Zen CV

CV Template · Sous Chef

Sous Chef CV template.

A strong Sous Chef CV should show that you can run service, support the Head Chef, and keep standards high when the pass is under pressure. Employers want evidence of kitchen leadership, stock control, food safety discipline, and the ability to turn menus into consistent plates.

Writing a strong Sous Chef CV

Hiring managers reviewing a Sous Chef CV look for more than cooking ability. They want to see experience managing sections, briefing commis chefs, coordinating prep lists, checking mise en place, and keeping service moving across lunch, dinner, banqueting, or high-volume covers. Include the type of kitchens you have worked in, such as fine dining, hotel, gastro pub, contract catering, or branded restaurants. Mention practical credentials like Level 2 or Level 3 Food Safety, HACCP training, allergen compliance, stocktaking systems, supplier ordering, GP control, menu development, and any experience with rota planning or kitchen audits.

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Three things that matter most

  • Show the scale of kitchens you have supported by naming average covers, brigade size, cuisine style, and service type. A Sous Chef handling 180-cover à la carte service has a very different profile from one focused on events, breakfast operations, or tasting menus.
  • Include the operational work behind the food, such as ordering, wastage logs, stock rotation, prep planning, supplier checks, and gross profit targets. These details prove you can protect margins as well as cook.
  • Make food safety and allergen control visible on the CV, especially if you have led checks or trained junior chefs. List HACCP, COSHH, temperature records, date labelling, and audit preparation where relevant.

Skills hiring managers look for

HACCP compliance Level 2 or Level 3 Food Safety Allergen management Mise en place planning Stock control and ordering Gross profit and wastage monitoring Brigade supervision Menu development and costing

Frequently asked

How do I write a Sous Chef CV with no Sous Chef job title yet?

Use your Chef de Partie or Senior Chef de Partie experience to show that you are already taking on Sous Chef responsibilities. Highlight times you ran a section, opened or closed the kitchen, trained commis chefs, checked deliveries, wrote prep lists, or covered the pass. Make it clear that your next step is a formal leadership role, not a complete change of direction.

What kitchen achievements should a Sous Chef include on a CV?

Choose achievements linked to service quality, consistency, cost control, and team performance. Examples include reducing food waste, improving prep systems, supporting a successful EHO inspection, helping launch a new menu, or managing service for a set number of covers. Avoid vague claims and give enough context for the reader to understand the kitchen environment.

Should a Sous Chef CV include cuisine style and restaurant type?

Yes, because employers need to know whether your background matches their operation. State whether you have worked in modern British, French, Italian, Asian, grill, pastry, banqueting, hotel, fine dining, pub, or high-volume casual dining kitchens. This helps recruiters quickly assess your fit for their menu, pace, and brigade structure.

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