Resume

Culinary Director Resume Example & Writing Guide

Use this Culinary Director resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.

Culinary directors oversee all aspects of their restaurants’ culinary operations. They set the vision for the menu, manage staff, and create or approve food and beverage costs. They also work closely with other departments to ensure that everything from payroll to purchasing is running smoothly.

Because culinary directors are often responsible for managing a large team, communication skills are essential—you need to be able to convey your vision clearly and succinctly to your staff. And because you’re often the point person for your organization when it comes to food safety and regulatory compliance, you also need to be detail oriented and organized.

Here are some tips and an example to help you write a culinary director resume that hiring managers will love.

Michael Garcia
Chicago, IL | (123) 456-7891 | [email protected]
Summary

Seasoned culinary director with more than 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Proven ability to manage all aspects of food service, from conception to execution. Driven by a passion for creating memorable dining experiences that exceed customer expectations.

Education
Kendall College Jun '10
B.A. in Culinary Arts Management
Kendall College Jun '06
A.A. in Culinary Arts
Experience
Company A, Culinary Director Jan '17 – Current
  • Led the culinary team to create a new menu that was well received by guests and critics alike, including an updated version of the classic Caesar salad.
  • Collaborated with Executive Chef on all aspects of food production from sourcing ingredients to developing recipes for seasonal menus.
  • Oversaw kitchen operations including hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating staff as well as maintaining safety standards in accordance with local regulations.
  • Managed catering services for events both large and small while ensuring high quality service at every event.
  • Developed marketing strategies to increase brand awareness through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., increasing followers by over 100%.
Company B, Culinary Director Jan '12 – Dec '16
  • Created a new menu for the restaurant that included seasonal dishes and increased sales by 15%
  • Collaborated with other chefs to create special events, increasing ticket sales by 25% over 3 months
  • Managed all aspects of food production in a high-volume kitchen (200+ covers per night)
  • Reduced food waste by implementing an inventory system that tracked what was being used and when it needed to be replaced
  • Improved sanitation practices through regular inspections and employee training programs
Company C, Chef Jan '09 – Dec '11
  • Led the culinary team to create seasonal menus and recipes with current food trends, while maintaining brand consistency across all locations.
  • Oversaw kitchen operations including staffing, training, scheduling and quality control of products.
  • Managed menu pricing structure by analyzing market conditions, adjusting prices as needed based on sales volume, ingredient costs etc…
Certifications
  • ServSafe Certification
  • Food Handler’s Permit
Skills

Industry Knowledge: Culinary, Nutrition, Sanitation, Food Safety, Sous Vide
Technical Skills: SousVide, Bakery, Garde Manger, Garde Manger, Charcuterie, Garde Manger
Soft Skills: Communication, Organization, Leadership, Teamwork, Time Management, Problem Solving

How to Write a Culinary Director Resume

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

Write Compelling Bullet Points

When you’re writing bullet points, it can be tempting to simply list your responsibilities. But that’s not enough to make a strong impression. Instead, you should use your bullet points to demonstrate your value by highlighting your accomplishments and results.

For example, rather than saying you “managed kitchen staff,” you could say you “increased kitchen staff productivity by 15% while reducing food waste by 10%, resulting in a 10% increase in restaurant revenue.”

The second bullet point paints a much clearer picture of what you did and the results of your work. And that’s what hiring managers want to see!

Identify and Include Relevant Keywords

When you apply for a culinary director role, your resume is likely to be screened by an applicant tracking system (ATS). This program will scan your resume for certain keywords related to the position. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, the ATS might disqualify you from the pool of applicants.

To increase your chances of getting an interview, make sure to include keywords throughout all sections of your resume. Here are some of the most commonly used culinary director keywords:

  • Culinary Management
  • Menu Development
  • Catering
  • Fine Dining
  • Food & Beverage
  • Restaurant Management
  • Hospitality Management
  • Cooking
  • Food Safety
  • Culinary Education
  • Food Preparation
  • Banquet Operations
  • Pre-opening
  • Recipe Development
  • Sanitation
  • Hospitality
  • Chef
  • Event Management
  • Pastry
  • Restaurant Marketing
  • Menu Costing
  • Event Planning
  • New Restaurant Openings
  • Hospitality Service
  • Customer Service
  • Wine
  • Microsoft Access
  • HACCP
  • Leadership
  • Leadership Development

Showcase Your Technical Skills

As a culinary director, you will need to be proficient in a variety of software programs in order to effectively manage your kitchen. Programs like Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar), and social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are all commonly used by culinary directors. Additionally, you will need to be familiar with food-specific software programs, like recipe databases and menu planning tools.

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