TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chef resume
summary examples
The first impression an employer will have of you is when they read your resume summary. You’ve got to make this section count because a recruiter will spend an average of seven seconds scanning your resume.
This section is a brief statement of your most impressive and relevant career highlights. You’ll pick professional achievements that resonate with the employer’s requirements for this job.
The most common approach for this section is the professional summary because it focuses on sharing job-relevant achievements.
On the other hand, the objective statement is the ideal approach for inexperienced candidates because it showcases your goals and the skills you have to make them possible.
Determine which approach is right for you with examples of a professional summary and an objective statement.
Good example:
“ A passionate and experienced chef with over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Expert in creating delicious and innovative dishes, with a focus on health and nutrition. Proven ability to manage a team of cooks and ensure high standards of food quality and presentation.”
Why this example passes:
- Feature candidate’s success statistic to grab attention. Numbers add detail about how big the results you deliver are, e.g., test scores, passing rate and more.
- Shows career length, 11 years.
- Mentions employer-desired skills: student motivation and interactive lessons.
Bad example:
“ Passionate chef with years of experience in the culinary arts. Experienced in preparing a variety of dishes and working in a fast-paced environment. Looking to utilize my skills to create delicious meals for customers.”
Why this example fails:
- Doesn’t include any numbers that quantify chef’s performance
- Uses vague descriptions and skills.
- Doesn’t include years of teaching experience.
The fastest way to write your
professional summary
Showcase your selling points as a Chef with an attention-grabbing professional summary generated by our Resume Builder! It’s an automated tool that will suggest best-use phrases and content-rich sentences you can customize.
- 1
Enter the details about the job title you held. The builder comes preloaded with auto-suggested phrasing written by resume experts.
- 2
Then, just pick from these suggested phrases that best frame your experience and customize them to your liking!
- 3
All you have to do is choose the summary phrases that best frame your experience. It’s like having a professional do it for you!
Our Builder is the quickest and easiest tool for writing a stellar Chef resume. However, you can also dive deeper with our professional resume-writing services. Take advantage of all the tools LiveCareer offers and start landing interviews!
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Chef resume work
experience examples
A big part of your resume’s content will live in your work experience, so you’ve got to put in the extra effort to make it stand out. This section should feature achievements that show recruiters you have what they’re looking for if you want to write a good resume.
Good example:
Rolling Meadows Middle School I Rolling Meadows, IL I 8/2018-current
- Spearheaded a team of 8 cooks to prepare over 500 meals per day for high-end clientele
- Developed a comprehensive training program for new chefs, resulting in a 25% decrease in errors
- Established a new menu featuring seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients, resulting in a 10% increase in sales
- Implemented cost-saving measures, resulting in a 15% reduction in food costs.
Why this example passes:
- Numbers and statistics add detail and quantify the results this chef delivers: 4% improvement and a class size of 20-25.
- Good use of strong words and active language.
- References specialized value cahier provides with “individualized lesson plans.”
Bad example:
Emily Dickinson Elementary I Redmond, WA I 4/2022-present
- Cooked meals for customers
- Cleaned the kitchen
- Prepped ingredients
- Monitored food inventory
Why this example fails:
- Lacks numbers or statistics.
- Describes general tasks, not teaching achievements or career highlights.
- Uses active verbs, but doesn’t focus on results.
Chef resume skills examples
Here are 18 sample skills for chef:
- Cleaning and sanitizing methods
- ‘Chef of the Year’ nominee
- Operations Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Meal Preparation
- Equipment Maintenance
- Workflow Optimization
- Resource Management
- Cost Control
- Performance Improvement
- New Hire Training
- Kitchen Operations
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Staff Coordination
- Business Management
- Kitchen Management
- Performance Assessments
- Recipe Development
You should sprinkle skills and abilities throughout your resume. Include them in your professional summary, work experience blurbs and a dedicated skills section.
Examples of additional resume sections
Your resume must include the five main sections: contact information, professional summary, work experience, skills and education. However, you can also add different sections to show off more achievements.
Here are some examples of optional chef resume sections that you could add to provide greater detail:
- References
- Languages
- Additional skills
- Certifications
- Professional skills
- Soft skills
- Formation
- Interests
Only include additional sections that feature valuable information for your desired Chef job. If the information you want to add is irrelevant to the job, save that space for more relevant information.
How to choose a resume format
0-3
Years of experience
Functional formats
- Focus on skills.
- Best for first-time chef who lack work experience.
- Good for people re-entering workforce.
- May omit dates in the work history section.
Organization:
- Skills listed above work experience.
3-10
Years of experience
Combination formats
- Balance skills and work history.
- Ideal for mid-career chef.
- Suitable for career changers and people seeking promotion.
Organization:
- Skills next to or above work experience.
10+
Years of experience
Chronological formats
- Put the most focus on work history.
- Best for chef with a long, steady career.
- Most popular format.
- Preferred by recruiters.
Organization:
- Work experience listed above skills.
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