Just as you would when preparing a meal, you must have the right ingredients for your chef CV to whet the appetite of recruiters. Chefs are always in high demand and an integral part of the hospitality sector. However, only 17% of professional chefs in the UK are female and 8% have Michelin-starred restaurants. Chefs are not only experts in culinary delights; they have many other crucial skills that help keep kitchens and restaurants running smoothly. If you are applying for a chef role, these are some tips for creating the perfect chef CV.
CV Structure
Your CV should be around two pages in length. Sometimes, it might be a little longer but you should try not to go above three pages. If you are a trainee chef, you are more likely to find two pages sufficient. A Head Chef or Executive Chef may span three pages.
The standard structure of a chef's CV includes:
- Name and personal details (including telephone number and email address)
- Profile Summary
- Key Skills
- Work Experience
- Education
- Achievements (optional)
Profile Summary
Your summary is situated at the top of your CV and it is a brief introduction to who you are and what you have done so far in your career. With the summary, you want to make an impact straight away. As standard, you would usually mention how long you have been working as a chef, in what position and type of restaurant. For instance, ‘10 years of experience as a Head Chef in the Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay Restaurant.’
Key Skills
The key skills section is where you detail the skills you have which are relevant to the role. It is important to use some keywords from the job advert so you have a better chance of passing through the ATS (Applicant Tracking System.) For instance, if it is a head chef role, you would be expected to have skills in people management and may be responsible for budget management. If the role is working in a bistro and you have this experience, you will want to highlight this in your key skills. Other keywords may include creativity, working with fresh produce, and understanding food safety. You can use bullet points to describe your key skills.
Experience
Your work experience should be in chronological order and contain the name of your employer, your job title, and the dates of the employment. You can use bullet points to detail the main aspects of the role, while also keeping keywords from the job spec in mind. For example:
- Working in a busy restaurant with a footfall of around 500 customers per day
- Managing a team of 20 servers, ensuring that meals were served promptly
- Responsible for preparing creative meals using fresh produce
As in the example above, it is a good idea to quantify your experience so that the recruiter understands your abilities. For example, stating the number of employees you manage, the standard of the restaurant, and the daily footfall.
Education
Your education should be situated below your experience unless you don’t have much experience and want to highlight the education section. In general, the education should be in chronological order and should cover your most recent/most important qualifications. It may also include professional courses you have completed if you feel these are relevant to the role.
Achievements
You can choose whether or not to include an achievements section on your chef's CV. If your CV is already over two pages long at this stage, you may decide to omit it. However, if there is something you are keen to highlight, this would be the best section. For example, ‘awarded employee of the year for 3 consecutive years in chef role in the Ivy’ Again, it is important to quantify your achievements.
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