Chef Resume Examples: 25+ Writing Tips, Template & Skills

You can run a kitchen, keep the staff in line, and satisfy an endless stream of customers, but can you prove it to the restaurant manager? You can with this chef resume sample.

Tom Gerencer
Tom Gerencer
Career Expert
Chef Resume Examples: 25+ Writing Tips, Template & Skills

Need a chef resume? A sous chef resume? You’re halfway there. You know the four tastes (five?) and how they interact. And you can do it all with speed and volume. But can you convince the restaurant manager on one sheet of paper? If you don’t, you’ll blend in like a lone egg in a slab quiche.

But don’t worry. We’ve got the recipe for a chef resume that gets jobs.

In this guide:

  • A chef resume sample better than most.
  • How to write a resume for chefs that gets attention.
  • How to customize a chef job description for resumes.
  • Why you can’t just list chef skills (and what to do instead).

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Not looking for a resume for chef jobs? Trying to do something else with food service? See our guides:

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Samples.

Chef Resume Sample You Can Copy and Use

Finley Sainato

Chef

Personal Info

Phone: 267-530-3366

Email: finleyzsainato@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/finleyzsainato

twitter.com/finleyzsainato

Summary

Creative chef with 4+ years of experience. Seeking to produce creative and intriguing cuisine at The Respectable Ocelot Restaurant. At Geroux's BBQ, managed kitchen operations with team of 11 staff. Performed menu redesign resulting in 170% more business. 5-Star rating in Philadelphia Magazine. Slashed food waste by 70%.

Experience

Chef

Geroux's BBQ, Philadelphia, PA

2016–2019

  • Managed kitchen team of 11 staff members.
  • Redesigned menu, resulting in 170% more business.
  • Received 5-star rating in Philadelphia Magazine writeup.
  • Recruited and trained 7 staff members with 90% employee retention.
  • Reorganized kitchen flow for 40% efficiency increase.
  • Reduced food waste 70% by connecting with local farmers for farm-to-table sourcing and scrap re-use program.

Sous Chef

Bourbon Landing, Philadelphia, PA

2014–2015

  • Redesigned cheese steak sandwich, winning a spot in the "Best Philly Cheese Steaks in History" guide from Philadelphia Magazine.
  • Prepared lunches in 20-table restaurant during busy shifts.
  • Reduced food costs 10% through better vendor management.

Education

AA Culinary Arts, Community College of Pennsylvania

2012–2014

  • Completed 400 hours of on-the-job experience.
  • Recognized by professor for attention to detail.

Certifications

  • ServSafe Food Safety Certification
  • Certified Master Chef, ACF

Additional Activities

  • Member, American Culinary Federation.
  • Member, National Barbecue & Grilling Association
  • Mentor 15 ACF members in food safety and menu design.

Conferences

2019 - Virginia Farm to Table Conference - led servant leadership panel.

Hard Skills: Counseling, creating treatment plans, assessment, Mandt system

Soft Skills: Interpersonal skills, communication, active listening, empathy

Here’s how to write a chef resume restaurant managers will love:

1. Use the Correct Chef Resume Format

Presentation matters. Garbled resume formatting can get your resume ignored. So—follow the right recipe with your chef resume. The best choice is the reverse-chronological resume. It combines all the right elements for success.

Chef Resume Format

  • Put your freshest job up top.
  • Write a 1-page resume. Set 1-inch margins.
  • Fold in a little white space to make it look inviting.
  • Pick a resume font like 10–12pt Georgia or Garamond.
  • Write resume sections like Heading, Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.
  • Send a PDF resume. Those look appetizing on any screen.

Expert Hint: There are only 139,000 chef jobs in the US, and not all of them are good chef jobs. Your resume format is your first step toward landing one you want.

2. Write a Chef Resume Objective or Summary

You need an appetizer. The first part of your chef resume needs to make them want more.

So concoct a winning career objective or career summary. It’s the menu for your resume for chef jobs.

Add:

  1. An adjective (creative, efficient)
  2. “chef”
  3. Years of experience (3+, 4+)
  4. Where & what you’ll do (produce creative cuisine at The Respectable Ocelot)
  5. Best chef moments (170% more business...)
  6. Job skills (kitchen management, menu design...)

Your summary belongs at the top, but, write it last for best results. See these executive chef resume examples:

Chef Resume Summary—Example

Good Example
Creative chef with 4+ years of experience. Seeking to produce creative and intriguing cuisine at The Respectable Ocelot Restaurant. At Geroux's BBQ, managed kitchen operations with team of 11 staff. Performed menu redesign resulting in 170% more business. 5-Star rating in Philadelphia Magazine. Slashed food waste by 70%.
Bad Example
Experienced chef, skilled in French cuisine, farm-to-table, and operating Vulcan 70in. range. High-level experience with Infrared Salamander, sauces, and desserts. Efficient and creative with a proven track record of supplying a high volume of well-prepared food.

The second of those chef resume samples says, “I’ve got the skills.” But the first shows you managed a kitchen staff of 11, got 170% more business, and cut food waste 70%. Those details matter to restaurant managers.

Now, what should you do in an entry-level resume for chefs? Same same, with whatever job you have. See this sous chef resume sample:

Sous Chef Resume Objective

Good Example
Efficient chef with skills in menu design and preparing crowd-pleasing food. Seeking to delight patrons at Darrell’s Rib Rack. As sous chef at Bourbon Landing, prepped lunches on busy weekday shifts for 20 tables and approximately $2,000 in revenue. Redesigned our cheese steak sandwich to win a spot in “Best Philly Cheesesteaks” per Philadeliphia Magazine.
Bad Example
Entry-level chef. Have never worked as a chef yet, but I was a sous chef for one year at Bourbon Landing and I definitely developed the skill set. I’m adept at menu design, working busy shifts, and reducing food costs.

