Chef CV Examples & UK Templates

Ready to cook up a storm? A chef CV should consist of just the right ingredients to whet the hiring managers’ appetite and persuade them to invite you for an interview. Restaurant owners and managers don’t have a lot of time to spend pouring over your application, so how do you make a great impression and ensure you catch their attention? Read our guide to find out.

CV guide for a chef CV

Resume.io has the recipe for success. Our guides and CV examples cover over 150 professions. Use our CV builder to make it easier than ever to create a compelling chef CV.

This CV guide and corresponding chef CV example will cover the following:

• How to write a chef CV
• Choosing the right CV format for cheffing
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your culinary experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right CV design/layout
• What the chef job market looks like, and what salary you can expect

How to write a chef CV

Before you start writing your chef CV, you need to know which ingredients to include. Here’s a list of the main things that this document requires. 

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

Creating the perfect CV for a chef is all about balance. You want to showcase your experience and your skills while also aligning with the demands of the restaurant. That can be a tall order. However, so long as you spend time and energy on this task, you should have no problem. Let’s take a look at some of the simple ways that you can master this art. 

• Focus on your accomplishments rather than simply your duties. That may mean highlighting certain awards you received thanks to your culinary expertise, for example. Show the hiring manager what you bring to the table (not just what you do!). 
• When writing each of these sections, it's important to be mindful of the target employer. For instance, consider the difference in tone you would adopt for a prestigious restaurant rather than a laid-back local café. Make tweaks to your CV to suit each job application.
• Get a feel for the hiring manager and make sure to customise your CV for the job specs. At the same time, scrutinise the posted job requirements for keywords and phrases that stand out — especially those used multiple times.
• Be sure to use those keywords throughout your chef CV. This is your best precaution to avoid rejection by automatic tracking systems (ATS), commonly used to electronically screen online job applications.

Choosing the right CV format for a chef

The best format to use for your chef CV is reverse chronological order. It places your employment history section at the forefront with the education and skills following later.

One time when you might consider diverting from this format is when you lack relevant experience and want to focus on education or transferable skills instead. For instance, you might be looking for a trainee chef role, and are qualified but haven't yet got expertise.

Another instance when some job seekers adopt the functional ( skills-based CV format) or hybrid (combination) CV format is to reflect self-employment rather than employee work experience. They might emphasise transferable skills, or even projects or clients, instead of places worked.

Feel free to swap different CV sections to suit the situation. Whichever format you choose, take a look at the many CV templates in our CV builder. We have CV examples using each format.

Include your contact information

If you pique the interest of the hiring manager, they will want to contact you. That’s where the header plays its role. Here’s what you need to include: 

• Full name & title. Include your first and last name plus the title of the role.
• Professional email address. Use a professional email address, such as one that features your first and last name or initials.
• Phone number. Next, add a number where you can be reached. 
• Location. You don’t need to include your whole address. Simply list your city and county or country. 
• LinkedIn. If you have a LinkedIn page and it’s up to date, you can also include a hyperlink to it here. However, that is not always necessary. 

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: Telling the hiring manager your exact age can lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: Don’t include your marital status, NI number, passport number, etc. 

Make use of a summary

The summary (also known as the personal statement or profile) is the first section hiring managers will see on your chef CV. It's a short synopsis of your experience and skills to date — a brief introduction to you.

The summary only needs to be a few sentences long, and should include dynamic action verbs such as "led," "managed," planned,” organised,” or "demonstrated." It's not necessary to start each statement with the 'I' pronoun. Just jump right in with descriptive adjectives and adverbs supporting the action statements.

Wherever possible, look for ways to illustrate your value as a chef. For example, you might write “Award-winning chef with a history of creating innovative menus for top-tier restaurants.” This line tells the hiring manager that you are high-level and can offer creative recipes. 

You can find adaptable chef example summaries below:

Outline your chef work experience

The employment history section is the "main course" of your chef CV — i.e., the most influential section of the hiring case you're presenting.

Begin with your most recent position and work backwards to the earliest. Below each dated employer heading, create bullet points highlighting the duties of the role. You don't need to describe every aspect of every role, or even include every job. Keep it short and relevant to cover the important points. Again, lead with action verbs and omit the "I" pronoun.

Because chefs play an essential part in managing teams of kitchen staff, they naturally aim to meet performance targets. That’s why you should try to incorporate “success statistics” to support your work experience highlights. Focus on results, not merely duties. 

