![7 Cook Resume Examples [& Templates]](https://beamjobs.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cook-resume-example.png)
Cook
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Build my resume Standing out as a cook is difficult, and that’s exactly why your cook resume must contain quantified bullet points that show your culinary expertise. As per the National Restaurant Association, 9 in 10 restaurant managers start out in entry-level roles like cooks.
This proves that building a strong cook resume paves the way to your entire career. From the strongest skills to credible certificates, we’ll cover everything you need to succeed in a restaurant’s kitchen. More specifically, you’ll learn:
- ↪ How to tailor a cook’s resume as per your experience.
- ↪ The best way to describe past restaurant jobs.
- ↪ Resume templates that best suit culinary roles.
Why this resume works
- Structuring your experience on your cook resume isn’t particularly easy, but using a resume template can make it easier, provided you keep your resume to one page. Choose a template that gives you plenty of room to include optional sections, like certifications, depending on your experience.
Why this resume works
- You’re on your way to the top if your fast food cook resume can demonstrate a track record of efficiency and exceptional performance metrics wherever you have been. Capitalize on your upselling skills and mention how that increased the size of the average check.
Why this resume works
- Employers expect you to prepare sumptuous meals, deliver orders promptly, and make patrons want to come back again and again. Does your restaurant cook resume show all these? If not, go back to the drawing board and exploit your past experiences that present you as a terrific cook. Your collaboration efforts with the rest of the team also have a place here.
Why this resume works
- In your entry-level cook resume, it’s wise to include a resume objective. An objective can quickly show an employer how your job history has prepared you to become a cook and why your personality is the right fit for their institution.
View more entry-level cook resumes >
Why this resume works
- Your job description bullet points should tie in seamlessly with your skills section on your school cook resume. For example, if you list collaboration as a skill, be sure to demonstrate that in your job description bullet points, too.
Why this resume works
- Adding a resume summary can help your breakfast cook resume catch the eye of hiring managers. A summary can subtly speak to your specialty as a breakfast cook while communicating what you can bring to the table (pun intended). Include things like your years of experience, special skills, and the job title you’re seeking.
View more breakfast cook resumes >
Why this resume works
- Your experienced line cook resume won’t be the only one that employers read, so you need to make sure your resume catches their eye. Proper resume formatting can make your resume easy to read and pretty to boot. Start by listing your work experience in reverse-chronological order to show your most recent experience first.
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How to Write a Cook Resume
Having a bland cook resume is a no-go, meaning you need to place each section from work experience to education properly. A well-structured resume is the first step to impressing employers.
You also want to use a reverse-chronological format for describing your previous roles. Keep reading this section to uncover:
- The best culinary skills to include
- Best quantified work experience examples
- Top cook resume formatting tips
How to get the resume format right
As a cook, you know the importance of preparing high-quality food. A mish-mash of ingredients only upsets customers. Similarly, a cluttered resume format will make employers lose all their appetite to view the rest of your profile. Below, we’ve covered key elements that will help you make your cook resume appetizing and ATS-approved:
- Length: Even if you’ve cooked for 10 kitchens, include only the top three and make sure everything fits into one page. You can save extra details for the interview.
- Bullet points: Don’t turn your work experience into a recipe essay. Instead, use 4–5 bullet points to summarize what you did in each role.
- Reverse-chronological format: Employers won’t spend hours on your resume. You need to grab their attention—fast. So, add your latest kitchen experience to give them an instant view of your current capabilities.
- Choose the right template:Pick one that reflects the type of restaurant you’re applying to. For fine-diners, use a more elegant style and font while casual fast food jobs can use more playful and bright colored designs.
How should cooks include work experience on a resume?
Your experience section is where consistency and career growth get the spotlight. By default, each job experience must have the job title, the restaurant/cafe’s name, and your dates of employment.
Here’s an example of how you should structure your past cook jobs:
Line Cook
Mexican Feast
2023 – Present | Chicago, IL
- Trained 3 new hires on sanitation standards and portion control
- Supported the head chef in developing 2 seasonal menus
- Reduced food waste by 11% through better inventory rotation
Notice how each sentence uses a unique action verb in the beginning. This is what you must follow as well to maximize the impact of each point. If you’re unsure where to start, try using a bullet point generator to get ideas.
