Chef CV template (UK, 2026)
Chef CVs are judged on brigade level and section experience above almost everything else, since a kitchen needs to know instantly whether you can run a section unsupervised or need commis-level guidance. UK employers expect Food Hygiene Level 2 or 3 as standard and increasingly ask about allergen awareness under Natasha's Law, so certifications and cover numbers per service carry real weight.
Chefs: pay and who’s hiring
Chefs in the UK typically earn between £24,000–£42,000 depending on experience, location, and shift patterns. Employers actively recruiting for this role include Compass Group, Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King, Marriott, Premier Inn / Whitbread. Tailoring your CV to each of these employers’ job descriptions — mirroring their exact wording — is what gets you past the ATS and in front of a hiring manager.
Keywords this template targets
- section chef
- à la carte
- banqueting
- menu development
- HACCP
- allergen
- GP control
- kitchen brigade
Certifications to highlight
- Food Hygiene Level 2 / 3
- HACCP
- Allergen awareness
- COSHH
Personal statement example
Chef de Partie with four years' experience running the grill section during 120-cover Friday services in a high-volume gastropub kitchen. Skilled in menu development, HACCP compliance, and allergen management under Natasha's Law, holding Food Hygiene Level 2 and COSHH training.
Example experience bullet points
Adapt these to your own roles — keep the verb-first structure and swap in your real figures.
- Ran the grill section independently during peak services of up to 120 covers, working to strict ticket times
- Contributed to seasonal à la carte menu development, balancing food cost against GP targets
- Maintained HACCP records and led allergen briefings for front-of-house staff ahead of each service
- Managed stock rotation and supplier orders for the section, reducing wastage through tighter par levels
- Trained and mentored two commis chefs on knife skills, mise en place, and section discipline
Section-by-section structure
- Personal summary — three sentences, lead with role + years + a measurable result.
- Key skills — 8–10 bullets, mixing the keywords above with one transferable soft skill.
- Certifications — bullet each credential with the awarding body and year.
- Experience — reverse chronological. Each role gets 3–5 bullets, each bullet starts with a verb and ends with a number where possible.
- Education — institution, qualification, year. Skip A-Level / GCSE detail if you have 5+ years of experience.
Common chef CV mistakes
- Not stating brigade level (commis, chef de partie, sous chef) clearly, leaving kitchens unsure what section experience you have
- Leaving off Food Hygiene Level and HACCP training, which most hospitality employers treat as a baseline screening requirement
- Failing to give cover numbers or service style (à la carte, banqueting, high-volume), which is how kitchens judge real pace and pressure
Frequently asked
Should I list every section I've worked (grill, sauce, pastry) on my chef CV?
List the sections most relevant to the role you're applying for first, then briefly note others, since kitchens want to see depth in the section they're hiring for as well as versatility across the brigade.
Is Food Hygiene Level 2 enough, or do I need Level 3 for chef roles?
Level 2 is the minimum most kitchens expect for any food handler, but Level 3 is often required for chef de partie roles and above, particularly where you'll be responsible for supervising HACCP compliance or training junior staff.
What ATS keywords matter most for a chef CV?
The strongest signals are: section chef, à la carte, banqueting, menu development, HACCP, allergen, GP control, kitchen brigade. Include them in your skills section AND in the body of role descriptions — ATS systems weight contextual mentions higher than skill-list entries.
Should I add Food Hygiene Level 2 / 3 to my CV even if it's just in progress?
Yes — list it clearly with "(in progress, expected [date])". Employers screen-out CVs missing the credential entirely; partial credit is normal when the path is visible.
How long should a chef CV be in the UK?
Two pages, ideally. For roles with under five years of experience, a single tight page outperforms a padded two-pager. Recruiters spend 6–8 seconds on the first scan.
See live chef jobs by city
- Chefs in London
- Chefs in Manchester
- Chefs in Birmingham
- Chefs in Leeds
- Chefs in Glasgow
- Chefs in Liverpool
- Chefs in Bristol
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- Chefs in Edinburgh
- Chefs in Cardiff
- Chefs in Newcastle upon Tyne
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- Chefs in Reading
- Chefs in Coventry
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- Chefs in Aberdeen