Landing Your First Restaurant Job: CV Tips for Chefs & Kitchen Staff

Your CV is your first impression. This guide will help you create a professional chef CV that gets interviews.

Essential CV Sections

1. Personal Information

Full name, mobile number, professional email, location (city only).

2. Professional Summary (3-4 lines)

Example: "Passionate commis chef with 2 years experience in fast-paced gastropub kitchens. Level 2 qualified with excellent food safety knowledge."

3. Key Skills

Knife skills, sauces, pastry, grilling, teamwork, time management.

4. Work Experience

Most recent first. Include achievements with numbers where possible.

Common CV Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Generic objectives: "Seeking position in restaurant" ✅ Specific goal: "Commis chef role in Italian fine dining"

❌ Duties only: "Responsible for making desserts" ✅ Achievements: "Created 5 seasonal desserts increasing sales by 20%"

❌ Spelling errors - leads to immediate rejection ❌ Too long - keep to 1-2 pages maximum

Tips for Different Chef Levels

Commis Chefs: Emphasize willingness to learn and passion for food.

Chef de Parties: Focus on section experience and quantify achievements.

Sous Chefs: Highlight leadership experience and menu development.

Ready to apply? Browse chef jobs on CH3F and upload your CV today!

CH3F.co.uk