Want a strong chef resume? Start with this template, a sample and your TESDA certificate.
See a filled-in sample first, then what goes in each part of a resume for a chef job. Copy the template or download it as a Word file.
Chef resume sample: a filled one to copy from
Example only. Rafael Dumlao is an invented person, and every detail is made up.
Rafael Dumlao
Chef | Restaurant kitchen, Filipino and Asian dishes
Paranaque City, Philippines | rafael.dumlao@example.com | [Mobile number]
OBJECTIVE
Hardworking cook with kitchen experience looking for a chef position, ready to lead a team, keep food safe and send out consistent dishes on every shift.
CERTIFICATES
- Cookery NC II | TESDA | 2021
- Food Production (Professional Cookery) NC III | TESDA | 2021
SKILLS
- Cooking and plating to a standard
- Knife skills and kitchen tools
- Managing stock and ordering
- Leading and training a kitchen team
- Staying calm in a busy service
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sous Chef | Casual dining restaurant | Paranaque City | August 2023 to Present
- Prepared and cooked dishes to the standard recipe, on time and consistently
- Planned menus and daily specials based on stock, season and customer demand
- Trained and supervised cooks and kitchen helpers during each service
- Followed food safety rules, including safe storage, labeling and temperature checks
- Led a team of 5 cooks and sent out about 150 meals a shift
Line Cook | Family-owned restaurant | Paranaque City | May 2020 to July 2023
- Controlled portions and reduced food waste to keep kitchen costs down
- Kept the kitchen, tools and equipment clean, working and ready for inspection
- Coordinated with servers and the manager to send orders out correctly and fast
EDUCATION
Diploma in Culinary Arts | Culinary school, Paranaque City | 2020
LANGUAGES
- English: fluent. Filipino: native.
What to put in each part of your chef resume
Objective
One sentence on the job you want and what you bring. If it fits you, adapt this one: Hardworking cook with kitchen experience looking for a chef position, ready to lead a team, keep food safe and send out consistent dishes on every shift.
Certificates
Your TESDA certificate and the year you got it, right under your objective. TESDA offers a national certificate for this work: Cookery NC II. TESDA's online program has a course for it. TESDA offers a national certificate for this work: Food Production (Professional Cookery) NC III.
Skills
Four or five the job post asks for and you've really used, like cooking and plating to a standard, or knife skills and kitchen tools.
Work experience
Newest job first. Under each one, three to five lines that start with what you did, with a number where you can: meals served, cooks supervised and menu items.
Education
Your school, what you finished and the year. Fresh graduate? Put it above work experience.
How to write your chef resume: fill in this template
Replace every line in [brackets]. Delete a section you can't fill.
Put your Cookery NC II near the top, under your objective.
Keep it to one page if you've worked under five years.
Chef | [Kitchen type or cuisine, e.g. Restaurant kitchen, Filipino and Asian dishes]
[City], [Province] | [Email] | [Mobile number]
OBJECTIVE
[One or two sentences, e.g. Hardworking cook with kitchen experience looking for a chef position, ready to lead a team, keep food safe and send out consistent dishes on every shift.]
CERTIFICATES
- Cookery NC II | TESDA | [Year]
- Food Production (Professional Cookery) NC III | TESDA | [Year]
SKILLS
- [Skill from the job post, e.g. Cooking and plating to a standard]
- [Skill, e.g. Knife skills and kitchen tools]
- [Skill, e.g. Managing stock and ordering]
- [Skill, e.g. Leading and training a kitchen team]
WORK EXPERIENCE
[Job title] | [Restaurant or hotel kitchen] | [City] | [Month Year] to [Month Year or Present]
- [What you did, e.g. Prepared and cooked dishes to the standard recipe, on time and consistently]
- [What you did, with a number, e.g. Cooked for about 150 diners a shift with a team of 5 cooks]
- [What you did, e.g. Planned menus and daily specials based on stock, season and customer demand]
[Job title] | [Restaurant or hotel kitchen] | [City] | [Month Year] to [Month Year]
- [What you did]
- [What you did]
EDUCATION
[Culinary course or diploma, e.g. Diploma in Culinary Arts] | [School] | [Year finished]
TRAINING AND SEMINARS
- [Training or seminar] | [Who ran it] | [Year]
LANGUAGES
- [Languages you speak, e.g. English: fluent. Filipino: native.]
How to write a chef resume without experience
No chef title yet? Use the same lines for cooking at a family business, a school event or a catering side job, and say where.
Duties and skills to add to your chef resume
The sample uses lines from the chef job description. Pick the ones you've really done, and find the rest there. See the full chef duties
Chef resume questions
Where does my TESDA certificate go on a chef resume?
Put it right under your objective, so the hiring manager sees it first. Write the certificate name, such as Cookery NC II, and the year you passed.
What if my jobs so far were cook jobs?
That's fine. Most posts ask for kitchen experience, often as a cook first. List your cook jobs and the dishes and meals you handled.
Which skills should I put on a chef resume?
Pick the ones the post asks for, like cooking to a standard, stock and ordering, and leading a team. Only list what you can do in a real kitchen.
Should I put my birthday or a photo on it?
Leave your birthday off. Since 2016, Republic Act 10911 has made it unlawful for employers in the Philippines to require your age or birth date while you apply. Leave the photo off too, unless the job post asks for one.
Should I send it as a PDF or a Word file?
PDF, unless the job post asks for Word. A PDF looks the same on every screen. Put your name in the file name, like Rafael-Dumlao-Resume.pdf.
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