Should cooks include menu creation or recipe development?
Absolutely! Including your contribution in menu creation or development is a great way to show you’re ready to climb the culinary career ladder. Use the examples below as inspiration to convey this:
- Assisted the sous chef in designing 5+ seasonal menu items
- Ideated weekly specials based on ingredient availability, boosting customer satisfaction by 6%, as per monthly feedback reports
- Tested and refined recipes for consistent flavor and cost control, helping the cafe lower its expenses by $4,992
How do you tailor a cook resume for different kitchen environments?
Depending on where you apply, emphasize a different strength. For example:
- Fast food: Emphasize speed and safety
- Catering/events: Focus on flexibility and time-sensitive execution
- Fast food: Emphasize speed and safety
- Fine dining: Highlight precision, plating, and collaboration with head chefs
This is part of tailoring your resume to the job description. The first step here is to include keywords directly mentioned in the listing and then build your resume around them.
How to quantify your impact
Your work experience is one instance where no one will object to it being “well done.” Here, your efforts won’t mean much unless you include metrics that bring out their results. Check the points below to get an idea of what you need to do:
- Prepared 58 meals during peak hours every day, maintaining a 98% on-time service rate.
- Introduced FIFO rotation and new portioning techniques, mitigating food waste in main course meals by 22%.
- Helped the sous chef to craft new recipes that resonated with the local culture, boosting the restaurant’s weekly visits by 43%.
If you’re only just starting out as a cook, include any catering gigs or volunteer work where your cooking talent is on display!
How to let your culinary skills shine
Include your best cooking abilities in your skills section. From sauteing to different knife skills, mention everything that helps you prepare outmatched food. If possible, sprinkle a few software and kitchen operations skills as well to show you can hold your own during a lunch rush and health inspection audits.
In the kitchen, timing is everything—and on your resume, so is balance. Mix core cooking techniques with kitchen operations to show you’re more than just good with a spatula.
What skills should a cook list on a resume?
Employers look for cooks who have a blend of technical mastery and dependability. Here are some recommended cook skills that you can consider:
- Knife Handling
- Food Safety (OSHA, ServSafe)
- Ingredient Prep
- Sautéing & Grilling
Cooks generally don’t require any software skills since you already have your hands busy with preparing food, but if you really want to, try including modern tools, like TouchBistro, Square, Toast, etc.
Add relevant education and certifications
You don’t need to have a culinary degree if you’re applying as a cook, but having one definitely adds some flavor to your profile. Don’t be intimidated by reading “degree.” Even culinary diplomas or training programs can do the trick.
What certifications should a cook include?
Certifications aren’t a dealbreaker all the time, but they’re always welcomed in a cook’s resume. If anything, they will only increase your chances of getting hired, so don’t shy away from mentioning a few if you have them.
Some credible certifications for cooks include:
- OSHA or HACCP Training
- Food Allergy Awareness Training
- Any culinary school certificates
Key takeaways
- Follow our formatting tips to get past any ATS system and show employers exactly what they need to see–your best cooking accomplishments.
- Include any culinary degree or certifications that prove you’ve undergone professional training to hone your kitchen and food safety skills.
- Customize every part of your resume and tailor it to the job description.
Cook Resume FAQs
A professional resume for a cook will emphasize cooking and meal preparation skills more than detailing work experience. However, we recommend using a reverse-chronological format instead so you can effectively showcase both your skills and your past achievements.
Mention how many meals you prepared daily or how you contributed to improving food quality. This shows employers the impact your cooking has had on restaurants.
Yes, cooking skills a very important for your resume. Use a vertical bullet list for cooking skills on your resume. For example:
✅ Sautéing & Grilling
✅ Food Presentation
✅ Portion Control
✅ Food Safety
✅ Time management
✅ Memorization
Absolutely. It helps get the formatting of your resume right. The design matters to ensure you beat ATS and have the best display of your culinary skills. It’s also crucial your resume’s headings are visible to ensure that it’s easy to read and review your application without missing any essential details.
Do you need some help with your resume design? Our resume templates should be a good place to get inspiration.
Your past cook job experience should contain your best achievements on the job, like developing a new recipe that improved satisfaction scores or preparing orders in record time. Make sure to use strong verbs at the start of each sentence.
