* They're a head-chef, that seems like a high-ranking position.
* That used to feed and house a whole family, easily.
* They can now **only afford a studio**
I have absolutely no knowledge of how well chefs in Seattle are paid, but I've heard from elsewhere that operating a high-end restaurant is far from a money machine.
Head chef, unlike senior software developer or something, is a job that doesn't scale much. A rock star chef in a posh neighbourhood is only so much more productive than a mediocre chef in cheaper neighbourhood so, economically speaking, the salaries are not expected to scale all that much.
I used to know a chef who worked at michelin star restaurant and he had to move to a flat share because he found himself not being able to afford much after paying rent in London.
That sent him to a severe depression and later on an unsuccessful suicide attempt that rendered him unable to work and he became homeless.
