Head Chef CV Example + 2023 Guide

Sobhan Mohmand, Career Expert          4 Oct 2023

As a head chef, you will be responsible for running the kitchen, including managing catering staff, setting menus, preparing food, ordering stock and budgeting.

There is high competition for this job so it is essential that you have a great head chef CV that stands out and is effective at portraying you as a strong candidate.

This guide has been created to give you all the necessary tools to help you write your perfect CV and secure more job interviews.

Let’s get started!

• Head chef CV example
• Download CV template (Word format)
• How to structure and format your CV
• How to write a perfect CV (a step-by-step guide)
• Personal profile statement example
• Duties to add to your CV
• Useful skills to add to your CV
• Tips on making your CV more effective

CV example

Tip: Use the CV template below as an example to help you write your own personal and fully-tailored CV.

Please note: the above CV example is presented in the UK format and layout.

Preview

Download CV template

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Are you writing your CV from scratch or is your CV template outdated? Download this professional CV template to impress employers!

• Free
• Save time and effort
• Guaranteed correct CV structure
• Word document (.docx) format
• Fully customisable

How to save your CV as a PDF document:

• Click on File > Save As > Select “PDF” from the drop-down menu.

How to structure and format your CV

• Prioritise what to include: To get to this stage in your career, you must have had many jobs to work your way up the career ladder. You need to prioritise which of these jobs you will write on your CV as its length should not exceed 2 A4 pages. Is the part-time job you did in the summer of 2005 as a catering assistant still relevant today? Probably not.
• Things not to include: date of birth, age, gender, marital status, photograph, and political, sporting or religious affiliations. These things are unnecessary and some of them could harm your chances of selection.
• Optimise your CV for scanning, not reading: Studies have shown that employers tend to scan CVs rather than read them in detail. Improve the scannability (and readability) of your CV by using subheadings, short sentences, bullet points, spacing and a clear, readable font.
• Place your strongest selling points at the top: You can structure and format the sections of your CV in several different ways. Some applicants put the education section before the employment section, others vice versa. Which section should you give priority to? Look at your education and work experience and ask yourself which of these the employer will value more for the role and put that section on top.
• Use a conventional, traditional CV format: As you are applying for a senior position in the hospitality and catering industry, you should minimise the use of colours and design on your CV.

How to write a head chef CV (step-by-step guide)

Personal details

The personal details section is located at the top of your CV.

It contains the following details about you:

• Full name (as the heading of your CV)
• Address/location
• Mobile phone number
• Email address
• LinkedIn profile (optional)

Example:
• James Williams
• 299 March Street Ext, Liverpool, LE3 4WB
• Mob: 07872293915       Email: [email protected]

Personal profile

The next part of your CV is the personal profile section.

Your personal profile is a short statement, around 3-4 lines, that gives an overall summary of your personal characteristics and why the employer should consider you for the position.

It’s an important introduction to your CV and it’s vital that you write a powerful personal profile that will impress the employer and result in a job interview invitation.

Head chef CV personal profile statement:

I am a highly professional, creative and multi-skilled Head Chef with over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. I am passionate about food, cooking and working with colleagues to produce the best menus, dishes and specials. I am passionate about customer service and exceeding the high expectations of clients and customers. Under my leadership, chefs and other kitchen staff thrive in the busy kitchen environment and sales have increased for the past three consecutive years.

Click here to find out how to write a perfect personal profile.

Achievements

To make your CV more effective, list down your main achievements or accomplishments in this prominent location after the personal profile statement. Your achievements will grab the attention of the employer as they scan through your CV from the top to bottom, and encourage them to continue reading.

Example:
• Effectively managed a team of twenty kitchen staff
• Introduced new menus and increased sales by 15%
• Received excellent feedback from customers

Employment and work experience

The employment section should contain the details of your employment and work experience to date. Old or irrelevant jobs should be omitted. For each job, you should write down your job title, start and end dates, employer name and your main duties, responsibilities and achievements.

Feb 2019 – Present

Head chef         Spire Hotel, Manchester

Main duties and responsibilities performed:

• Ensured the smooth running of the kitchen
• Recruited, trained and supervised kitchen staff
• Ordered goods and managed the budget
• Sourced ingredients and created menus
• Planned, prepared and cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Ensured health and safety and hygiene standards were adhered to and that the kitchen was clean and tidy at all times
• Maintained the hotel’s 5-star hygiene rating
• Prepared food at very short notice for large groups of customers

Duties to add to your CV

• Managing the day-to-day activities of the kitchen
• Oversee food ordering and food preparation
• Train, motivate and inspire a team of kitchen/catering staff
• Maintain a high standards in all areas of the kitchen
• Plan, create and update menus
• Source ingredients, order supplies and maintain stock levels
• Conform to health and hygiene regulations at all times
• Provide excellent customer service at all times

Education

List here all your education and training, including degrees and college-level courses.

