Chef CV example

A free example, with real achievement bullets and the skills recruiters look for

Chef CVs need to show operational discipline as much as cooking ability — which section was run, at what covers, with what food-cost or timing result — since any kitchen can teach dishes but not the pace of a real service.

What recruiters look for on a Chef CV

• The section or style of kitchen — grill, pastry, sauce, pass — and the scale of service (covers per night).
• Food Hygiene Certificate status (Level 2 or 3), since it's checked before anything else in most kitchens.
• Evidence of menu development or food costing, which reads as more senior than pure line cooking.
• Comfort training or leading junior staff during service.

Example achievement bullets

These are the kind of specific, quantified bullets worth building your own experience section around — adapt the structure (action → scope → result), not the exact wording, to your own background:

Key skills to include

• Section experience (grill / pastry / sauce / pass)
• Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2/3)
• Menu development
• Food costing
• High-volume service
• Stock rotation (FIFO)
• Allergen management
• Kitchen management systems
• Team leadership
• Health & safety (HACCP)

Only list skills you can genuinely speak to in an interview — a skills section is a set of claims, not a wishlist.

Which template to use

Bold or Creative templates are a strong starting point — a bit more visual character suits a hospitality CV without losing legibility. FreeShelf renders your details live across all 250 designs, so you can compare several before deciding — there's no need to commit up front.

Matching cover letter: See the cover letter example for this role

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