Chef / Sous Chef Resume Example

How to write a chef / sous chef resume that passes ATS — sample bullets, skills, and mistakes to avoid for India and global roles.

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Free ATS-friendly DOCX and PDF with standard sections for chef / sous chef roles. Use the buttons here when JavaScript is enabled, or open the resume builder and select this role template.

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Use this chef / sous chef resume guide to structure your CV for campus placements, job portals, and corporate ATS. Kitchen leadership, menu, and food cost. Download a free template or scan your current resume before applying.

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What recruiters look for

  • Cuisine specialization and outlet type — fine dining, QSR, hotel banquets
  • Food cost %, wastage reduction, hygiene audit scores
  • Team size managed and service volume (covers/day)
  • HACCP / FSSAI compliance awareness

Skills and keywords to include

Align with the job description — these terms are commonly filtered by ATS and hiring managers for chef / sous chef roles:

  • Menu Development
  • Kitchen Management
  • HACCP
  • Food Cost Control
  • Indian Cuisine
  • Continental
  • Inventory

Sample bullet points

Adapt these achievement-style bullets with your own metrics, employers, and tools:

Led kitchen brigade of 18 for 180-cover restaurant; maintained food cost at 28% vs 32% budget through portion control and vendor renegotiation.
Introduced seasonal tasting menu increasing average check size ₹420 → ₹510 over two quarters.
Passed 4 FSSAI and internal hygiene audits with zero critical findings; trained 6 commis on HACCP standards.

Sample resume outline

Plain-text structure parsers read — also visible in the downloadable sample:

SUMMARY
Chef / Sous Chef with 8+ years of experience delivering measurable results in Urban and related environments. Skilled in Menu Development, Kitchen Management, HACCP, Food Cost Control, and cross-functional collaboration. Seeking roles in India and globally where menu development expertise drives business outcomes.

EXPERIENCE
Sous Chef — Urban Spice Restaurants
Jan 2017 – Present | Mumbai, India
• Led kitchen brigade of 18 for 180-cover restaurant; maintained food cost at 28% vs 32% budget through portion control and vendor renegotiation.
• Introduced seasonal tasting menu increasing average check size ₹420 → ₹510 over two quarters.
• Passed 4 FSSAI and internal hygiene audits with zero critical findings; trained 6 commis on HACCP standards.

Junior Chef Associate — Mumbai Professional Services
Jun 2014 – Dec 2016 | Mumbai, India
• Supported chef / sous chef projects using Menu Development, Kitchen Management, HACCP under senior mentorship.
• Contributed to team KPI improvements and documentation standards adopted across the department.

SKILLS
Menu Development, Kitchen Management, HACCP, Food Cost Control, Indian Cuisine, Continental, Inventory

EDUCATION
Relevant degree / professional qualification for Chef / Sous Chef — accredited institution

CERTIFICATIONS
Industry certification or license applicable to Chef / Sous Chef — verify locally

Common ATS mistakes

  • “Can cook many cuisines” without outlet context or metrics
  • Missing certification: craft certificate, hotel management food production, FSSAI
  • Graphics-heavy menu photos instead of text-friendly achievement bullets

Tips for India job applications

  • List food safety (FSSAI) and aviation licenses in a Certifications section.
  • Use plain text — avoid menu-style graphic resumes for online applications.
  • Mention POS/PMS systems for hotel roles when relevant.
  • Keep personal stats (height, etc.) only if requested in the JD.

Frequently asked questions

Hotel: RevPAR contribution, guest satisfaction scores, F&B cost control Format as a single-column Word or PDF with standard headings so Naukri, LinkedIn, and corporate ATS can parse your file.

Mirror the job description. Core keywords recruiters often filter on include: Menu Development, Kitchen Management, HACCP, Food Cost Control. List them in a dedicated Skills section and repeat naturally in experience bullets.

Use a portfolio or LinkedIn for visuals. ATS resume should stay text-based with cuisine and volume metrics.

Highlight customer service experience, languages, grooming certifications, and swimming/safety training.

Yes. Use the download buttons above for a blank ATS template or a pre-filled chef / sous chef example in Word or PDF. See more hospitality & aviation guides in our category hub.

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