Sous Chef Resume Examples & Templates for 2025

More Culinary Resume Examples

Review our culinary resume examples to see how to showcase your culinary expertise, kitchen management, and menu planning.

Advice for Writing Your Sous Chef Resume

Crafting a resume that highlights your culinary chops and leadership in the kitchen is key to landing a sous chef role. Explore our tips on how to write a resume tailored for this profession, and learn how to showcase your cooking expertise, teamwork, and passion for creating unforgettable dining experiences.

Write a strong professional summary

A professional summary is a short introduction at the top of your resume that lets hiring managers know who you are and what you bring to the table. This section is your chance to make a strong first impression and show why you’re the right person for the sous chef role.

A professional summary highlights your experience, skills, and achievements in three to four sentences. It’s best for applicants who have significant experience in their field, like seasoned sous chefs. Its purpose is to present your professional identity and demonstrate the value you can offer. Using action-oriented language helps emphasize your skills and impact in previous roles, showing what you’ve accomplished.

Resume objectives focus on career goals instead of past achievements. They’re ideal for entry-level candidates, career changers, or those with employment gaps. Unlike summaries, objectives spotlight “what I aim to contribute” rather than “what I’ve accomplished.”

Next, we’ll provide examples of both professional summaries and resume objectives suited for different levels of experience.

Sous chef resume summary examples

Sous chef resume objective examples

Include relevant certifications and training

Listing certifications and training shows your skills and dedication to cooking. Having the right credentials can set you apart from others by showing that you’ve learned special techniques or safety standards.

In kitchens, where precision matters, these certifications prove you’re ready to handle the job’s challenges. It’s a good idea to have a dedicated certifications section in your resume so employers can see your qualifications easily.

Including these certifications on your resume can help you stand out as a skilled sous chef. They show potential employers that you have the necessary training for success in busy kitchens.

Example of a certifications section

Showcase your work experience

When applying for a sous chef position, it’s important to showcase your relevant work experience clearly. Highlighting your past roles helps potential employers understand your skills and achievements. Format your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent job.

For each role, include your job title, the employer’s name, location, and employment dates. This makes it easy for hiring managers to see your career progression and relevant experience.

Use clear, action-oriented language when describing your responsibilities and accomplishments. Instead of saying you were “responsible for managing kitchen staff,” state that you “led a team of 10 kitchen staff to deliver high-quality meals on time.”

Always try to include measurable results like “increased customer satisfaction by 15% through menu improvements.” This shows concrete evidence of your contributions and effectiveness in previous roles.

As a sous chef, it’s also helpful to list core responsibilities such as overseeing food preparation, ensuring quality standards, managing inventory, training junior chefs, maintaining cleanliness and safety protocols, and assisting with menu planning. By focusing on these key areas and providing specific examples from your work experience, you can effectively demonstrate your suitability for the sous chef role.

5 sous chef work history bullet points

• Coordinated daily kitchen operations for a 150-seat restaurant, increasing table turnover rate by 20% through efficient meal preparation.
• Developed new menu items that boosted customer satisfaction scores by 15% and increased repeat business by 10%.
• Trained and mentored a team of 8 junior chefs, reducing staff turnover by 25% and improving overall team performance.
• Implemented cost-saving inventory management practices, decreasing food waste by 18% while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Collaborated with the head chef to streamline the plating process, cutting wait times by an average of 5 minutes per dish.

Match your resume with the job description

Tailoring resumes to job descriptions is key because it helps job seekers get noticed by employers and pass through ATS. ATS are designed to scan for specific keywords and phrases from job postings, ensuring the most relevant applicants get to recruiters.

An ATS-friendly resume aligns these keywords with an applicant’s skills and experience. By doing this, your resume has a better chance of catching the attention of hiring managers who value relevant qualifications.

To find the right keywords in job postings, focus on frequently mentioned skills, duties, or qualifications. For instance, if you’re applying for a sous chef role, emphasize terms like “menu planning,” “kitchen management,” or “team leadership.” Including exact phrases can greatly improve your chances.

Once you’ve identified these words, weave them naturally into your resume. For example, instead of just stating responsibilities like “lead kitchen staff,” you could say “led kitchen staff to ensure high-quality food preparation and service.”

When you customize your resume for each application, it not only strengthens ATS compatibility but also makes your profile more attractive to employers who appreciate seeing how closely your skills align with their needs.