Chef CV example and ATS keywords

Keywords employers screen chef CVs for

Most employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that look for the words in their job advert. Use the ones that are true for you, in your skills section and in your experience. Always check the advert itself too, because each employer words things slightly differently.

Skills

• Mise en place
• Food preparation
• Menu development
• Stock control
• Food costing
• Allergen management
• HACCP
• Temperature checks
• Kitchen hygiene
• Ordering
• Plating and presentation
• Batch cooking

Qualifications and checks

• Level 2 Food Hygiene
• Level 3 Food Safety
• Allergen awareness
• NVQ or Diploma in Professional Cookery
• COSHH

Personal qualities

• Calm under pressure
• Creative
• Organised
• Team player
• Hard working

Example chef personal statement

Your personal statement (or profile) sits at the top of your CV. Keep it to 3 or 4 sentences: who you are, your experience, your strongest skills and what you're looking for. Make it your own: these examples show the shape, not words to copy.

Example experience bullet points

Start each bullet with an action verb and add a number wherever you can. Recruiters remember results, not duties.

• Ran the grill section on services of up to 200 covers while keeping ticket times under 15 minutes.
• Helped design a seasonal menu that raised gross profit on mains from 64% to 70%.
• Managed allergen information for every dish and briefed front-of-house before each service.
• Completed daily HACCP checks, contributing to a 5-star food hygiene rating.
• Ordered and rotated stock, cutting food waste by about 15%.

Mistakes that get chef CVs rejected

• Not stating your level (commis, CDP, sous chef) and the type of kitchen (fine dining, pub, hotel, contract catering).
• Leaving out covers. Say how busy the services were.
• No mention of food safety and allergen training.

How to lay out your chef CV

1. Contact details: name, phone, email, town and (optionally) LinkedIn. No photo or date of birth needed in the UK.
2. Personal statement: 3 or 4 sentences, like the examples above.
3. Key skills: 6 to 10 skills from the keyword lists that are true for you.
4. Experience: most recent job first, with 3 to 5 bullet points each.
5. Education and training: qualifications, certificates and checks.

Use one column, standard headings and no tables, text boxes or graphics, so applicant tracking systems can read every word. Save it as a Word file unless the advert asks for a PDF.