Line Cook Resume: Example and Tips
A line cook generally has a specific assigned area of production in a kitchen, based on dishes or ingredients. The job involves preparing ingredients, plating, assembling dishes, expertly operating kitchen equipment and maintaining kitchen supplies.
Below are some resume tips and examples to help you create your own exceptional line cook resume.
Table of Contents
Featured Resume Example: Line Cook
Name: DANIEL HARRIS
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Motivated Line Cook offering an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts as well as two years of experience in food preparation. High standards for taste and quality with expertise maintaining kitchen operations. Superior communication and multitasking skills.
SKILLS
- Portioning
- Garnishing
- Food rotation
- Vendor liaison
- Ingredients measuring
- Food preparation
- Kitchen sanitation
- Teamwork
WORK HISTORY
- Opened or closed kitchen daily by preparing supplies, ingredients and stock stations.
- Distributed needed items to team members with efficiency in high-volume environment.
- Followed restaurant stock management schedule to monitor product freshness and rotate out old products.
- Inspected equipment such as refrigerators and warming lamps every day to check compliance with safe operating levels.
- Supported waitstaff and other team members in completing tasks.
- Organized, arranged, and re-stocked various stations, including buffet, salad bar, and service areas.
- Collected trash, wiped up spills and removed trays to maintain fresh and clean customer areas.
- Maintained adequate levels of condiments and well-stocked drink stations to keep service flowing smoothly.
- Transported dirty utensils, dishes and trays to kitchen to support efficient cleaning.
EDUCATION
Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Line Cook Resume
- Summary Present a blend of your top skills and relevant work experience in your summary, using short, to-the-point sentences. For example: “Motivated, detail-oriented line cook with 6 years of experience.” You can also mention any notable achievement or accomplishment you’ve had in the culinary world, such as being a winner of a state baking championship.
- Skills Focus on industry-specific skills such as “knife-handling skills,” “collaborating with sous-chefs” or “kitchen maintenance.” Determine the best skills to include in your resume by scanning the job description for important requirements such as being familiar with food hygiene standards, and being able to quickly learn recipes and preparation processes, and implementing those skills in this section.
- Work experience List your previous and current work details in reverse-chronological order, limiting yourself to the past 10 years of your career. Place the emphasis on successes and achievements from previous jobs rather than (e.g., “Managed sandwich bar at restaurant that won award for best local restaurant.” Mention how you handled all the assigned tasks perfectly and maintained a smooth flow in the kitchen while assisting the sous-chef and the head chef.
- Education List your highest academic achievement (e.g., high school diploma or college degree), as well as professional courses in areas such as cooking or hospitality management.
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Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume
- DO include both technical and soft skills Exceptional knife-handling skills and knowledge of cooking methods are among the prime practical skills for this position, but don’t forget to also add intangible (or “soft”) skills that show how you approach work as an employee, such as being deadline-driven, flexible, or having the ability to be effective in fast-paced environments.
- DO use strong action verbs Use strong action verbs such as “organizing,” “designing,” “baking,” “analyzing,” “sauteing,” “measuring,” “frying” or “chopping” to describe your previous work achievements. This helps you present a positive image as a take-charge employee. For example, stating “Managed baking, frying and chopping sections at 100+ person dining venue” leaves a stronger impression than stating “Was tasked with food preparation at dining venue.”
- DO create the right elevator pitch Catch the recruiter’s attention right at the top in your summary, giving a brief introduction of how and why you’re a good fit for the job. For example, the opening statement “Dedicated, detail-oriented line cook with 8 years’ experience in a variety of cuisines” gives employers an immediate impression about your qualities and expertise.
- DON’T forget to proofread Just like you must be attentive to details when assembling a dish, you should be careful in assembling your resume. Don’t torpedo your chances at a job with silly errors — check your resume for grammar and spelling mistakes before submitting it. Proofing your resume also gives you the chance to make sure you’ve included all the right information, and that it it’s accurate.
- DON’T make your resume too long Instead of piling up random information in a lengthy resume, only present skills and work history examples that tie in with the job’s requirements, which you should glean from the job posting. Your education section should be limited to your highest qualifications, as well as training that is directly relevant to culinary work. Aim for a resume that’s one page in length.
- DON’T use the same resume for every job Just as there’s great variety in restaurants and cuisines, line cook jobs come in all shapes, sizes and requirements. Create different versions of your resume for every job you are applying for, studying the individual requirements of each job and updating your skills and accomplishments to get the best fit. For example, for a job requiring daily inventory management, highlight your management and organization skills. For a restaurant requiring the line cook to primarily assist the sous-chef, present skills and experiences to show you’re detail-oriented, quick on your feet and a reliable team player.
Resume Examples for the Next Step in your Culinary Career
- Bakery Assistant Resume
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