Chef resume example

Chef CV example for a Bristol head chef: 13 years, gross profit raised from 64% to 71%, 900 to 1,100 covers a week and a hygiene rating of 5.

Cover letter for this role

Tomasz Nowak

Head Chef | Seasonal Modern British Menus, Kitchen Margins and Team Development

Bristol13 years of experience

Summary

Head Chef with 13 years in restaurant and hotel kitchens across Bristol. Runs a 70-cover restaurant with a brigade of 9, writes seasonal menus around local suppliers and holds gross profit above 70%. Keeps a food hygiene rating of 5 and a kitchen where chefs stay: staff turnover under 20% in a sector that often runs past 50%.

Experience

Head ChefFeb 2022 - Present

The Bramble Rooms

  • Raised kitchen gross profit from 64% to 71% in the first year by costing every dish and cutting the menu from 22 to 14 plates.
  • Serve 900 to 1,100 covers a week across lunch, dinner and weekend brunch with a brigade of 9.
  • Food hygiene rating of 5 at both inspections since 2022.
  • Built relationships with 11 local farms and fishers; seasonal menus change 4 times a year.
  • Promoted 2 commis chefs to chef de partie; kitchen staff turnover was 18% last year.
Sous ChefJun 2018 - Jan 2022

Harbourside Kitchen

  • Ran the pass on 180-cover Saturday services and led the kitchen on the head chef's days off.
  • Rewrote the allergen matrix and training after the Natasha's Law changes, with zero allergen incidents across 3 years.
  • Cut food waste by around a quarter through tighter prep lists and weekly stock counts.
Chef de PartieAug 2013 - May 2018

The Clifton Arms Hotel

  • Ran the sauce and fish sections for a 2 AA Rosette dining room and weddings of up to 200 guests.
  • Trained 6 commis chefs on butchery and fish preparation.

Skills

  • Menu Development
  • Food Costing and GP Management
  • Kitchen Leadership
  • Seasonal and Local Sourcing
  • HACCP and Food Safety
  • Allergen Management
  • Stock Control and Ordering
  • Rota Planning
  • Butchery and Fish Preparation
  • Staff Training

Certifications

  • Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering
  • Level 3 HACCP for Catering
  • Level 2 Award in Allergen Awareness

Education

NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery, City of Bristol College, 2013

Fictional candidates and employers. Any resemblance to a real person or company is coincidental.

Now for your own experience and a real posting

Jobiko writes a resume and a cover letter from what you have actually done, for the posting you choose, and shows you both before anything is sent.

Build my resume →

What hiring managers check first

Covers and brigade size

Owners want to know how busy your kitchens have been and how many chefs you have led. Put both in your current role.

Gross profit and cost control

GP percentage is how owners judge a head chef. A before-and-after figure is one of the strongest lines on a chef's CV.

Food safety record

Your food hygiene rating and Level 3 food safety qualification reassure employers you will protect their licence.

Style of food

Say what you cook, such as modern British, seasonal or fine dining, so the reader knows if you fit their concept.

Keywords the applicant tracking system matches

  • Head Chef
  • Menu Development
  • Gross Profit
  • Food Costing
  • Kitchen Management
  • Food Hygiene Rating 5
  • HACCP
  • Allergen Management
  • Seasonal Menus
  • Brigade
  • Stock Control
  • Modern British

Use the ones that are true of you, in the words the posting uses.

Mistakes to avoid

  1. Describing food, not results

    Menus matter, but owners hire on margins, reviews and team stability. Pair each creative point with a number.

  2. Skipping team leadership

    Head chef roles are management jobs. Show how you train, rota and keep staff.

  3. Out-of-date allergen training

    UK kitchens must meet Natasha's Law. Make sure your allergen qualification and processes are current and listed.

Questions

How long should a chef's CV be in the UK?
One to two pages. Experienced head chefs usually need two to cover their roles, qualifications and suppliers or awards.
Should I include photos of my dishes?
Not on the CV itself. Add a link to an Instagram or portfolio page with your food instead, and keep it professional.
Do I need formal qualifications to be a head chef?
Not always, but a Level 3 food safety award is expected for anyone running a kitchen. NVQs or culinary diplomas help earlier in your career.

More examples

← All resume examples