Sous Chef Resume—Sample, Examples, and 25+ Writing Tips

You’ve probably been involved in various hiring processes and seen resumes getting eighty-sixed on sight.

What you might not have had a chance to see, though, is what happens when they’re hiring a new sous chef.

Luckily, with our expert advice, you’ll learn how to have your sous chef resume get seen.

In this guide:

• A sous chef resume sample better than most.
• How to make the perfect sous chef job description for resumes.
• How to write a resume for sous chef jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a sous chef job.

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Is it starting to look like going for a sous chef might be overly ambitious? Or maybe restaurant management is more what you were after? Check out our other guides:

• Barista Resume Examples
• Bartender Resume Examples
• Career Change Resume Example
• Dishwasher Resume Examples
• Fast Food Resume Examples
• Food Service Resume Examples
• Restaurant Manager Examples
• Restaurant Resume Examples
• Server Resume Examples
• Waiter & Waitress Resume Examples

Sous Chef Resume Sample

Now here’s how to write a sous chef resume they’ll love:

1. Select the Only Correct Sous Chef Resume Format

Imagine:

A junior chef calls you over to approve a tray of crèmes caramel.

And even from a distance, you see that they’re all lopsided, and the caramel looks wrong.

You don’t need to check the taste or texture. What little you’ve seen disqualifies them from the night’s menu.

The moral?

Make sure your resume format looks right at arm’s length. Here’s how:

Sous Chef Resume Format

• Use the reverse-chronological resume format to show your freshest stuff first.
• Choose a tasteful resume font like a Noto in 11–12 pt.
• Leave your resume margins at an inch and don’t crowd the page.
• Submit a one-page resume. Go to a second page only if you’re applying to a three Michelin-star restaurant and/or have over a decade of experience.
• Include these sections: Resume Header, Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.

You’re probably well aware that PDF is better for preserving your resume formatting than *.docx. But did you know that some employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) that can’t handle PDF files?

So always check the job ad for a preferred file format before defaulting to PDF.

2. Start With an Appetizing Sous Chef Resume Objective or Summary

When it comes to writing a sous chef resume—just like in the culinary arts—first impressions are everything. What makes the first impression on your resume? Your resume profile. It’s like the décor, ambiance, and appetizer in one.

Got a year’s or more experience working as a sous chef? Then your profile should take the form of a resume summary. Use:

1. One adjective (efficient, passionate, detail-oriented)
2. Job title (Sous Chef, Sous-Chef de Cuisine)
3. Years of experience (3+, 5+)
4. How you’ll help (provide comprehensive support to the executive chef)
5. Two or three of your most relevant achievements (expedited hot dishes at an average of 225–400 covers a night, worked with purveyors from 17 different companies)

These sous chef resume examples show how:

Sous Chef Resume—Summary Example

Passionate sous chef with 5+ years of experience, skilled in molecular gastronomy. Seeking to provide comprehensive support to the executive chef at Loki Kitchen. At Lhotak’s Falconry, implemented new roster, reducing overtime pay by 33%, and prepared all vegan entrees, increasing sales by 150% over 20 months.

Sous chef with 5 years of experience. Seeking to join a tight-knit team led by a chef with a good attitude. At Lhotak’s Falconry, I implemented successful new roster and prepared all of the vegan entrees.

See that?

The first of these sous chef resume examples does two things exceptionally well:

One—it doesn’t mention what the sous chef hopes to get from their employer, instead focusing on what they can do to help and the value they’ve brought in the past.

And two—it also puts numbers to sous chef responsibilities that are all about achievements rather than duties.

The second example not only doesn’t mention what you’ll bring to the table but also highlights your objective’s importance over the restaurant’s by using the pronoun “I.”

Now, got little or no sous chef jobs experience?

Then a resume objective is the way to go for your resume profile. Use it to talk up achievements from senior and junior sous chef jobs as needed.

Sous Chef Resume—Objective Examples

Dedicated sous chef with 10+ months’ experience, skilled in inventory control. Seeking to provide comprehensive support to the executive chef at Loki Kitchen. At Out Le Front, managed a staff of 11 cooks and took responsibility for $63,000+ biweekly produce orders and an average nightly F&B revenue of $19,200.

Only recently moved from senior chef to sous chef, but finding it very rewarding already. Looking for a prestigious restaurant to join with plenty of learning opportunities moving forward.

