Chef CV Example in 2026 [Free Checklist]

Before you write a line, decide what kind of kitchen this Chef CV needs to win. A commis chef applying to a hotel kitchen should not use the same emphasis as a chef de partie moving into a busy independent restaurant, a school cook applying for contract catering, or a sous chef targeting a larger brigade.

Recruiters read chef CVs quickly because hospitality hiring often moves fast. They need to know whether you fit the menu, service style, hours, and level of responsibility. Put that answer near the top.

Use your first few lines to clarify:

• whether you work in restaurants, hotels, pubs, events, care, education, contract catering, or private households
• your current level, such as kitchen assistant, commis chef, chef de partie, sous chef, head chef, pastry chef, production chef, or cook
• the sections you can cover, such as larder, grill, sauce, pastry, breakfast, banqueting, prep kitchen, or hot section
• the service pattern you know, such as high-volume casual dining, fine dining, breakfast service, plated events, healthcare catering, or school meals
• the standards you protect, including food hygiene, allergen handling, temperature checks, stock rotation, cleaning schedules, and clear labelling

This positioning matters because “chef” can mean very different things. A small pub may need someone who can cover prep, service, stock, and close-down without much supervision. A hotel may care about banqueting volume, breakfast consistency, and working across departments. A care home may prioritise dietary requirements, texture-modified meals, allergen discipline, and calm routine.

Your CV should not try to be everything. It should show the kitchen you are most ready for.

A focused opening might read:

Chef de partie with six years of experience across high-volume Manchester restaurants, covering grill and larder sections during lunch and dinner service. Strong record in prep planning, stock rotation, allergen-aware service, and clean handovers that help the brigade stay ready during peak sittings.

That gives the recruiter a kitchen, a level, a section, and a practical reason to keep reading.

The personal statement is the first test of your judgement. Avoid vague claims such as “passionate chef”, “hard-working team player”, or “excellent under pressure” unless the next sentence proves them.

A better chef personal statement shows what you cook, where you work, and how you make service easier for other people. Keep it to four or five lines. The aim is not to tell your life story. It is to frame the evidence that follows.

For an entry-level or commis chef CV, focus on reliability, prep discipline, willingness to learn, and food safety basics:

Commis chef with two years of experience supporting prep and service in a busy hotel kitchen. Confident with mise en place, basic sauce work, vegetable prep, cleaning routines, and labelled storage. Known for taking direction quickly, keeping a tidy station, and helping senior chefs stay service-ready.

For a chef de partie CV, show section ownership and service pace:

Chef de partie with experience running larder and grill sections in a 90-cover restaurant. Skilled in prep planning, portion control, plating consistency, stock rotation, and clear handovers. Trusted to support junior chefs during busy service while keeping hygiene and allergen routines on track.

For a sous chef or head chef CV, add leadership, cost control, menu contribution, supplier or rota work, and training:

Sous chef with eight years of restaurant experience and three years supporting kitchen leadership. Experienced in menu development, supplier checks, waste control, rota planning, HACCP records, and coaching junior chefs. Comfortable stepping in for the head chef and keeping service calm across a mixed-seniority brigade.

If you are moving from cook to chef, or from another hospitality role into the kitchen, make the transition clear. Explain the transferable evidence: food prep, shift work, stock handling, customer-facing service, cleaning standards, or catering volume. The reader should understand why the move makes sense.

The experience section is where most chef CVs become too generic. Lines such as “prepared food”, “worked in a busy kitchen”, and “followed health and safety” are true for almost every applicant. They do not show whether you are reliable, organised, or ready for the role.

Write each job with a short context line first. Mention the type of kitchen, cover volume if you know it, service style, team size, or section. Then use bullets that show what changed, improved, stayed consistent, or became easier because of your work.

A useful structure is:

• action: what you did
• context: where or when you did it
• result: what it improved for service, quality, safety, cost, or the team

For example:

• Prepared mise en place for grill and larder sections before lunch and dinner service, reducing last-minute shortages during peak weekend sittings.
• Checked deliveries, labelled ingredients, and rotated stock daily, helping the kitchen reduce waste and keep high-risk items easier to trace.
• Supported allergen-aware plating by confirming dish changes with senior chefs and front-of-house before food left the pass.
• Trained two junior team members on prep lists, section close-down, and storage routines so handovers stayed consistent across shifts.
• Adjusted batch prep volumes after reviewing quiet weekday sales, cutting unnecessary waste without leaving the section short.

These bullets are stronger because they connect practical kitchen work to service outcomes. They do not need inflated numbers. If you have numbers, use them carefully. Covers per service, team size, waste reduction, food hygiene rating contribution, service volume, event size, or number of sections covered can all help.

Good chef CV metrics include:

• number of covers served per shift
• size of kitchen brigade
• number of stations covered
• events, buffets, or banquets supported
• stock or waste reductions
• menu items introduced or improved
• training given to junior chefs
• consistency improvements, fewer shortages, or smoother handovers
• audit, inspection, or food hygiene rating context if you can discuss it accurately

Do not invent figures. A precise non-numeric bullet is better than a false metric.