Each entry should contain the following information; the name of the course, institution, start and end dates and relevant modules/units (if applicable). Information should be presented in reverse chronological order (i.e. start with the most recent).

Example:

2014 – 2016

Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery (Preparation and Cooking)

Dewsbury College

Relevant Modules:

• Supervisory skills in the hospitality industry
• The principles of food safety supervision for catering
• Advanced skills and techniques in producing vegetable, meat and poultry dishes

2012 – 2014 Results: 7 GCSEs at Grades A*-C, including Maths and English.

GCSEs

Dawlish Community College

Qualifications

The qualifications section of your CV should contain a list of additional qualifications that you have gained on top of the education that you have listed in the previous section. Mostly, these are professional training qualifications.

Example:
• Level 2 Certificate in Culinary Skills – CTH Awards
• Level 2 Professional Chef (Technical) – Northampton College

Skills

Next, write down a list of your key skills and competencies that will help you in the job that you are applying for. Look through the job specifications/advert to find out which skills are required for the job and incorporate them in your CV if appropriate.

Example:
• Outstanding management skills, demonstrated by successfully managing a team of twenty kitchen staff
• Extensive knowledge of a variety of foods and dishes
• Ability to work in a busy environment and cope under pressure at all times
• Excellent knife-handling skills, including meat butchery and fish preparation

Useful skills to add to your head chef CV

• Recruiting, training and supervising kitchen staff
• Planning, preparing and presenting healthy, nutritious and tasty food
• Excellent knowledge of food safety and hygiene
• Delivering high-quality meals at short notice
• Controlling stock rotation and budgeting
• Reducing waste in the kitchen
• Dealing with stressful situations in a busy working environment
• Planning and supervising large-scale catering events.
• Providing excellent customer service
• Having attention to detail at all times

Hobbies and interests (optional)

The hobbies and interests section of your CV is an excellent opportunity to add some personal touch to your CV and demonstrate that you are an all-rounded person who is also engaged in extracurricular activities.

Only include interests that are relevant to the job and add value to your CV.

If in doubt, leave it out!

Example:
In my free time, I enjoy reading cooking books and dining out with my family and friends. I also regularly attend food shows and exhibitions to keep up to date with the latest developments in the hospitality industry.

References

The references section should contain details of two referees, people who know you, have worked with you and can vouch for you to the employer.

Each entry in the references section should have the following information:

• Referee name
• Position/job title
• Organisation name
• Organisation address
• Telephone number
• Email address

If you don’t have space or do not wish to disclose your references at this early stage in the recruitment process, you can simply write, “References are available upon request.”

Example:
Mr Jack Anderson
Kitchen Manager, Dining 21 Hotel
Address: 34 Sutton Rd, London, LD2 3IC
Tel: 07639940274
Email: [email protected]
Mrs Julie Davies
Director, King Manhattan Restaurant
Address: 61 Northfield St., Devon, DC8 3RO
Tel: 07689973102
Email: [email protected]


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Tips to make your CV more effective

• Focus more on your organisational and management skills: While cooking may be your biggest passion, the role of a head chef is more of a managerial position which requires its own skillset. Try to highlight your managerial, interpersonal and organisational skills to make your CV more effective.
• Highlight your achievements: Studies have shown that applicants with achievement-focused CVs are three times more likely to be shortlisted for job interviews compared to those with duties-focused CVs.
• Double-check your CV for spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Write an effective personal profile statement: The first thing that an employer will glance over is your personal profile at the top of your CV. To make your profile more effective, keep it concise (no more than 3-4 sentences) and highlight your achievements with real-world examples (e.g. promotions, work experience, meeting targets, managing staff, etc.).
• Include a cover letter: Always write a tailored cover letter to accompany your CV when applying for jobs. The letter should outline the reasons for applying for the role, what value you can add to the organisation and why they should invite you for a job interview.

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You’ve now reached the end of this guide.

If you have followed all the guidelines and tips in this guide, you should now have an impressive head chef CV that will get you job interviews in no time.

Good luck with your job hunt!