Sous Chef Resume Example and Template

A strong sous chef resume proves your ability to run a kitchen during service, develop recipes, and train junior cooks. Highlight your technical skills, menu contributions, and your track record managing pressure during peak hours.

Executive chefs hiring sous chefs want to see kitchen credentials: classical techniques mastered, cuisines you specialize in, and your capacity to lead 8-15 cooks through consistent dinner service.

Also searched as

Chef de Partie, Commis Chef

Richard Morales: Sous Chef

San Francisco, California, United States

Summary

Sous chef with 10 years in high-volume fine dining and Michelin-recognized kitchens. Expert in French classical techniques and contemporary plating. Led kitchen brigades of 10-14 cooks through consistent dinner service, managing food costs and maintaining plating standards. Contributed 8 signature dishes to current menu; trained 12 junior cooks to Michelin-level precision.

Work Experience

Sous Chef, Eleven at the Presidio

Apr 2021 – Present. 65-seat Michelin one-star restaurant

• Manage kitchen operations and 12-cook brigade through 65 covers per service, 5 nights weekly, with zero missed plates during 2025.
• Contributed 6 dishes to tasting menu; plating precision maintains current Michelin recognition.
• Reduced food waste by 22% through portion engineering and trim utilization without sacrificing plate quality.
• Mentor 3 junior cooks through advancement from commis to demi-chef level, with 2 promoted to competing kitchens.

Chef de Partie, Ember & Oak

Sep 2018 – Mar 2021. 100-seat upscale contemporary, San Francisco

• Led saucier station, executing 30-40 plated dishes per service with consistency across 8-week menu rotations.
• Developed 4 new sauces adopted across multiple stations, reducing prep time by 18 minutes daily.
• Trained 5 junior cooks on classical reduction techniques and flavor balancing without written formulas.
• Maintained inventory for $12,000 monthly ingredient budget with 4% variance tolerance achieved consistently.

Commis Chef, Heritage Restaurant

Jun 2016 – Aug 2018. 80-seat farm-to-table, Sonoma County

• Worked garde manger and sauce stations, learning classical French technique and seasonal ingredient applications.
• Prepped mise en place for 50-60 covers nightly, maintaining quality and consistency standards.
• Assisted with menu testing for seasonal changes; contributed ideas adopted in 3 final dishes.
• Completed 200+ hour rotation across all stations under mentorship of head chef.

Education

Culinary Institute of America

Diploma, Professional Culinary Arts. Sep 2015 – May 2016

Skills

Classical French Technique, Menu Development, Kitchen Leadership, Michelin Standards, Plating and Presentation, Food Cost Management, Inventory Control, Brigade Training, Sauce Preparation, Butchery, Wine Pairing Knowledge

Languages

English, Spanish

Certificates and Awards

• Culinary Arts Diploma, Culinary Institute of America, 2016

Why this look works

Sous chefs lead with precision and discipline. Clean, structured layouts reflect kitchen order and attention to detail. Deep accent colors and sharp typography signal the professional rigor expected in fine dining kitchen hierarchies.

Resume tips for this job

• Name the specific cuisines and techniques you've mastered. 'French classical technique' or 'Contemporary plating' tells hiring chefs what role you can fill immediately.
• Show your kitchen leadership scope: brigade size, covers per service, and menu complexity. Executive chefs need to know you can manage 12 cooks through peak dinner service.
• Quantify your menu contributions. '8 signature dishes,' '4 new sauces adopted,' or '6 tasting menu specials' prove you bring ideas, not just execution.
• Include your training track record. Junior cooks developed and promoted show your mentorship capacity and kitchen bench strength you've built.

Common questions

Should I list every station I've worked?

List only your primary stations at each role. Say 'Led saucier station' or 'Rotated through all stations including garde manger, saucier, and garde' rather than listing every minor position. Hiring chefs want to see your depth in key areas.

How do I show my value in a Michelin kitchen?

Focus on precision metrics: zero missed plates, contributed X dishes to menu, trained X juniors to standard, maintained food cost variance at X%. Michelin kitchens are built on consistency, so numbers that show that matter most.

What certifications do I need as a sous chef?

A culinary diploma or degree from a recognized school is expected. Beyond that, specialized certifications like wine sommelier or pastry arts can set you apart, but they're not required. Your portfolio of work matters more than certifications.

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The person, employers and numbers in this example are fictional, written to show what a strong resume for this job looks like.