Chef Resume: Template, Samples, and Writing Guide

You are a culinary wizard, a trained expert in the exquisite art of gastronomy, and every dish you create and present looks like an artistic masterpiece.

But if you want to get the best chef jobs out there, you cannoli get so far with a resume that doesn’t stand out.

Season your resume to perfection, and whet employers’ appetites with a mouthwatering chef resume recipe for success. 

This guide will show you: 

• A chef resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a chef resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a chef resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a chef to get any job you want.

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Chef Resume Template

Here’s how to write a job-winning chef resume:

1. Choose the Best Format for Your Chef Resume 

You want your resume to read like a fine dining restaurant menu—not a cheap and inexperienced fast-food diner. 

And like a three-star Michelin menu, it’s important to have a well-formatted resume that’s neatly structured. 

Here are some chef resume template formatting rules to follow to make sure you get it right:

• Stick to tradition and use the resume format that hiring managers know best. For a chef resume, opt for the reverse chronological format to highlight your most recent experience. 
• Just as you would for your menu, create a nice-looking layout with a resume header and your contact information. Choose a classic font with 1.15 line spacing and even margins on all sides.
• Add a summary statement followed by your work experience, education, and relevant skills.
• Divide your resume into clear sections. Make each one easy to distinguish by using big headings and even margins on the side.
• When it comes to length, stick to the standard 2–4 pages, but try to only use 4 if you have lots of experience. 

Keep your chef resume nice and safe and send it in PDF format unless specifically instructed otherwise. Microsoft Word documents can often change the format and look weird on different devices—saving it as a PDF is a sure-fire way to keep your resume looking pristine.

Read more about resume formatting: Resume Formats: How to Pick the Ideal One

2. Serve up a Chef Resume Work Experience Section 

Your work experience section is, without a doubt, the most important part of your resume—so it’s best to spend the most time on crafting it to perfection. 

Nothing proves that you can conjure up a culinary masterpiece and know the tricks of the cooking trade better. 

Here’s how to ensure that it’s chef’s kiss:

• Put your most recent chef job first and work your way back.
• Include a job title, the name of your employer, and dates of employment for each entry.
• Use no more than 6 bullet points and start each one with an action word like organised, planned, or designed for more impact.
• Quantify wherever possible to highlight your professional achievements. Don’t just list your responsibilities—you have to show, not tell how well you did.
• Follow the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula and always target your work experience section to match the job requirements that you are applying for. The hiring manager needs to see that your experience matches what is required and that you are qualified. 

Chef Resume Sample: Work Experience

What a difference, right? 

I bet you won’t believe that they are both from the same candidate. 

In the right example, they focused on quantifiable results, while highlighting achievements that are backed up.

In the wrong example, the candidate simply listed a few basic achievements and responsibilities, but didn’t develop them further or provide any measurable results. 

Hoping to get your foot in the door with an entry-level beginner chef resume and don’t have any outstanding achievements just yet? Don’t worry.

You can still create a great impression and an effective work experience section even if you don’t have much experience. 

This example below will point you in the right direction.

Entry-Level Chef Resume Sample: Work Experience

The right example emphasises aspects that are relevant to being a chef, whereas the wrong example barely contains any information, and what it does include is very vague.

Did you have an internship experience that is somehow related to cooking? Include it!

Your entry-level chef resume experience section still needs to be tailored to the job that you are applying for, with your strengths and skills highlighted so that they are impossible for the hiring manager to ignore. 

Read more: How to Write a Resume in Australia

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

3. Include an Education Section

There’s no denying that it takes more than just a formal education to make a good chef. But even with the most impressive work history in the world, recruiters are still bound to check what kind of education you have.

Most education sections in resumes tend to be the same—so you want to make yours sizzle as much as you possibly can. 

• As an experienced chef, show off your skills and culinary expertise and let the basics speak for themselves by only highlighting your highest degree or diploma of education. There’s no need to add extra seasoning where it’s not required.

• Don’t quite have a La Grande Diplôme in French cuisine? No problem. Show off your culinary skills and potential by listing relevant academic achievements, coursework, or extracurricular activities such as food safety classes instead.

Chef Resume Examples: Education

4. Show Off Your Culinary Skills

As a chef, your skill is your bread and butter. 

Whether it’s whipping up a creme brulee or creating a Pasta Con Pomodoro E Basilico, your skills are what defines your success. 

It’s what earns you your bacon. 

But how do you know which to include on your resume? 

The right recipe? Tailoring to the job you are applying for while making sure that you include the perfect mix of soft skills and technical culinary abilities.

• Read the job advertisement carefully to identify which skills the employer is looking for and write them down. Next, think about your own skills and write them down on a list. Feeling stuck? Look over your education and work experience sections on your resume to help you.
• Compare the two lists and see which skills match the job requirements. Choose 5–10 and include them in your resume.
• Remember to include a mix of soft, hard, and technical skills.
• Look at your work experience again. Do the bullet points demonstrate your skills? Remember, you want to tell, not just show. If not, rephrase them slightly.

