Sous Chef Resume Examples

Format

A chronological resume format is recommended for professional fields such as that of the sous chef.

Your chronological resume should begin with your contact information and a list of your most relevant skills. Then, you will list your work experience and education in reverse-chronological order, that is, beginning with your most recent experience. You may then add optional sections, as discussed below.

Because culinary school is a mandatory requirement for sous chefs, functional and combination resume formats are not recommended.

Design

How should your sous chef resume look? Professionalism is important in the culinary field, and your resume should reflect this. You want a resume that is clean, uncluttered, and easy to read.

This can be easily accomplished by using an online resume template, or you can build your own in a few simple steps.

First, you will organize your text into logical sections. Each section should have a title such as “Skills” or “Education,” making the desired information easy to locate. You should choose one font style to use throughout the document. We recommend a simple, sans-serif font such as Calibri or Arial. Size the body text at 11 or 12 points; you can make the headings a few points larger. You can also highlight the headings using bold or italic fonts.

Leave ample white space, known as margins, around your text sections.

Photo

Generally, you should not include a photograph with your sous chef resume. Why not? In some countries, such as the United States, strict anti-discrimination laws are in place. Some employers may reject photographic resumes so as to avoid any accusations of discrimination or favoritism.

However, you may be applying outside of the United States in order to hone your skills in the great kitchens of Europe or elsewhere. If this is the case, research resume practices in that land. In some European nations, for example, resume photos are both expected and encouraged.

Sections of a Resume

A number of resume sections are vital to every resume, including your sous chef resume. These are:

• Contact information
• Skills
• Work history
• Education

What do the above sections do for you? They serve as your introduction to your new employer – likely the head chef of the kitchen in which you will work. These sections afford him or her a glimpse of your background and abilities.

You may also choose to include several other, optional resume sections that can enhance your perceived value as an employee. These sections include but are not limited to:

• Objective statement
• Honors and awards
• Language fluency

The objective statement is used to capture the attention of the hiring manager, often by highlighting especially interesting past accomplishments. Honors and awards show the unique quality of your culinary skill. These could include published original recipes, photographs of your work in print or online, or cook-off style competitions.

Finally, many kitchens around the world are home to employees from different backgrounds. You may even be working overseas in order to hone your skills under the supervision of a notable chef. If so, fluency in a language other than English can be a real asset.

Resume Length

Generally, your resume should be limited to one page in length.