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How to Format a Kitchen Staff Resume
How you format your resume can depend on a variety of factors. Do you have a steady employment history and apparent career growth? Did you graduate from an esteemed culinary program? Are you relocating or changing careers? If you see yourself in the first scenario, consider writing a chronological resume. This is the most recognized format and dedicates most of your resume page space to your long work history. The focus on dates and gradual promotions help highlight your growth as a kitchen professional.
However, use a functional resume if you’re a recent graduate or apprentice with plenty of technical training but little practical kitchen experience. We demonstrate the two scenarios in these resume samples. Candidate A has almost two decades of experience as a kitchen staff member. In contrast, Candidate B is a recent graduate but specialized in signature cuisine and worked in award-winning kitchens.
1. Candidate A — Chronological Resume
Kitchen Staff — Sous Chef
Candidate Info
- 18 years of experience
- 5 years at this job
- HS High School Diploma
Work Experience
Sous Chef, Petit Ami
October 2018 - present
- Support head chef by overseeing kitchen maintenance and prep work and delegating team tasks.
- Flexible ability to step into various roles to maintain food delivery and reduce customer wait times.
- Scheduled weekly deep cleanout of all food storage areas to ensure maximum freshness of ingredients.
2. Candidate B — Functional Resume
Kitchen Staff
Candidate Info
- 2 years of experience
- 1 year at this job
- BS Culinary Arts
Professional Skills
Culinary Skills
- Specialized in international cuisine and culture.
- Garnered praise from the head chef after completing a 6-month food innovation and technology internship with an East Coast Michelin-star restaurant.
- Assisted head chef in planning a 2-month menu with local, seasonal ingredients.
Teamwork
- Worked with kitchen staff to prepare vegetables and meats before service.
- Partnered with the pantry supervisor to review available stock and plan the daily soup special.
Kitchen Staff Resume Samples
No results found
Candidate Info
years in workforce
months at this job
Biochemistry
Kitchen Staff
- Supported chefs by following detailed instructions on how to prep food prior to cooking. This enabled chefs more time to focus on patron's individual orders.
- Earned trust of manager which allowed me to use company vehicles to pick up and deliver supplies, equipment, and carry cash bag.
- Gained collaboration skills through discussing setup of catering equipment with other employees. Developed and executed plans for smooth setup and take down of equipment for groups of guests.
- Learned the importance of good sanitation through the proper use of commercial cleaning equipment insuring the cleanliness of dinnerware for guests.
- Recognized effort that goes into running a business smoothly and helped out where needed, kitchen cleanup, busing tables, etc.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
Nursing Assistant
Kitchen Staff
Assisted in various positions within the day-to-day operations focused on delivering high quality customer service with exceptional attention to detail to the club members during the busy summer season.
- Ability to work in any position in the kitchen to maintain smooth lunch and dinner service.
- Assisted the Manager with food ordering and delivery.
- Worked during off season in the main restaurant in various positons.
- Assisted the Manager during special event parties in different capacities to insure a successful event for the members.
- Kept all stations stocked during the events.
- Provided security during large events.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
months at this job
Finance And Supply Chain Management
Kitchen Staff
- Prepared, cooked, and presented food in a kosher kitchen for 500+ people
- Washed, stacked, and put away dishes
- Swept and mopped dining hall floors
- Assembled and maintained multiple salad bars
- Assured cleanliness and sanitization of all work areas
Candidate Info
year in workforce
year at this job
Information Technology
Kitchen Staff
- Prepared food and worked on the line.
- Learned how to perform most of the responsibilities to fill in for any situation as needed.
- Experienced working as part of a team that needs to adapt quickly to a changing environment.
- Practiced customer service skills
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
Communications Student
Art And Theater
Kitchen Staff
- Cared for senior citizen residents with their daily meals and activities.
- RELIAS trained specializing in Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases.
- Interacted with seniors based on their level of cognitive ability.
- Created trust with the residents.
- Assisted in organizing and working various events at the center.
- Organized dining area by seating residents and serving food and drinks.
- Diverse in various roles in the kitchen: prep cook, line cook, dishwasher.
- Strength in prioritizing in stressful situations.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
Kitchen Staff
- Working on the meal service line and taking orders and delivering food to those patients
- Make sure food area is clean and the food is stored away properly
- Cleaning dishes and taking out trash
- I'm required to have a good disposition and to be able to communicate well with people
Candidate Info
years in workforce
months at this job
Business Administration
Business Administration
Kitchen Staff
- DMO (Dish Machine Operator) cleaning and bringing dishware to proper work station.
- Backup, getting all the things needed for line cooks making sauces etc.
- Following all kitchen rules and regulations.
- Making sure the food is made following the orders, making food excellent.
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
High School Diploma
Criminal Justice
Kitchen Staff
- Trained new employees
- Organize and keep a clean environment
- Prep and cook food
- Customer Service
Candidate Info
years in workforce
months at this job
Kitchen Staff
Washing Dishes
- Upholding USDA sanitation standards
- Operating commercial kitchen equipment
- Food Preparation
Candidate Info
years in workforce
years at this job
High School Diploma
Medical Assistant
Kitchen Staff
- Room service orders for patients
- Take food trays to patients room
- Wash dishes and clean kitchen
Candidate Info
years in workforce
months at this job
Kitchen Staff/cook
- Assist in preparation of meals for retreats
- Organizing and setting the table
- Janitorial duties of kitchen and dining rooms
Kitchen Staff Resume Success Stories
Kitchen Staff Resume FAQ
What should I put on my resume for a kitchen worker?
