Chef Skills for CV

Menu planning is one of the most commercially important skills a chef can demonstrate. It involves far more than choosing dishes you enjoy cooking. A well-planned menu balances flavour profiles, considers seasonal ingredient availability, manages food costs within target percentages, and caters to the dietary requirements and preferences of the target clientele. In hotel and restaurant environments, menus must also align with brand identity and pricing strategy.

Effective menu development requires costing every dish to the gram, calculating gross profit margins, and testing recipes under service conditions before they go live. Chefs who can demonstrate that they reduced food costs or increased covers through menu redesigns are highly valued by employers. Seasonal rotations, special event menus, and buffet planning for large-scale catering all fall within this competency.

On your CV, describe the types of menus you have developed and the impact they had. State the number of covers your menu served, the food cost percentage you achieved, and any revenue improvements linked to your menu changes. For example, you could write that you designed a 45-item a la carte menu for a 200-cover restaurant achieving a food cost of 29%.

HACCP, or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a systematic approach to food safety that identifies, evaluates, and controls hazards throughout the food production process. For any chef working in a professional kitchen, HACCP compliance is not optional. Health inspectors, hotel auditors, and franchise standards teams all assess kitchens against HACCP principles, and failures can result in closures, fines, or reputational damage.

A chef skilled in HACCP understands critical control points such as cooking temperatures, cooling procedures, and cross-contamination prevention. They maintain daily records including temperature logs for fridges, freezers, and cooked products, and they ensure all staff are trained on allergen handling, personal hygiene, and cleaning schedules. Leading a kitchen that consistently passes inspections with zero critical findings is a strong indicator of competence.

On your CV, state your HACCP certification level and issuing body, and describe the outcomes of your food safety management. Mention inspection results, audit scores, and any improvements you introduced. For example, you might write that you implemented a revised HACCP plan across 3 kitchen outlets resulting in a 5-star food hygiene rating maintained for 2 consecutive years.

Managing a kitchen brigade means leading a team of chefs through the intensity of daily service while maintaining food quality, timing, and safety standards. A brigade can range from 3 people in a small restaurant to 30 or more in a large hotel kitchen with multiple outlets. The chef in charge must delegate tasks clearly, manage station assignments, and ensure every section is prepared and stocked before service begins.

Beyond service management, brigade leadership includes writing staff rosters, managing labour costs, conducting performance reviews, and training junior chefs on techniques and standards. A chef who can develop their team reduces turnover and improves consistency, both of which directly impact the business. Handling conflicts, managing different skill levels, and maintaining morale during long and physically demanding shifts are all part of this skill.

On your CV, specify the size of the brigade you managed, the type of establishment, and any measurable outcomes from your leadership. For example, state that you managed a brigade of 14 across 2 outlets in a 5-star hotel, reduced staff turnover by 30% through structured training programs, and maintained consistent service standards across 400 daily covers.