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Sous chef resume example

A sous chef’s resume with ten years in kitchens and four as second in command. Executive chefs and owners hire sous chefs to run service, control cost and develop cooks, so the bullets show covers, food cost, ordering and the team.

Sous chef resume example, page 1 of 1Rashida PembertonSous Chefrashida.pemberton@example.com · (843) 555-0127 · Charleston, SC · instagram.com/example-chefrashidaSUMMARYSous chef with ten years in professional kitchens, the last four second in command at a 180-seatfarm-to-table restaurant. I run the line on 250 to 400 covers a night, keep food cost under 30%and train cooks who get promoted. CIA graduate, ServSafe Manager and ACF Certified SousChef.EXPERIENCESous ChefMar 2022 – PresentTidewater Table · Charleston, SC–Run service for 250 to 400 covers a night with a team of 14 cooks, and lead the kitchen on theexecutive chef’s days off.–Cut food cost from 34% to 29% of food sales by costing every dish, setting par levels and usingwhole-animal butchery.–Order about $35,000 a week from 30 local farms and fishermen, with less than 2% ofpurchases wasted.–Co-developed 4 seasonal menus a year with the executive chef; 6 of my dishes becamepermanent menu items.–Trained 9 line cooks, 4 of whom were promoted to lead or sous chef roles here or elsewhere;every health inspection scored an A.Chef de Partie, Sauté and GrillJun 2019 – Feb 2022Battery Row Bistro · Charleston, SC–Ran the sauté and grill stations for 200 covers a night with 2 cooks.–Wrote prep lists and recipe cards for 30 dishes, cutting prep time by about an hour a day.Line Cook, BanquetsJul 2016 – May 2019Lowcountry Harbor Hotel · Charleston, SC–Cooked for weddings and conferences of up to 600 guests in a hotel banquet kitchen.EDUCATIONA.O.S. in Culinary Arts2014 – 2016The Culinary Institute of America · Hyde Park, NYCERTIFICATIONSCertified Sous Chef (CSC)2023American Culinary FederationServSafe Food Protection Manager2024National Restaurant AssociationSKILLSLine leadership · Food costing · Menu development · Ordering and inventory ·Butchery and fish fabrication · Sauce work · Banquets and events · Kitchen scheduling ·Food safety and HACCP · Training cooks · Toast inventory
Sous chefUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • Running service: covers a night, size of the team, and whether you run the kitchen when the chef is away.
  • Cost control: food cost percentage, waste, ordering budgets, labor.
  • Menu work: dishes you developed, seasonal menus, specials that sold.
  • People: cooks trained and promoted, schedules built, turnover.
  • Food safety: inspection results, ServSafe Manager, HACCP knowledge.

Writing the summary

Say your years in kitchens and as sous chef, the type and size of the restaurant, covers and team, and one cost or menu result. Add your training and certifications.

The summary in this example

Sous chef with ten years in professional kitchens, the last four second in command at a 180-seat farm-to-table restaurant. I run the line on 250 to 400 covers a night, keep food cost under 30% and train cooks who get promoted. CIA graduate, ServSafe Manager and ACF Certified Sous Chef.

Lead line cook ready for a first sous chef role

Lead line cook with six years in high-volume kitchens, now running the line on the chef’s nights off for 300 covers. I write prep lists, place produce orders and train new cooks, and I want my first sous chef role.

Hotel or banquet sous chef

Banquet sous chef with nine years in hotel kitchens, leading 20 cooks for events of up to 1,200 guests. I plan production for 40 events a month and keep banquet food cost at 26% while hitting every timeline.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Reduced kitchen labor from 14% to 11.5% of sales by rebuilding the cook schedule around cover forecasts.
  • Launched a brunch service that grew to 220 covers each Sunday within 3 months.
  • Cut food waste by 40% with a daily waste log and a staff meal built from trim.
  • Ran the kitchen for 6 weeks while the executive chef was on leave, with no drop in guest scores.
  • Built a prep system with labeled pars for 45 items that cut 86’d dishes from 8 a week to 1.
  • Negotiated produce pricing with 3 suppliers, saving $22,000 a year.
  • Planned and cooked a 7-course guest chef dinner for 120 at a regional food festival with the executive chef.
  • Brought ticket times on the grill station down from 18 to 12 minutes on busy nights.
  • Wrote the kitchen’s HACCP plan for sous vide and curing, approved by the health department.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • Running the line and expediting
  • Food costing and recipe costing
  • Ordering, receiving and inventory
  • Menu development
  • Butchery and fish fabrication
  • Scheduling and labor control
  • Food safety, HACCP and ServSafe
  • Kitchen inventory software (Toast, MarketMan, Restaurant365)

Soft skills

  • Calm leadership in the weeds
  • Teaching cooks
  • Consistency
  • Working with front of house

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • ServSafe Food Protection Manager (or another ANSI-accredited food manager certification): often required by law for a manager on every shift.
  • American Culinary Federation Certified Sous Chef (CSC): a respected credential that shows both skill and experience.
  • Culinary degree or certificate: list it with the school; experience counts more, but training helps at higher-end kitchens.

Length and format

One page is ideal for most sous chefs; two pages only with many years and roles. A link to a professional photo portfolio or a work-only social media account is fine; keep it free of personal posts. List the kitchens you worked in with their style and size.

Common mistakes

  • Bullets that only list dishes or cuisines. Add covers, cost and team results.
  • Leaving out food cost. Owners hire sous chefs to protect margins.
  • No mention of training cooks. Developing people is half the job.
  • Too much detail on early line cook jobs while the sous chef role gets a line.

Questions and answers

What should a sous chef put on a resume?

The kitchens you have run (style, seats, covers), team size, food cost and labor results, menu development, ordering and the cooks you trained. Add ServSafe Manager and any culinary training.

Do I need culinary school to be a sous chef?

No. Many sous chefs learned on the line. Culinary school helps with fundamentals and connections, but kitchen experience and references decide most hires.

Should a chef include a portfolio link?

Yes, if it shows your plates and is professional. A work-only photo account or a simple website is enough.

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