A great CV is integral to the success of any serious chef. Within this chapter, I’ll explain exactly what a CV is, and how to construct a winning CV and cover letter.

What is a CV?

A CV is a summary of your career history. This is an extremely important document, as it will demonstrate the skills and experience you have gained, in order to match the job role that you are applying for. An effective CV will match the specifications of the personal description within the job advert.

Do not send the same CV to every job you apply for. Every CV you write must be custom-fit around the description of the job advertised by the employer. When you are reading a job advert, look out for the keywords being used to describe the skills and experience needed. For instance, if “customer focused” and “excellent craft skills” are used in the job advert, make sure you clearly state in your CV that you are “customer focused” and have “excellent craft skills”.

When writing your CV, it is imperative that you stick to the truth. Any falsities will inevitably be caught out, and the disciplinary consequences of this could be severe, likely resulting in dismissal.

How to structure your CV

Start your CV with your personal contact details. This includes your name, phone number and your email address. When using your email address, make sure you are using a professional address. For instance, a contact email that reads xsaucyemmaxx@domain.co.uk is unprofessional and should not be used. A good tip would be to use your name, for instance: chrisflatt@domain.co.uk.

Your personal profile statement

Following this, you should insert a personal statement that is tailored to the job role in question. Once you have identified the keywords you need to use within the statement, you should try to answer the following questions.

Who are you?

What do you have to offer?

What are you aiming for in your career?

Employment history

When writing this section, start with your latest job and then list your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, along with the dates and the position you held. Give a truthful run-down of any specific responsibilities that you had. I recommend that you write down any skills you used, that the employer is looking for in the job description.

If you have no experience at all, you should aim to gain as much unpaid work experience as possible before applying, so that you can list this on your CV.

Education

Start with the dates studied and the school / college you attended. List your most recent achievements first, and then list your qualifications in reverse chronological order. You will need to include education from GCSE or equivalent, and any other qualifications that you have which are relevant to the job that you are applying for.

Hobbies and interests

This is optional, but if you lack any real work experience then your hobbies are a good opportunity to put your personality across. Be careful not to use anything too generic such as “socialising with friends”. Try to make your hobbies relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, “training at the gym” is good for a chef, as it is a physical job. Be prepared to expand upon your interests during the interview if called upon.

References

It is important to have 2 good references included as part of your CV. Make sure that you have asked your referees for their permission beforehand, so that they are aware you have used them. It is possible to make references available on request, but it looks a lot more professional to have the reference details stated on the form.

How is a great CV created?

First of all, let’s take a look at an example job advertisement. Let’s assume you are applying for a chef de partie job, which is advertised as follows:

Example job advertisement for a chef de partie at a 4 star hotel in London:

We currently have a new opportunity for an experienced chef de partie to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity for a customer-focused individual to join a leading food and management company, which offers great opportunities for career progression.

You will be responsible for:

Preparation and cooking of food;

Ensuring the kitchen areas are clean and tidy;

Ensuring health and safety regulations are followed at all times;

Delivering a first class customer experience;

Assisting in all areas of the kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner;

Assisting the Head Chef or Chef Manager with paperwork, including stock ordering, menu planning and menu costing.

The successful candidate for this role will have excellent craft skills with previous chef experience and good communication skills. It will be advantageous but not essential to have a basic Food Hygiene Certificate and a basic Health and Safety Certificate. The successful candidate will also have good customer service skills.

This is a great opportunity to work in a fast paced kitchen with a very experienced head chef, and there will be ample opportunity to progress your career.

Please send your CV to: chefdepartiejob@example.co.uk

Key requirement keywords identified:

1.Experienced chef de partie;

2.Customer-focused individual;

3.Good communication skills;

4.Food Hygiene Certificate and a Basic Health and Safety Certificate;

5.Fast paced kitchen;

6.Good customer service skills.

How to tailor your CV to the job description

First of all, you need to identify the key requirements listed above, and build your CV around these. If applying for various positions within different companies, this can be extremely time consuming. A tip for this is to focus on applying only for a set number of positions at any one time. Set yourself a limit, and don’t go over it. Applying for too many positions could lead to mistakes. Your CV has a much higher chance of going through the initial stages if it is concise, matches the key requirements and is easy to read.

