Hospitality & Food Service

Chef Resume Example

Chef resumes need to showcase your culinary creativity alongside operational management. Menu development, food cost control, kitchen leadership, and health compliance are all essential elements.

Sample Chef Resume

Nicole Baker

Sous Chef

nicole.baker@email.com(773) 555-0298Chicago, IL

Professional summary

Sous chef with 5 years of progressive culinary experience in fine dining and farm-to-table restaurants. Developed seasonal menus that increased covers by 20%. Expert in French and Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on locally sourced ingredients.

Experience

Sous Chef
2022 – Present

The Verdant Table

  • Oversee kitchen operations for a 75-seat farm-to-table restaurant, managing a brigade of 8 cooks during service
  • Develop seasonal menus (rotated quarterly) using local suppliers, contributing to a 20% increase in covers
  • Maintain food cost at 29% through precise portioning, waste tracking, and creative use of trim and surplus
  • Train and evaluate kitchen staff on technique, plating standards, and food safety compliance
Line Cook / Chef de Partie
2019 – 2022

Alinea Restaurant Group

  • Executed garde manger and sauté stations during 200+ cover services in a Michelin-starred kitchen
  • Developed 5 specials that were added to the permanent menu based on guest feedback and sales data
  • Maintained 100% health inspection scores across 4 consecutive inspections

Education

A.O.S. Culinary Arts

Le Cordon Bleu Chicago

2019

Skills

Menu DevelopmentKitchen ManagementFood Cost ControlFrench TechniqueFarm-to-TableFood Safety (ServSafe)Plating & PresentationInventory ManagementStaff TrainingSupplier Sourcing

How to write this resume

Highlight menu contributions

Chefs who create, not just execute, are more valuable. Mention menus you developed and how they performed.

Include food cost management

Running a profitable kitchen matters. Include your food cost percentage and any improvements you achieved.

Show progression

Line cook → CDP → sous chef → head chef. Show clear career progression, as is traditional in culinary careers.

Mention cuisine specialties

French, Italian, Asian fusion, farm-to-table — your specialty defines which kitchens you're right for.

Key skills to include

  • Menu development and recipe creation
  • Kitchen brigade management
  • Food cost control and waste reduction
  • Culinary technique (French, Mediterranean, etc.)
  • Food safety and sanitation (ServSafe)
  • Inventory management and ordering
  • Plating and presentation standards
  • Supplier relationship management
  • Staff training and mentorship
  • Health inspection compliance

Common mistakes

  • Not mentioning food cost or budget management
  • Focusing only on cooking skills without showing leadership
  • Being vague about cuisine type and restaurant style
  • Forgetting health and safety compliance — it's a basic requirement

Related examples

Build your Chef resume now

Use this example as a framework, then tailor each bullet to your own outcomes.