Cook CV Example
A practical CV for cooks working in pubs, care homes, canteens, or casual dining establishments. Highlights your reliable food preparation skills and ability to produce consistent, appetising meals.
Recommended template: Compact
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Describe the volume and style of cooking you are experienced in, such as pub food, care home meals, or staff canteens.
- Highlight your understanding of special dietary requirements and allergen management.
- Include your food hygiene certification and any manual handling training.
- Mention your ability to create nutritious, cost-effective meals within set budgets.
Ready to build your CV?
Start with the Compact template and customise it for your hospitality role.
How to Write Your Cook CV
A cook CV should demonstrate your practical kitchen skills, reliability, and ability to produce appetising meals consistently. Whether you work in a pub, care home, canteen, or school kitchen, employers want to see that you can follow recipes, maintain hygiene standards, and work independently or as part of a small team. Your CV should emphasise your hands-on cooking experience and your understanding of the needs of the specific setting you are targeting.
CV Structure
Use a simple reverse-chronological layout with a brief profile, work experience, skills, and education. For each role, describe the type of setting, the number of meals served, and your core duties. Include one to two achievements per role showing your impact on quality, efficiency, or compliance. Keep the CV to one page for roles with fewer than five years of experience.
CV Format
Choose a straightforward template that is easy to scan. Pub managers and care home administrators often review CVs quickly, so keep your formatting clean and consistent. Use bullet points and ensure your food hygiene certificate is visible near the top.
CV Profile Examples
Experienced Pub Cook
Reliable and skilled pub cook with six years of experience preparing hearty, home-style meals in busy gastro-pub and traditional pub kitchens across the East Midlands. Capable of producing up to 80 covers per service while maintaining consistent quality and presentation. Holds a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate and is experienced in managing daily specials within tight food cost budgets.
Care Home Cook
Caring and attentive cook with four years of experience preparing nutritious meals for elderly residents in a 60-bed care home. Skilled in adapting menus to accommodate soft diets, puréed textures, and specific dietary requirements including diabetic-friendly and low-sodium options. Committed to providing meals that are both appetising and supportive of residents' health and wellbeing.
Entry-Level Cook
Enthusiastic and hard-working individual with a genuine passion for cooking, seeking a first professional kitchen role after completing a Level 2 Certificate in Professional Cookery. Experienced in preparing meals for family events and community groups, with a solid understanding of food hygiene principles. Ready to learn and develop in a supportive commercial kitchen environment.
Write a two-to-three sentence summary stating your experience, the type of cooking you specialise in, and any relevant certifications. Mention the volume of meals you typically prepare to demonstrate capability.
Key Skills for Your Cook CV
Home-Style Cooking
Preparing traditional, comforting meals from scratch using straightforward techniques and quality ingredients.
Batch Cooking
Producing large quantities of soups, stews, and baked goods efficiently for service or advance preparation.
Dietary Requirements
Adapting menus and recipes to accommodate allergies, intolerances, and medical dietary needs.
Food Hygiene
Following food safety regulations including temperature control, storage standards, and cross-contamination prevention.
Recipe Following
Executing standardised recipes accurately to ensure consistent taste, portion size, and presentation.
Kitchen Organisation
Keeping the kitchen clean, tidy, and well-stocked to support efficient food preparation and service.
Waste Reduction
Minimising food waste through careful prep planning, stock rotation, and creative use of surplus ingredients.
Adaptability
Adjusting to changing menus, unexpected demands, and varying kitchen environments with a positive attitude.
Work Experience Examples
For each role, set the scene with the type of venue and the volume of covers or residents served. List your cooking duties, hygiene responsibilities, and stock management tasks. Include achievements that show positive outcomes — hygiene ratings, waste savings, or customer and resident satisfaction improvements.
Cook
The Red Lion, Nottingham
Prepared and cooked a full pub menu including starters, mains, and desserts for a popular community pub serving an average of 70 covers per lunch and evening service.
Responsibilities
- Cooked traditional pub dishes from scratch including pies, roasts, curries, and grilled items following standardised recipes.
- Prepared daily specials using seasonal ingredients and leftover stock to minimise waste and offer variety.
- Managed kitchen prep including vegetable preparation, marinating meats, and making soups and sauces in advance of service.
- Maintained a clean and organised kitchen, following food safety procedures and completing daily cleaning schedules.
- Placed weekly food orders with suppliers, checking deliveries for quality and rotating stock upon arrival.
Achievements
- Maintained a 5-star food hygiene rating through two consecutive inspections with no corrective actions required.
- Reduced weekly food waste by £60 through better prep planning and creative use of surplus ingredients in daily specials.
- Received consistent positive feedback from regular customers, contributing to a 4.5-star Google review rating for food quality.
Cook
Sunrise Care Home, Leicester
Prepared three daily meals and snacks for 55 residents, adapting menus to meet a range of dietary and texture-modified requirements.
Responsibilities
- Cooked balanced, nutritious meals following a four-week rotating menu plan approved by the care home manager.
- Adapted dishes for residents requiring soft, minced, or puréed textures while maintaining appetising presentation.
- Recorded food temperatures at cooking and serving stages, ensuring compliance with CQC food safety standards.
- Managed kitchen stock, placing orders with approved suppliers and completing weekly stocktakes.
Achievements
- Introduced a new seasonal menu that increased resident meal satisfaction scores by 18% in quarterly feedback surveys.
- Maintained full compliance with CQC food safety requirements during two unannounced inspections.
Education & Qualifications
List your food hygiene certificate first, followed by any cookery qualifications or catering NVQs. Include GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. If you have attended short courses in areas like allergen management or nutrition, include these as they add relevant value.
Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate
Essential certification for anyone preparing food in a commercial kitchen, covering food safety fundamentals.
Level 2 Certificate in Professional Cookery
Introductory culinary qualification covering basic cooking techniques, food safety, and kitchen skills.
Level 2 Award in Nutrition and Health
Qualification covering nutritional principles relevant to planning balanced meals in care and catering settings.
Manual Handling Certificate
Training in safe lifting and handling techniques for dealing with heavy kitchen supplies and equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a cook and a chef CV?
How do I show my cooking skills on a CV?
Do I need qualifications to work as a cook?
How should I format a cook CV?
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