Again, the first sous chef example is clearly more impressive.

And this isn’t molecular gastronomy—you actually can estimate the numbers you put to your accomplishments. Just keep it real and be ready to explain how you arrived at them.

Struggling to write the perfect resume profile?

Here’s a shortcut:

Write your sous chef resume objective or summary last. Once you’re done with other resume sections, you’ll find it way easier to come up with an overview of your accomplishments.

That’s all there is to it.

3. Prepare the Perfect Sous Chef Job Description and Skills Sections

Employers want to know you can handle whatever they throw at you.

And there’s a sure-fire way to convince them that you can:

Show them you’ve already handled it. Make your resume work experience section a showcase of sous chef accomplishments.

How to write a job description for sous chefs:

1. Take a moment to re-read the job ad.
2. Spot all the sous chef skills and duties.
3. Think of times you’ve used those skills to wow the owner.
4. Write resume bullet points that describe and quantify those items.

These sous chef resume examples show how to put them into practice:

Sous Chef Job Description for a Resume

Big difference. 

Replacing duties with concrete, quantified resume achievements never fails to impress. Don’t have the experience to pull this off? Use relevant achievements from non-sous chef jobs.

There’s another ingredient you need to prepare: a list of skills to put on a resume.

But like with so many aspects of food preparation—less is more, so aim to cover the skills mentioned in the job ad and at most one or two besides.

These lists should help you categorize sous chef resume skills into hard and soft:

Sous Chef Resume Skills

• Molecular gastronomy
• Inventory control
• Food preparation
• Cost containment
• Cooking techniques
• Kitchen management
• Disciplining kitchen staff
• Meal preparation
• Culinary management
• Classical French cuisine

• Attention to detail
• Time management
• Organization
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Prioritization
• Interpersonal skills
• Critical thinking

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4. Turn a Bland Education Into a Reason to Hire You

Most chefs aren’t made in the classroom. You could certainly find a path that includes a bachelor's degree, but it’s not necessary. What is necessary, though, is that you do the education you have justice.

First:

List degrees (skip high school diploma), schools, and graduation dates.

Then:

Add bullets that prove vital skills and your aptitude for excellence.

This sous chef resume example shows how:

Sous Chef Resume Sample—Education Section

AAS in Culinary Arts

Colorado Mountain College Culinary School, Breckenridge, CO

2015

• Pursued passion for molecular gastronomy coursework.
• Graduated with a 3.88 GPA.

Low on sous chef experience? 

Extend your education section with projects, classes, and accomplishments that show sous chef skills in the making.

5. Round Out Your Sous Chef Resume With Added Sections

Fine dining would be boring if you could fully describe a sous chef through only their experience, education, and skills.

Add one or two extra sections:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Classes Taken
• Awards
• Hobbies and Interests
• Volunteering Experience
• Certifications You’ve Earned
• Professional References

These two sous chef resume examples show yes vs. no:

Sous Chef Resume Examples—Extra Sections

Certifications

• Certified Sous Chef, American Culinary Federation
• First Aid, CPR, and AED, American Red Cross

Languages

• English – native
• German – proficient

Bad Example

Hobbies and Interests

• Listening to true crime podcasts
• Watching true crime documentaries
• Collecting bladed weapons

Languages

• English, German

Night, meet day.

Hobbies and interests can be a great addition to your sous chef resume, but they, like everything you add to your resume, must be relevant to the job ad. Plus, you should always add your language proficiency levels as recruiters don’t have time to guess.

One final step:

Do you need a sous chef cover letter? An easy test: Have you been specifically asked not to include a cover letter?

No? Then there’s no way around it. Learn how to write a cover letter asap. It will pay off in the future!

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Key Points

For a sous chef resume that gets interviews:

• Use the sous chef resume template. It’s as clean and organized as every pantry should be.
• Add sous chef achievements to your resume profile, work experience, and education sections to show you walk the walk.
• Reach for the right sous chef skills. Knowing the right skills isn’t as difficult as it sounds—just check the job ad.
• Write a sous chef cover letter. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to feature your passion for the job while making your case.

Still not sure how to describe your sous chef responsibilities in a resume? Got anything to add to our sample resume for sous chef jobs? Drop us a line down below.

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