Chef Resume Skills

Here’s a list of chef skills that would look great on a resume:

• Menu planning
• Leadership
• Attention to detail
• Creativity
• Health & safety
• Culinary knowledge
• Ability to work under pressure
• Cooking techniques (specific to your target job)
• Inventory management
• Negotiation skills
• Budgeting
• Kitchen safety
• Computer skills
• Active listening
• Problem-solving skills
• Decision-making skills
• Delegating tasks
• Food quality
• Supplier relations
• Customer service
• Sourcing produce
• Presentation skills
• Creative thinking
• Critical thinking
• Time management

Chef Resume Sample: Skills Section

Here’s an example of what your skills section should look like:

5. Add Additional Sections To Your Resume For Chefs

A resume without an extra section? That may look like a meal that’s a little under-cooked.

And nobody wants to take a risk on that—especially not recruiters.

Add a pinch of seasoning and an extra section to elevate your resume to the next level and show your potential employers that you’re not just a great chef—but a culinary genius who practises their craft in many different forms. 

These are some great options for chef jobs:

• Professional achievements, licences, and certifications to highlight your cooking prowess. 
• Hobbies relevant to the job, showing recruiters your passion for the industry and why you’d be a good fit.
• Ever done some volunteering cooking to help out local charities? Add it to your resume. 
• Do you know another language? Impress your potential employers with your linguistic skills as well as your cooking. Kitchens are international environments after all, and being bilingual can go a long way.

Chef Resume Examples: Extra Sections

6. Write a Chef Resume Summary or Objective

Choosing the perfect candidate is like sorting rice from lentils one by one.

Pretty tiresome.

Each resume only gets a few seconds, so you need to grab the employer's attention straight away. Wham. Bam. 

And while you can't serve up a dish that makes their taste buds dance to do that, you can still entice.

How? Create a resume objective or summary at the top of your chef resume.

• You're a well-seasoned chef that's whipped up dishes in various restaurants? Write a resume summary that will summarise your work history and show your future employer how you would elevate their business.
• Looking to earn your chef’s hat with your first job in a restaurant? Go for a resume objective instead. Not only will it promote your culinary skills, but it will also show your willingness to work hard and learn.

Here are some extra tips to get you started:

• Read through your resume and look for pieces of information that stand out and are most relevant to the position you are applying for.
• Pick your top 2–3 achievements and skills from your work experience, education, and skills sections.
• Put them all together using this winning formula: Adjective + Job Title + Years of Experience + Achievements + Skills + What you will do for the employer.

Let’s take a look at some examples: 

Chef Resume Template: Summary

See the difference?

The first example explains HOW they would benefit the new employer. 

The second example sounds friendly and nice, sure. BUT anyone can say they have experience—it doesn’t always mean it’s true. And recruiters know that.

You want to show how you are the best fit for the job. 

Now for some entry-level examples:

Chef Resume Objectives: Example

The right example shows a specific skill that can benefit the employer while highlighting soft skills, making them an attractive all-around candidate.

The wrong example talks about what they want to gain from the employer, not what they can offer. Remember, you need to make the employer an offer, not the other way around.

7. Attach a Chef Cover Letter

It's true—some employers require cover letters, while others don't. And even when it is a requirement, not everyone will read them.

But it's also true that they can be the extra sprinkle of salt that brings out the flavour in your whole application.

In fact 83% of recruiters have said that cover letters were important in their hiring decisions, so if you're thinking of giving it a miss—don't. Employers will appreciate the extra effort.

Need some extra motivation? In 2020 there were 94,000 chefs in Australia. This figure is expected to rise to reach 112,700 by 2025 showing that you are in demand. 

So follow these instructions and add a chef cover letter to go with your resume to give yourself an advantage over other candidates, and give yourself a fighting chance:

• Hook the recruiter with an eye-catching opening line and make sure your cover letter is short, punchy, and to the point so that they'll want another mouthful and read on.
• Remember that presentation matters in the culinary world, so always use a neat cover letter format.
• Show how your skills and experience will translate to great results in the kitchen.
• Only write a maximum of one page—like with a steak, you don't want to overdo it.
• End your cover letter with the icing on the cake—add an extra cooking achievement!

Read more: How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaways

Here’s how to write a resume for chef step by step:

• Use a neat resume format/structure.
• Craft a solid work experience section.
• Show off your knowledge with a well-thought-out education section.
• List skills that are relevant to the position that you are applying for. 
• Add another course with an extras section that includes your hobbies, awards, and certifications.
• Grab the employer's attention with a resume objective/summary that’s difficult to ignore.
• Tip the scales in your favour with a short and punchy cover letter.

Now you are all set to write your resume for a chef!

Remember, always follow up on every job application and contact the employer by phone or email if you haven’t heard back within a week to get an update on your application. 

Thanks for reading my guide! Now I’d love to hear from you: 

• What are the biggest challenges of writing a chef resume? 
• What part do you struggle with the most? 

Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!