This guide shows how to write an entry-level chef CV for the UK that highlights hands-on experience and transferable skills to help you shine for kitchen roles. You’ll find practical wording, copy-ready examples, and clear steps to tailor your CV to roles such as commis chef or junior chef.
Read on to turn limited formal experience into a compelling CV that UK employers can review quickly.
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.
Contact and Header
Start with your full name, UK phone number, a professional email address, and your town or postcode on the top line so employers can contact you quickly. Add a short label beneath your name such as "Commis Chef" or "Junior Chef" to set expectations, and include a link to a portfolio or social feed if it shows plated dishes.
Keep this section tidy and avoid including a full home address or irrelevant personal details. If you have the right to work in the UK, note it here or in a separate section.
Mention your NI number only if requested by a potential employer during the process.
Professional Summary for an entry-level chef CV
Write a 2-3 sentence profile focusing on hands-on kitchen experience, reliability, and eagerness to learn new techniques. For example, mention the number of covers you supported during shifts, cuisines you have trained in, and key strengths such as timing, mise en place, and food safety.
Use this section to demonstrate how your background prepares you to contribute from day one.
Skills to list on an entry-level chef CV
List 6 to 10 kitchen skills that align with the job advert, mixing practical hard skills and soft skills to give a full view of your capability. Include knife skills, station setup, recipe scaling, garde-manger basics, working on a line, HACCP or food safety knowledge, temperature control, allergen awareness, time management, and teamwork.
Be honest and precise so your CV passes quick screening by both humans and software.
Experience Section for an entry-level chef CV
Organise experience in reverse chronological order with job title, employer, town, and dates (DD/MM/YYYY) for each entry, followed by 3-5 bullet points describing achievements and responsibilities. Start bullets with strong action verbs and, where possible, quantify results (average covers per shift, reductions in food waste, or speed improvements on a station).
If you have limited paid work, include relevant internships, catering gigs, volunteering, or strong kitchen-focused coursework to show practical exposure.
Education and Certifications
List your UK qualifications in chronological order, including GCSEs, A-levels, vocational cookery diplomas (e.g. City & Guilds, NVQ, BTEC), and any accredited food safety or HACCP courses.
If you studied at a UK university, include the degree and UCAS points or equivalence where relevant. Mention professional cookery diplomas and any programmes related to nutrition or allergen awareness.
Include the issuer, year, and any grade or attainment where appropriate.
How to Present Relevant Experience
Tailor your CV to each job by mirroring the language and requirements in the posting. Emphasise duties such as mise en place, line service, portion control, and customer or patient-focused service if applying to hospitals, schools, hotels, pubs, or contract catering.
Include UK-facing metrics (covers per service, waste reductions, and speed on station) and highlight progression or additional responsibilities. Use keywords from the job description and keep the CV concise for quick screening by recruiters.
Include a link to a portfolio if you have plated dishes. Where applicable, acknowledge statutory UK terms such as the 28 days of annual leave and relevant shift patterns, and indicate your right to work in the UK.
Additional Tips
- 1If you have limited paid kitchen experience, emphasise relevant volunteering, school or university catering projects, and clearly describe your roles.
- 2Practice explaining your experience aloud in about 30 seconds so your CV language matches how you present yourself in interviews.
- 3Keep a master list of duties and achievements so you can quickly tailor bullet points to each UK job application.