Food safety is central to chef work, but your CV should not read like a copied policy document. The recruiter wants to see that you apply food hygiene routines during real work.

The Food Standards Agency guidance on food hygiene highlights the 4Cs of hygiene: cleaning, cooking, chilling, and cross-contamination. For a chef CV, that gives you useful language for daily practice. You can show safe storage, clean prep, temperature checks, separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods, and consistent close-down routines.

The same source says food handlers in the UK do not have to hold a food hygiene certificate by law, but operators must ensure appropriate supervision and training. That means you should list relevant certificates where you have them, but you should also show how you use the training.

For example:

• Maintained labelled storage, date checks, and stock rotation across chilled and dry goods to support safe prep and reduce waste.
• Followed cleaning and close-down routines for prep benches, fridges, and section equipment after each service.
• Checked fridge temperatures and flagged issues early so senior chefs could protect stock quality and service readiness.
• Kept raw and ready-to-eat prep separate during busy shifts, supporting clean working habits across the section.

Allergen awareness deserves the same treatment. The Food Standards Agency allergen guidance says food businesses must provide allergen information and manage food allergens effectively in preparation. In practice, that means your CV can reference allergen matrices, labelled ingredients, dish changes, separate utensils, written notes, and communication with front-of-house.

Good allergen-focused bullets include:

• Used allergen notes and chef briefings to confirm dish changes before service, reducing the risk of incorrect plating.
• Stored labelled ingredients separately and cleaned utensils between dishes where allergen cross-contact was a risk.
• Supported front-of-house questions by checking ingredient lists with senior chefs before confirming menu information.
• Completed allergen awareness training and applied it during prep, plating, and service handovers.

Keep this section honest. If you are not responsible for HACCP documentation, do not claim ownership. You can still say you followed HACCP records, completed temperature logs, or supported daily food safety checks if that was part of your role.

A chef CV skills section should be easy to scan and specific enough to be trusted. Avoid a long mixed list where “communication”, “teamwork”, “knife skills”, “leadership”, and “Microsoft Word” all sit together with no structure.

Split your skills into groups. That helps hospitality recruiters see your kitchen fit quickly.

Role-specific skills might include:

• mise en place
• knife skills
• sauce preparation
• larder preparation
• grill section
• pastry basics
• batch cooking
• plating and presentation
• stock rotation
• portion control
• recipe specification
• allergen awareness
• food hygiene routines
• temperature checks
• kitchen equipment cleaning
• menu development
• supplier checks
• waste control

Working strengths might include:

• calm service communication
• shift reliability
• time management
• organisation
• attention to detail
• willingness to learn
• coaching junior chefs
• clear handovers
• pressure handling
• teamwork with front-of-house
• adaptability across sections

The right skills depend on the level of role. A commis chef CV should not overstate menu leadership. A sous chef CV should not hide leadership behind basic prep duties. A head chef CV needs commercial and people management evidence, not only cooking skills.

If the job advert mentions a station, cuisine, equipment, or qualification you genuinely have, mirror that language. If it asks for banqueting experience, show event covers or plated service. If it asks for fresh food, show scratch cooking or seasonal prep. If it asks for high-volume service, show pace, consistency, and section readiness.

For wider advice on structuring the skills section, use the skills on CV guide alongside this chef-specific example.

Chef qualifications can be straightforward, but they should not be buried. Include relevant education and training near the end of the CV unless you are early in your career and your course is one of your strongest selling points.

Useful entries include:

• Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 Professional Cookery
• Hospitality and Catering qualifications
• Culinary Arts, bakery, patisserie, or food and nutrition study
• Commis chef, production chef, chef de partie, pastry chef, or senior culinary chef apprenticeships
• Food Safety Level 2 or Level 3
• Allergen awareness training
• COSHH or manual handling training if relevant
• First aid, if useful for your setting
• Internal kitchen training, supplier training, or menu development workshops

The National Careers Service chef profile lists college, apprenticeship, university, and work-based routes into chef roles. It also highlights progression from commis chef to sous chef and head chef. Your CV can reflect that route without pretending there is only one correct path.

For example:

Level 2 Professional Cookery, Manchester College, 2020 Covered food preparation, kitchen operations, cooking methods, food hygiene, and service routines.

Food Safety Level 2, 2025 Applied through daily storage checks, clean-down routines, stock rotation, and allergen-aware prep.

If you do not have formal cookery qualifications, do not leave the section empty. Include training, certificates, and practical progression. Many chefs build experience through work, apprenticeships, or internal development. The key is to show that your knowledge is current and applied.

A good chef CV changes emphasis as your level changes. The same template can work, but the evidence should shift.

