CV template · Cook

Cook CV Template

Kitchens hire on stations and pace, not adjectives. Chefs want to know which sections you owned, covers per shift, food-cost responsibility and audit history at a glance. This template helps you turn line-cook reps into a CV that reads like a service plan.

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What recruiters look for

Top signals on a Cook CV

Stations covered: hot, cold, grill, fry, garde manger, pastry
Covers per shift and kitchen type (casual, fine dining, fast food, hotel)
Food cost ownership and waste control
HACCP, ServSafe and local health audit history
Recipe and menu development experience
Vendor receiving, ordering and inventory rotation
English level for hotels, cruise ships, international relocation

Key skills

Skills to feature on a Cook CV

Hard skills

Hot line: sauté, grilling, frying, finishingCold line: salads, tartares, garde mangerGrill station and meat doneness controlPastry station: doughs, creams, chocolate temperingRecipe development and costing cardsFood cost monitoring and waste controlHACCP and ServSafe protocolsReceiving and FIFO rotationService tempo with ticket times under 12 minutesAsian techniques: wok, sous vide, tempuraCombi ovens: Rational, ConvothermA2-B1 English for hotel and cruise environments

Soft skills

Endurance on 12-hour shiftsComposure during peak serviceTeam coordination with sous chef and front of houseDiscipline on station cleanlinessSelf-control during high-pressure exchanges

Sample bullets

Ready-to-use lines for your CV

Copy these as starting points and swap in your own numbers.

01Owned the hot line for 280-340 covers per evening service, holding ticket times at 9-11 minutes.
02Launched a 14-item seasonal menu, drove 38% of sales in the first 6 weeks.
03Cut hot line food cost from 32% to 26% by re-spec'ing recipes and tightening FIFO.
04Passed 5 health inspections with no findings over 18 months.
05Trained 6 commis cooks on cold station, 4 graduated to solo shifts within 3 months.
06Cross-trained on grill and fry at a high-volume QSR, ranked top-3 in the regional speed audits.
07Streamlined hot station mise-en-place, cutting prep time from 90 to 55 minutes per service.
08Ran 3 catering events for 200+ guests each with zero service delays.
09Co-developed 8 new menu items with the head chef, 3 stayed on as 12-month best sellers.
10Reduced vegetable waste from 9% to 3.5% through daily walk-in audits and rotation discipline.

Salary ranges

What Cook earn

2024–2025 estimates. Wide ranges by experience and seniority.

Market

Junior

Mid

Senior

Ukraine

18 000-25 000 UAH/mo

30 000-50 000 UAH/mo

55 000-90 000 UAH/mo

1 800-2 500 EUR/mo

2 800-4 200 EUR/mo

4 500-6 800 EUR/mo

USA

$18-24 USD/hour

$25-35 USD/hour

$38-55 USD/hour

Interview prep

5 questions Cook candidates hear

Q1Walk me through your mise-en-place schedule before service on the hot line.
Q2How do you check a medium-rare steak without a thermometer?
Q3Tell me about a conflict with your sous chef during service and how you resolved it.
Q4How do you control food cost on your station week to week?
Q5What do you do if a vendor delivers off-spec fish 2 hours before service?

FAQ

Common questions about this CV

Should I list specific stations on my CV?

Yes, every time. Just 'line cook' tells a chef nothing. Spell out hot, cold, grill, fry, pastry. Mark the ones you ran solo separately from the ones where you assisted.

I have only fast-food experience. Will a real restaurant hire me?

Yes, fast food is a credible pace signal. Add at least one stage or trail in a casual restaurant so they see you can do plated food, not only assembly.

Should the CV mention food cost?

Only if you really moved the number. 'Cut food cost from 32% to 26%' is strong. 'Tracked food cost' adds nothing.

How do I showcase recipes I developed?

Add a link to a portfolio: a PDF with photos and brief specs. Without visuals a chef cannot judge level. Keep it separate from the CV body.

Do I need ServSafe or HACCP?

For chains and hotels, yes. For small independent kitchens it is a plus, not a hard requirement. For cruise ships or EU work, treat it as a must.

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