Mystery meat anyone? The second of those sous chef resume examples says you’re good at menu design and working busy shifts. The first shows you’ve done it.

Expert Hint: The average chef salary is only $34,559. To get into a higher paying chef job, grab the restaurant manager with the best resume summary you can write.

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3. Whip Up a Great Chef Job Description and Skills Section

What chef skills go down well? Here’s a list of the best:

Chef Resume Skills List

Hard Skills

Soft Skills

Kitchen Management

Interpersonal Skills

Food Safety

Leadership

French Cooking

Communication

Farm to Table

Collaboration

Italian Cooking

Organization

Sauces

Problem Solving

Desserts

Efficiency

Plating

Stress Management

Baking

Thick Skin

Hiring and Firing

Adaptability

But don’t blend them all into your resume. Target your resume instead. To write a top chef job description for your resume:

  1. Select the skills to put on a resume from the ad online.
  2. Put them in a resume keywords list.
  3. Show you used those skills to help your restaurant.

See these chef resume samples:

Say the job needs these chef skills: kitchen management, menu design, training, farm-to-table.

Chef Job Description for a Resume [Sample]

Good Example

Experience

Chef

Geroux's BBQ, Philadelphia, PA

2016–2019

  • Managed kitchen team of 11 staff members.
  • Redesigned menu, resulting in 170% more business.
  • Received 5-star rating in Philadelphia Magazine writeup.
  • Recruited and trained 7 staff members with 90% employee retention.
  • Reorganized kitchen flow for 40% efficiency increase.
  • Reduced food waste 70% by connecting with local farmers for farm-to-table sourcing and scrap re-use program.
Bad Example
  • Disciplined and counseled employees to ensure food safety and adherence to all restaurant policies.
  • Prepared delicious, healthy meat, fish, and vegetarian options.
  • Fulfilled needs for banquet entrees and desserts.
  • Supervised 3 sous chefs in high-end restaurant.

The first of those chef resume examples hits the spot with kitchen management, menu redesign, and other skills the job ad mentioned.

Now a resume for entry-level jobs. The job wants these chef skills: entree design, food prep, vendor management. See these sous chef resume examples:

Sous Chef Resume Job Description [Sample]

Good Example

Sous Chef

Bourbon Landing, Philadelphia, PA

2014–2015

  • Redesigned cheese steak sandwich lunch entree, winning a spot in the "Best Philly Cheese Steaks in History" guide from Philadelphia Magazine.
  • Prepared lunches in 20-table restaurant during busy shifts.
  • Reduced food costs 10% through better vendor management.
Bad Example

Sous Chef

Bourbon Landing, Philadelphia, PA

2014–2015

  • Prepared entrees including chicken, steak, and seafood.
  • Closed restaurant and cleaned up after shifts.
  • Worked well in high-stress situations.
  • Maintained proper food safety at all times.

The second sous chef resume example lacks flavor. It ignores entree design, food prep, and vendor management.

Expert Hint: Only 1.1% of chefs have a master’s degree. Most have no college degree at all. Don’t worry if your resume education section is light, but see below to spice it up.

4. Delight Them with Your Education Section

The good news? For chefs, any education works. But, the education section of your resume for chef positions needs skills proof. See this pastry chef resume sample:

Chef Resume Example—Education

Good Example

Education

AA Culinary Arts, Community College of Pennsylvania

2012–2014

  • Completed 400 hours of on-the-job experience.
  • Recognized by professor for attention to detail.

That education section tells them you can handle it.

5. Perfect Your Chef Resume with “Other” Sections

A resume with just experience and education is half-baked. Tempt them with a few added resume sections.

Add a couple of these:

See these sample chef resume examples:

Chef Resume—Extra Sections

Good Example

Certifications

  • ServSafe Food Safety Certification
  • Certified Master Chef, ACF

Additional Activities

  • Member, American Culinary Federation.
  • Member, National Barbecue & Grilling Association
  • Mentor 15 ACF members in food safety and menu design.

Conferences

2019 - Virginia Farm to Table Conference - led servant leadership panel.

Bad Example

Additional Activities

  • Juggling
  • Hiking

The first of those executive chef resume examples has flavor. Sprinkle in details like that and you’re set.

Expert Hint: Do you know how to write a cover letter for your resume for chef jobs? Get to know a bit about the restaurant first so you can show why you’re passionate about this chef job.

Haven't written your cover letter yet? See:

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Key Points

Here’s how to write a chef resume:

  • Use the chef resume template up top. It folds in all the right ingredients to get you hired.
  • List chef skills, but show they helped restaurants you’ve worked for.
  • Write a head cook resume summary up top. Put your best chef moments in it to get mouths watering.
  • Include “extra” resume sections like certifications or additional activities.

Got questions on how to write great resumes for chef jobs? Not sure how to put chef on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Tom Gerencer

Having published over 200 career-advice articles, Tom Gerencer is a career expert who covers the whole array of job-seeking topics for people at all career stages, from interns to C-suite members. His insights, commentary, and articles reach over a million readers every month. With inside knowledge of key industry players and in-depth research, Tom helps job seekers with advice across all professions and career stages.

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