For a commis chef CV, show trainability and good habits:

• clean prep routines
• taking direction quickly
• basic knife skills
• stock labelling
• support across sections
• willingness to cover unsociable shifts
• food hygiene training
• clear close-down habits

For a chef de partie CV, show ownership:

• running a section
• preparing service lists
• controlling stock for your station
• plating to specification
• training or supporting junior chefs
• smooth handovers
• reacting calmly when service changes

For a sous chef CV, show leadership and operational control:

• deputising for the head chef
• briefing the team
• rota support
• supplier checks
• menu testing
• waste control
• quality control at the pass
• coaching and performance feedback

For a head chef CV, show business impact:

• menu planning
• labour and food cost control
• supplier negotiation
• kitchen recruitment and training
• food hygiene inspection readiness
• profitability
• customer feedback
• kitchen culture
• multi-site or event responsibility where relevant

A UK chef CV can also use “cook” language if the role advert uses it. For schools, care homes, hospitals, and contract catering, the word “chef” may sit alongside cook, catering assistant, or kitchen supervisor. Match the advert, then use the CV to show the actual responsibilities behind the title.

If you are adapting this page into a chef CV template, keep the structure stable and change the evidence. Do not copy an example word for word. Replace each line with your kitchen, section, service style, and results.

Kitchen hiring can move quickly, especially when a restaurant, hotel, or catering team needs reliable cover. Your layout should help the recruiter answer four questions fast:

1. What level are you?
2. What kind of kitchen have you worked in?
3. Can you handle the pace and standards of this role?
4. Are your certificates, availability, and location clear?

Use a simple structure:

1. Name, phone, email, location, and optional LinkedIn or portfolio.
2. Personal statement.
3. Key chef CV skills.
4. Work experience.
5. Education and certificates.
6. Optional extras, such as languages, awards, menu projects, or availability.

Most chef CVs should be one or two pages. One page works for entry-level chefs, kitchen assistants, and cooks with a short work history. Two pages can work for sous chefs, head chefs, or chefs with varied kitchens, but only if the second page adds useful evidence.

Use short bullets. Keep dates consistent. Name employers clearly. Avoid cramped formatting, tiny fonts, decorative borders, or long paragraphs. If you need broader layout help, compare this page with the CV structure guide.

The design should feel organised because organisation is part of the message. A clean CV suggests clean prep, tidy handovers, and clear communication. That matters in a kitchen.

• Prepared vegetables, sauces, garnishes, and basic mise en place before lunch and dinner service, helping senior chefs keep sections ready.
• Followed daily cleaning, labelling, and storage routines across chilled and dry goods to support food hygiene standards.
• Assisted with plating during busy service, checking dish notes and allergen changes before items left the pass.
• Rotated across prep, larder, and close-down tasks while learning station routines from senior chefs.

• Ran the grill section for up to 120 covers per evening, keeping prep, plating, and service timing consistent across peak sittings.
• Updated prep lists after reviewing weekend sales patterns, reducing unnecessary batch prep while preventing shortfalls.
• Coached two junior chefs on section set-up, handovers, and closing routines so standards stayed consistent across shifts.
• Worked with front-of-house on allergen questions and dish changes, confirming details before service where needed.

• Deputised for the head chef across rota planning, supplier checks, service briefings, and pass support during high-volume shifts.
• Introduced clearer labelling and stock rotation routines, reducing avoidable waste and improving close-down accountability.
• Supported seasonal menu testing by costing dishes, refining prep steps, and training the brigade before launch.
• Managed kitchen communication during busy service, balancing quality control, team support, and customer timing.

• Led a 10-person kitchen brigade across lunch, dinner, and private event service, maintaining consistent quality and clear prep standards.
• Reworked supplier ordering and batch prep routines to reduce waste while protecting menu availability during peak trading.
• Built training plans for junior chefs, improving section confidence and creating a clearer route from commis chef to chef de partie.
• Prepared the kitchen for food hygiene inspections by tightening records, cleaning schedules, allergen notes, and staff briefings.

A profile that says you are hard-working, passionate, and reliable tells the recruiter very little. Replace it with your kitchen level, section, service style, and strongest evidence.

Weak: “Hard-working chef with a passion for food and great teamwork skills.”

Better: “Chef de partie with six years of experience across grill and larder sections in high-volume restaurants, known for clean prep lists, calm service support, and consistent stock rotation.”

“Prepared ingredients” is a duty. “Prepared mise en place for grill and larder sections before 120-cover evening service” gives context. “Reduced weekend shortages by updating prep lists” gives impact.

You do not need every bullet to be a number. You do need each bullet to show why the task mattered.

Food hygiene, allergen awareness, and clean storage should appear in more than one place if they are central to the job. Put certificates in the training section, then back them up with practical examples in the experience section.

Do not call yourself a kitchen leader if you have only occasionally helped a junior colleague. Say exactly what you did: trained a new starter, ran a section, briefed the team, deputised for the sous chef, or supported close-down.

Accurate leadership evidence is stronger than inflated wording.

A fine-dining restaurant, school kitchen, care home, hotel breakfast service, and contract catering site do not all value the same details. Keep a master CV, then tailor the profile, skills, and first few bullets for each application. Use the CV tailoring guide before sending applications to very different kitchens.

Hospitality recruiters often care about practical fit. Your location, travel range, late finishes, weekends, or early starts may matter. You do not need to overshare, but you can add a short availability note if it helps the employer act quickly.