Chef Resume Example & Writing Guide

If you’re an aspiring chef or just looking for a new job in the food industry, you might be wondering how to write a resume for chef jobs. But don’t worry—we’re here to help.

Here are tips and an example resume for reference when writing yours.

How to Write a Chef Resume

Here’s how to write a chef resume of your own.

Write Compelling Bullet Points

Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the only thing hiring managers will read. So it’s crucial that you use them to your advantage by highlighting your most impressive accomplishments.

For example, rather than saying you “managed kitchen staff,” you could say you “increased kitchen staff from 10 to 15 employees while maintaining highest-rated restaurant in city, resulting in 20% increase in revenue in first year.”

Notice how the second bullet point is more specific and provides more detail about what exactly you did and the results of your work.

Related: What Is a Chef? How to Become One

Identify and Include Relevant Keywords

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are used by many companies to manage the pool of resumes they receive. ATS programs scan resumes for specific job-related terms, like “baking” or “catering” to determine whether your skills are a match for the role you’ve applied to. If your resume doesn’t include enough relevant keywords, the ATS might discard your application before a recruiter ever sees it.

The best way to make sure your resume makes it past the ATS is to include keywords that are commonly found in chef roles. Here are a few examples:

Related: How Much Does a Chef Make?

Remember The Basics

As you’re crafting your resume, it’s important to keep a few basic guidelines in mind.

Make Sure Your Resume Is Easy to Scan

There are a few things you can do to your resume to make it easier to read and understand quickly. Aligning everything to the left, using a standard font type and size, and keeping bullets under 2 lines will help make your resume more skimmable. You should also try to leave some white space on the page to help the recruiter easily scan through your information.

Be Concise

There is no set length for a resume, but a one-page resume is generally the preferred format for recent graduates and those early in their careers. If you have more than 10 years of experience, you may choose to use a two-page resume, but be selective about the information included. When trimming down a resume, focus on removing irrelevant information and on succinctly stating your qualifications and experience.

Check Your Work

Proofreading your resume is important in order to make sure it looks professional and error-free. Spell checking is a must, as are punctuation and grammar checks. It is also helpful to have someone else proofread your resume for you, as they may catch mistakes that you have missed. Beware of easily confused words, and make sure that your tense is consistent throughout the resume.

Consider a Summary

Resume summaries can be an extremely helpful way to contextualize your experience and make it clear to potential employers how you see your skills and experience translating into the role you’re applying for. They can also showcase your most highly transferable skills and experiences, which can make you a more attractive candidate overall. When writing your summary, be sure to target your message to the specific position you’re applying for and make it clear why you’d be a great fit. Keep it short and sweet, and make sure to proofread for clarity and accuracy.

Related Resume Examples

• Line Cook
• Sous Chef
• Cook
• Chef de Partie
• Executive Chef
• View All Resume Examples