Craft the Perfect Resume To Become a Cook

To many people, becoming a cook or a chef at a restaurant or fine dining establishment is a huge aspiration. As a cook, you will be expected to excel in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment while maintaining first-class delivery on orders. Many chefs are also drawn to the idea of developing recipes and experimenting with flavors to create the perfect dish.

However, it can often be a tricky position to obtain. While most restaurants will have several hosts or waitresses, there will generally be fewer opportunities to become a cook or chef and fewer still if you wish to become a head chef.

Therefore, it is vital that you have the perfect cook resume to attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. Your resume should demonstrate exactly who you are and what you are capable of.

This article will highlight the key sections to include in your resume and the considerations you will need to make when crafting your ideal culinary resume.

Keep the Header Simple

Your header will contain your name, contact information, and address. That is all you are going to require. Avoid the temptation to use a fancy font to grab attention. This will only do the opposite and will come across as gimmicky and unprofessional. The font and size of your headers should be kept consistent throughout.

Deliver a Knock-out Summary

A resume summary or objective will tell a recruiter precisely who you are and what you are looking for. If you are a seasoned cook, state your particular specialties and years of experience, and what you hope to achieve with this new role.

If you are looking to secure your first role, state that you are fresh out of training and list some key attributes you possess. You should adapt your summary to match any job description in terms of keywords and phrases.

Show Off Your Skills

You should use your skills section to highlight the personal qualities and experience you have that will make you suitable for the role. Soft skills such as communication, working under time constraints, and teamwork are all excellent qualities for aspiring chefs and cooks.

If you have prior experience, you should emphasize your hard skills. These are job-specific skills that can be trained and passed on. If you have experience in particular cooking techniques or cuisines or know how to use specific equipment, then this is where you will state it.

Tailor Your Experience

If you are looking for your first role, your experience may have to be more general. Consider your work history and decide which of your positions relate most to being a chef in terms of skills and qualities. 

If you have experience, list your previous roles in reverse-chronological order. You should include the job title, place of work, and the dates you worked there for each entry.

Focus more on achievements rather than duties. How did you improve aspects of the business during your previous employment? Did you introduce any ideas that improved efficiency or saved the company money? Hiring managers will be impressed by this.

List Your Education

Your education section should contain your academic qualifications. List your highest degree. For example, if you have a bachelor’s degree, there is no need to state your high school diploma. Include the name of the degree, and the school or college name. If you attended a culinary school, be sure to list it in the education section.

Don’t Forget Your Certifications and Awards

As an aspiring chef or cook, you may have received training in specific fields of cooking and received accreditation for it. You will likely have food hygiene certification. If you have been in the kitchen for a while, your recipes and restaurants may have won awards. Hiring managers will want to know this, so be sure you include them. It may just be enough to set you apart from everyone else!

If you are an aspiring chef or cook and found this article helpful, why not check out this one on cooking tips for summer.