Hiring managers need to quickly find a seamless addition to their back-of-house staff. A resume for a kitchen worker should feature the following skills or former responsibilities to appeal to kitchen managers:
- Cooking abilities
- Knowledge of specialized cuisine like Burmese, Thai, Sushi and Italian
- Collaboration
- Prep work
- Food presentation skills
- Time management
- Familiarity with pre-order services through Toast, Grubhub, DoorDash, UberEat
- Attention to safety
- Food and Safety card holder
- Work well under pressure
- Able to carry and balance multiple dishes
How do you describe kitchen staff on a resume?
You can use your former kitchen titles to describe your responsibilities as kitchen staff. For example, you can refer to yourself as an assistant cook or grill cook or use french brigade terms such as commis (assistant cook) or rôtisseur (roast cook). We can look at this sample work history of a junior cook to see how they describe their kitchen duties.
Work History
Junior Cook, El Americano
Sept 2021 - current, Santa Barbara, CA
- Acted as the commis and oversaw the vegetable, soups and garnish stations.
- Assisted in the food preparation by washing, peeling, chopping and slicing vegetables, seafood and other ingredients.
- Assisted chef de partie with reorganizing the walk-in and lowboys to streamline supply storage and ensure fresh ingredients were available.
What are the responsibilities of kitchen staff?
Your responsibilities as a kitchen staff member could include any of the following:
- Assisting in all food preparation, such as cleaning, cutting and portioning ingredients.
- Loading the ticket printer with paper.
- Cleaning and sanitizing all food preparation work and delivery stations.
- Cleaning and sanitizing all food storage areas.
- Learning and following local food safety guidelines.
- Cleaning and sanitizing dishes, flatware and utensils.
- Assisting with kitchen management when needed.
- Training new employees on restaurant techniques and recipes.
- Assisting with packing to-go orders.
Kitchen Staff Duties and Responsibilities
The kitchen staff performs a wide range of duties in the fast-moving kitchen; they are the utility people, often assisting head cooks, line cooks, managers, and waitstaff with various aspects of meal preparation and delivery. Current job listings identify the following duties for kitchen staff:
Basic Food Prep
The kitchen staff arrives early to organize the kitchen and do food prep to streamline cooking and meal presentation, including washing, peeling, and cutting fruits and vegetables; mixing ingredients for dishes; and cutting and seasoning meats.Meal Presentation
The kitchen staff organizes customers' plates before the waitstaff—or sometimes even the kitchen staff—bring the final product to the customer. They have a working knowledge of the day's meals and menus and understand what each dish calls for before delivery.Stock Kitchen and Storeroom
The kitchen staff works with management and head cooks to receive, stack, and properly store food in kitchens, cold storage, and storerooms. They transfer food and supplies to the kitchen as needed.Cleaning Duties
The kitchen staff is responsible for ensuring all areas of the kitchen, food prep, and food storage areas are clean and properly sanitized. This includes washing dishes and cooking equipment, cleaning floors, sanitizing countertops and cutting boards, and maintaining all areas to health code standards.Kitchen Setup and Breakdown
If they are the first to arrive, the kitchen staff turns on the lights and grills, starts kitchen prep work, and prepares the kitchen and customer areas for service. When they're the last to leave, the kitchen staff puts food and dishes away, cleans and mops the floors, and turns off all ovens, stoves, and other cooking equipment.Kitchen Staff Skills and Qualifications
Quick and efficient workers with experience in food preparation or cooking, no formal education or training is usually required to be kitchen staff, though the following skills are usually preferred:Dependability
- a food service employer is only as successful as the cooks and kitchen staff it employs; the kitchen staff is expected to be reliable, on time for work, and consistent with the work they doPhysical stamina
- the kitchen staff work on their feet for the duration of their shifts, around scheduled breaks, in kitchens that may be uncomfortably warm; often they hand wash dishes in hot water, climb up and down ladders and stairs, and carry up to 50 pounds for short distancesCustomer service
- working in all areas of the kitchen and often the food delivery space, including bars, seating areas, buffet tables, and dining rooms, the kitchen staff inevitably interact with customers, willingly listening to and assisting customers with their requests, even when they fall outside the kitchen staff's normal dutiesFacility with kitchen equipment
- the kitchen staff work with sharp and potentially dangerous equipment on a daily basis—whether the deli slicer, pizza oven, or high-temperature dishwasher, they work safely and effectively with all kitchen equipmentTeam player
- the kitchen staff takes direction from the kitchen supervisors and facility managers and is willing to assist other team members to get their jobs done
Kitchen Staff Education and Training
The kitchen staff does not need any formal education, although some employers require either a high school diploma or GED. They learn from on-the-job-training, so many employers look for at least one year of experience in the foodservice industry.Kitchen Staff Salary and Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data for "food preparation workers," lists the 2016 median annual pay for kitchen staff at $21,440, or $10.31 per hour. Kitchen staff in the lowest ten percent earned less than $8.37 per hour, and the highest ten percent made more than $14.93 per hour. The special food services and healthcare and social assistance industries paid the highest wages. Employment for kitchen staff is projected to grow by eight percent through 2026, a rate the BLS describes as about as average for all occupations.Helpful Resources
The websites below provide a variety of perspectives and insight into the food service and broader restaurant industries and offer helpful tips if you're interested in joining a kitchen:
Nation's Restaurant News This site is frequently updated with news and trends from restaurants around the country.
r/KitchenConfidential Participants in this Reddit community come from all corners of the food industry to share their behind-the-scenes experiences. Posters are active, and visitors can read about first-hand experiences, gripes, and tips on how to get by in the foodservice industry.
Eater Eater is a popular site that covers dining and everything food (including Netflix and celebrities) in 24 cities across the US. Articles dive into local trends, openings and closings, and food and nightlife reviews. If you're interested in what's hot in your local metropolitan area, Eater is a great resource.