented young person to consider a new and promising alternative, such as becoming a chef. How much are Dallas’ leading kitchen maestros bringing home?

Jean La Font, executive chef at Universal Restaurants, is a Frenchman who oversees the company’s four super chic restaurants: Les Saisons, Arthur’s, Mario’s, and Old Warsaw. In exchange for his patés and glaces, he earns about $60,000 a year with bonuses. Peter Schaffrath, a German, is the Plaza of the America’s executive chef who masterminded the area’s temple of haute cuisine, the Cafe Royal. He gets paid about $40,000 annually.