Avoid generic statements, such as: 

• “Created menus”
• “Oversaw the kitchen” 
• “Ensured a quick turnaround”

Instead, you should focus on tangible results. For example: 

• “Created innovative menus featuring 12 unique dishes every quarter”
• “Oversaw a kitchen of 14+ staff members”
• “Ensured meals were prepared and on the customer's table within 15 minutes”

This approach gives the hiring manager a clearer insight into the deliverables they could expect from you, making your chef CV more persuasive.

Take a look at the chef employment history CV sample below:

How to write a chef CV with no experience

New to the culinary world? If you are just starting out in your cheffing career, don’t panic. Using a skills-based CV format, you can still draw attention to your cooking talents. Start by focusing on your transferable skills—i.e. the relevant competencies you have picked up elsewhere. 

You should also note any non-professional cookery experience you have. For example, if you are a great home chef or you tend to host elaborate meals, now is the time to mention it. It’s also important to hone in on any of the skills you have picked up through these activities. 

If you have held other roles before, you may want to mention them. Try to draw comparisons between your former positions and the role of a chef. For example, you could talk about your organisation, time management, and safety skills and how you used them. 

Adding these details to your CV can show that you are serious about a career in cooking, even if you lack direct experience. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere. 

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great chef

Chefs need to have a wide range of skills to get the job done. However, it is important to have a healthy mixture of both hard and soft skills on your chef CV. 

Hard skills apply directly to your role as a chef. These may include culinary techniques (such as sautéing, grilling, and roasting), recipe development and food safety.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are often transferable. These are the talents you use to keep things moving and work well with others. Examples include organisation and communication.

Our CV builder offers a range of pre-selected skills you can add to your application. Be sure to add your own chef CV skills to the list, too. 

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our CV template for chefs.

It’s smart to include a varied list in your skills section. However, you should also hint at the skills you have elsewhere on your chef CV. Try to add context to each competency. For example: 

• Showcase your recipe development skills by talking specifically about the types of cuisine you cook and the recipes you have created. 
• Highlight your culinary techniques in your work experience section by noting which you have used in various positions. 
• Let the hiring manager know you have excellent communication by writing a compelling chef CV. 

If you’re ever in doubt, always return to the original job advert. You should find a list of the competencies that the hiring manager requires there. 

Detail your education & relevant culinary certifications

Next up, let’s talk about your education section. As there are no specific educational requirements for a chef, the education section can sit at the bottom of your CV. On-the-job training may be more relevant; however, education is still significant. 

If you have relevant qualifications as a chef, but no work experience, you may want to switch the education and employment history sections around. These qualifications would include certifications and any culinary courses you've completed with the latest at the top. 

Here are some of the culinary certificates you may want to include: 

• High school education: Start out with your high school education and include the number of GCSEs you got plus your grades. If you studied food technology, now is the time to mention it. 
• College qualifications: If you went to college or sixth form, you should list your qualifications here, too. These may be A Levels, NVQs, or T Levels, for example. 
• Degrees: While you don’t need a degree to be a chef, if you have one, you should list it here. Include the institute, the year of graduation, and your final grade. 
• Culinary school: If you have graduated from a culinary school, that is highly valuable. Examples include Leiths School of Food and Wine, the Cookery School at Little Portland Street, and Swinton Cookery School.
• Cooking courses: Of course, you may have taken cookery courses outside of a culinary school. These can range from online courses to day sessions. 

Pick the right CV layout and design for a chef CV

Just as you would want your finished dishes to taste great, you also want to ensure the finished product is aesthetically pleasing. The same applies to your CV layout and design. 

But that doesn’t mean you need to overthink your CV layout and design. Simply strive to ensure that the document is clean, uncomplicated and visually appealing.

Using one of Resume.io's expert-designed CV templates helps you focus on writing the content without worrying about costly formatting errors.

Chef text-only CV example

Chef job market and outlook

If you’re looking for a chef role, there’s good news. Hospitality is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the UK. According to the Caterer publication, there was a 10% shortage of head chefs and a 21% shortage of production chefs in 2023. Put simply, there’s a huge demand for this job. 

What type of salary you can expect as a chef

According to Talent.com, the average salary for a chef in the UK is £26,503 per year. However, as you climb the career ladder, you can expect to take home more. The average salary for a head chef is £33,000, for example. 

Key takeaways for building a chef CV

Use a clear structure when writing your chef CV, ensuring you cover the most important aspects of your skills and experience. Make sure your CV is targeted to each role you are applying for. Ensure positive language throughout your CV, along with relevant keywords. Check out our adaptable chef CV sample for more ideas on creating a great page layout.

Use our online CV builder to cook up a tasty chef CV now.