Chef CV example, template and formatting tips to help you present culinary skills clearly and professionally in the United Kingdom. This guide provides UK-specific examples you can adapt, plus practical formatting advice so your CV passes initial screening and reads well for hiring managers in UK kitchens and catering teams.
Building a Chef resume?
Skip the blank page. Start with a template built for this role, then tailor it for each job you apply to.
Tip: use the template as a starting point, then swap in your own numbers and project names.
Chef CV Example, Quick Template
Use this chef CV example as a starting point, then tailor each section to the job posting. Start with a concise header, a two to three sentence professional summary, followed by experience, skills, education, and qualifications.
Keep contact details simple: list city, telephone number and email; you may include LinkedIn, but avoid a full postal address. For the summary, state your role, years of experience, cuisine focus, and one measurable achievement, all in two sentences.
Chef CV Example, Professional Summary Examples
A clear summary helps the hiring manager understand your fit at a glance. Use two short sentences that combine role, experience level, cuisine or station, and a measurable result where possible.
Example 1: "Line Cook with five years' experience in a high‑volume British bistro, skilled in sauté and grill, consistently improving mise en place and reducing service times." Example 2: "Sous Chef with seven years in French and modern British kitchens, led a team of eight and supported a 12% rise in repeat catering business."
Chef CV Example, Work Experience with Bullet Points
List jobs in reverse chronological order and focus on achievements rather than duties. For each role include your job title, employer name, location (city, country), and dates in DD/MM/YYYY format, followed by three to five bullet points with tangible outcomes.
Example bullets for a Line Cook: "Prepared menu items for 200 covers per service while maintaining a 98% plate accuracy and reducing waste by 8% through portion control." Example bullets for a Sous Chef: "Trained and scheduled a team of eight cooks, introduced prep checklists that cut station downtime by 15%, and managed stock to reduce cost of goods sold by 4%."
Chef CV Example, Skills and Certifications
Group skills into technical and soft skills so they are easy to scan. Technical skills might include knife skills, garde-manger, butchery, menu costing, temperature control, and inventory software.
Soft skills to highlight include leadership, time management, communication, and food safety awareness. List certifications like Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2/3), HACCP awareness, with issuing organisation and year.
Chef CV Example, Education and Additional Qualifications
List education in reverse chronological order. Include GCSEs and A‑levels (with grades), plus any higher qualifications or degrees.
For tertiary study, include institution, location, qualification, and dates using the UK date format. If applicable, include UCAS points and note any participation in degree programmes at Russell Group universities.
Where relevant, reference professional courses, apprenticeships, or City & Guilds qualifications. Consider noting your right to work in the UK and any visa status if you are applying from outside the UK.
Additional Tips
- 1If you lack numbers, focus on scope such as covers per service, kitchen brigade size, or menu items managed.
- 2For career changers, lead with transferable skills like stock control or team leadership.
- 3Keep certification dates current and include renewal years where applicable.