To follow are 2 sample CV layouts for a Chef de partie:

Sample CV – 1

Curriculum Vitae

Name here - Address here

Email: namehere2003@domain.co.uk - Tel 07899 XX 87XX

Personal Statement -

I am a hard-working, customer focused chef de partie, who is always looking to develop my excellent craft skills. I thrive when working under pressure within a fast paced environment.

I am a very clean and tidy chef, and always follow health and safety guidelines. I enjoy working in all areas of the kitchen, assisting with breakfasts, lunches and other hospitality requirements. At all times, I am happy to assist the head chef in any other areas which make for the smooth operation of kitchen tasks. Finally, I’m in possession of:

An up-to-date basic Health and Safety Certificate;

An up-to-date basic Food Hygiene Certificate.

Education and Qualifications:

2008 – 2009 – Cambridge Regional College - B-TEC pass in electrical engineering.

2003 – 2008 – Soham village college GCSE passes in maths, religious education, craft design and realisation.

Professional Experience:

2013 – Present: Chef de partie at 4 star hotel, fast paced 1 rosette restaurant. Working on all sections of the kitchen including some breakfast shifts when needed.

2012 – 2013: Demi- chef de partie at 4star hotel, 1 rosette restaurant and busy banqueting business. (Excellent craft skills learnt in this position).

2009 – 2012: Brasserie style restaurant, commis chef. Completed NVQ level 2 in Professional Cookery whilst working here.

Interests and Hobbies:

Travel, skiing, running and reading cookery books.

References

1.Mr xxxx Head Chef at sample hotel.

2.Mr cccc Head Chef at other hotel.

This example of a CV (Sample CV 1) has been written using the previous job description as a blueprint. It is well written, tidy and compact; and provides skills that are specific to the job. I strongly recommend that you pay close attention to the way I have used keywords in my CV, in order to match the job description.

Sample CV – 2

Curriculum Vitae

Your Name

Your Street Address

City, county, postcode

Mobile number 07899 xx 87xx

Email: namehere@domain.co.uk

Personal Statement:

I am a hard-working, customer focused chef de partie with excellent craft skills, which I am always looking to further develop. I thrive when working under pressure within a fast paced environment.

I am a very clean and tidy chef, who always follows health and safety guidelines. I enjoy working in all areas of the kitchen, assisting with breakfasts, lunches and other hospitality requirements.

-Education-

-First school attended:

Soham Village College

GCSE Passes in maths, religious education, craft design and realisation

Soham

Graduated July 2008

-Any other school:

Cambridge Regional College

B-TEC pass in electrical engineering

Cambridge, Cambs

Graduated July 2009

-Experience-

4 Star hotel, London Apr 2013 – Present

Position: Chef de partie

Working on all sections of kitchen;

Breakfast shifts when needed;

Fast paced restaurant.

4 Star hotel, London Apr 2012 – Apr2013

Position: Demi chef de partie

1 AA Rosette Restaurant

Excellent craft skills learnt here;

Working on larder and sauce;

Worked in busy banqueting when needed.

Brasserie style restaurant, London Apr 2009 – Apr 2012

Position: Commis Chef

Competing NVQ level 2 in professional cookery whilst working here.

Interests and Hobbies

Travel, skiing, running and reading cookery books.

References

1.Mr xxxx Head Chef at sample hotel

2.Mr cccc Head Chef at other hotel

Downloadable CV Templates @: www.becomingachef.co.uk

Tips to help you write a winning CV:

Read the job description carefully, so that you have a clear understanding of what is being asked for. When you read it, highlight the keywords you have identified.

Do not pad your CV out, keep it easy to read, precise and relevant to the job that you are applying for. A lot of white space is good for a CV, as it makes it easier to read. Remember quality is more important than quantity.

Chris’s CV tips:

A CV needs to be no more than 2 sides in length;

Check spelling, grammar and punctuation. You can ask for a proofreading of your CV to gain a second opinion;

Use keywords from the job description and include them in your CV;

You need to create a positive profile of yourself.

Writing a cover letter

A cover letter needs to be attached to every CV that you send off to employers. This is your first chance to make a good impression, and a lot of thought and preparation needs to go into the letter. The cover letter needs to be relevant to each job that you are applying for, and needs to relay how your skills are relevant to the job.

Chris’s cover letter tips:

Make sure that there are no grammar, spelling or punctuation mistakes. Ask a trusted person to proofread the letter several times, do not use abbreviations. Remember to use keywords and key phrases you have taken from the job specification and description.