Sous Chef resume example & writing guide
- What should your sous chef resume include?
- Why use this sous chef resume example?
- Which key skills are relevant for a sous chef resume?
Being a sous chef is exciting, but it is a competitive field. When you are trying to land a successful job, you need a resume that will shine. With this resume example and writing guide, you will discover how to make that happen. We will show you how to arrange your skills and experience in a way to present you as the best applicant.
What should your sous chef resume include?
When building your resume, you will need to showcase your variety of skills and experiences in the culinary arts. You should cover your training, techniques, and passion for your craft. A sous chef also needs to display how they go about creating a memorable dining experience for their guests.
Why use this sous chef resume example?
The first thing you will see with this resume example is your career summary and expertise section. This is the section to show off all of your culinary arts skills. You can use these sections to easily show what types of kitchens you’ve worked in and what cooking skills you excel in. Also, include keywords from the job you are applying for as well. You can use the paragraph to showcase your overall experience and qualifications, while the expertise section is a snapshot of key skills.
Your training, education, and certifications are so important as a sous chef, which is why they are listed next on your resume. In the education and certification section, you can show what certificates you hold and your specific training. Even if some of your certifications don’t directly come from a culinary school, this is the perfect place to list them.
The final part of this resume example is your professional experience section. In this section, you will detail the positions you’ve held during the past 10 - 15 years. With each position, you can use a paragraph to describe your ongoing duties. Then, include a few bullet points that draw out specific achievements you’ve had in each role. It’s great if you include metrics in these bullets. For example, the number of people you trained, the revenue a new special brought in, or the amount you saved by selecting a new vendor.
Which key skills are relevant for a sous chef resume?
As a sous chef, you must have the skills needed to support a head chef and the kitchen as a whole. Remember, the job posting is your best source for deciding what skills to include. That said, here are some of the top skills you may want to add as a sous chef:
Menu planning
Kitchen equipment management
Catering and events
Dietary considerations
Food safety
Summary example
Certified sous chef and culinary expert with 12+ years’ success in myriad cooking techniques and cuisines across various cultures and countries. Demonstrable success leveraging knowledge of culinary arts to prepare dishes for numerous hotels, restaurants, and kitchen environments. Proficient in supervising kitchen operations, budget allocation, and customer service while adapting to dynamic working environments. Committed to building and leading high-performing teams to drive continuous improvement, business development, and customer satisfaction. Bi-lingual in English and German.
Employment history example
Sous Chef at Mountain Lodge, Kananaskis, Alberta. 2018 - Present
Prepare sumptuous meals and specialty dishes for multiple events and banquets. Supervise team of cooks for two restaurants. Collaborate daily with cross-functional departments to enable streamlined workflow. Train and mentor cooks in food preparation, cooking, garnishing, and presentation techniques. Encourage culinary and leadership skill development among team members. Ensure safe and efficient use of diverse kitchen tools and equipment.
Trained 30+ cooks in three restaurants over three years.
Recognized with numerous employee awards for consistently outstanding performance.
Sous Chef at Restaurant Villa Marie, Dresden, Germany. 2015 - 2018
Supervised short-staffed operations for restaurants, hotels, and catering services across diverse locations. Prepared diverse culinary dishes, operating within fast-paced kitchen operations / setups and utilizing variety of tools and equipment. Fostered enduring relationships, built professional networks, and negotiated contracts with concurrent clients to attract new business. Consulted for numerous HR departments while overseeing finances and taxes for consulting business.
Leveraged knowledge of complex operational setups to improve efficiency and personal techniques.
Planned and prepared business contracts aligned with client expectations and business goals.
Education example
Sous Chef Certificate at the Vocational School Centre for the Hospitality Industry, Dresden/Sachsen, Germany.
Certificate, Business Administration in the Hotel and Catering Industry at the Vocational School for Economics Specialization Hotel and Catering Industry, Dresden/Sachsen, Germany.
Skills example
Menu Planning & Food Preparation
Kitchen Equipment Management
Events & Catering Management
Budgeting & Cost Control
Culinary Arts
Dietary Considerations
Food & Workplace Safety
Staff Leadership & Training
