Commis Chef CV Example

A commis chef CV should be one page (two maximum if you have several years' experience). Use reverse-chronological order: contact details at the top, then a short personal statement, then skills, experience, education, and certifications. If you're a recent college leaver with thin work history, flip the order and put education first.

Format and length

Keep it tight. Recruiters hiring commis chefs spend seconds scanning each CV, so make yours easy to read: clear headings, bullet points (never long paragraphs), and a simple font. One page is ideal for entry-level; two pages is acceptable if you have three or more years in kitchens.

Personal statement

Two to three sentences. Name your passion for food, your eagerness to learn, and your understanding of the commis role in the brigade. If you're aiming for chef de partie next, say so. If you have a food hygiene certificate, mention it here or in the next breath.

Experience

List roles in reverse-chronological order. For each, use bullet points to show what you prepped, how much you prepped, and any measurable impact (e.g. "Completed mise en place for 50 covers per service" or "Reduced prep waste by 10%"). If you've never worked in a professional kitchen, include hospitality roles (waiter, kitchen porter) and frame them as exposure to service flow and kitchen communication.

Skills

List 8-12 hard and soft skills. Hard: knife skills, mise en place, food hygiene, basic cooking methods. Soft: multitasking, communication, teamwork, stamina. These show you can survive the rhythm of a busy section.

Education and certifications

Put your Level 2 Food Safety certificate front and centre, omitting it is a common mistake that can get you screened out. List catering college qualifications (BTEC, NVQ, VRQ) with grades if strong. If you're a recent leaver, put education above experience.

What to include per section

Tailor your CV to the venue type. A fine-dining restaurant values classical technique and plating precision; a busy pub kitchen wants speed and reliability; a hotel needs consistency across breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Adjust your bullet points and skills list accordingly.

Commis chef experience bullets should follow the result-plus-metric pattern: what you prepped, how much, and the impact. Lead with action verbs that suit kitchen work, "prepared", "assisted", "completed", "supported", "maintained", and anchor every bullet in the daily reality of mise en place, section support, and compliance.

The result-plus-metric pattern

Weak bullets list duties. Strong bullets show what you delivered and how much.

Before (duty): Responsible for vegetable prep and helping the chef de partie.

After (result + metric): Completed mise en place for 50 covers per service, including vegetable prep, butchery, and sauce assembly, meeting strict section deadlines.

Before (vague): Helped with food preparation during busy services.

After (specific): Assisted chef de partie with prep for 80+ cover weekend services, reducing section setup time by 20 minutes through efficient knife work.

Before (generic): Maintained kitchen hygiene standards.

After (quantified): Maintained 100% compliance on kitchen hygiene audits through consistent HACCP record-keeping and cleaning routines.

Mise en place is your anchor

Mise en place is the core daily duty of a commis chef. Use it to show you can prep to a deadline and understand what a section needs before service. Examples:

• "Prepared mise en place for 40+ covers per service across starters and mains sections."
• "Completed daily mise en place including filleting 12kg of fish and preparing 60 dessert components per shift."
• "Reduced vegetable prep waste by 10% through improved knife technique and portion control."

Action verbs for commis chefs

Prepared, completed, assisted, supported, maintained, reduced, ensured, contributed, learned, stepped up, mentored (if you've trained junior staff).

Do/don't table

Catering college qualifications and food hygiene certificates carry real weight for commis applicants. If you're a recent leaver, put education above experience on your CV.

Essential: Level 2 Food Safety

A Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene certificate is frequently required for commis chef roles. Omitting it is a common CV mistake that can get you screened out before interview. List it prominently in a "Certifications" or "Achievements" section, and name the awarding body (e.g. Highfield, CIEH, RSPH).

If you don't have it yet, book the course now, it takes one day and costs around £50-80. Many employers will accept a certificate in progress if you can show a booked date.

Catering college qualifications

BTEC, VRQ Level 1, or NVQ Levels 1-3 in Food Preparation and Cooking or Professional Cookery substitute for thin work history. List:

• The full qualification name and level
• The institution and dates
• Your grade or classification if strong (Distinction, Merit)
• Any standout modules (knife skills, classical cookery, food safety)
• Placement details if you completed one (e.g. "4-week placement at a hotel kitchen, assisting with breakfast and lunch service")

If you're still studying, put "Expected completion: [month/year]" and list modules completed so far.

Other useful certifications

• Allergen Awareness for Catering, increasingly expected, especially in hotels and chains.
• First Aid at Work, not essential but shows you take kitchen safety seriously.
• Hospitality qualifications (e.g. Level 1 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry), useful if you're switching from front-of-house.

GCSEs and Highers

List them briefly. English and Maths (Grade 4/C or above, or Standard/National 5) are often required for apprenticeships and some commis roles. If you have Hospitality or Food Technology, mention it.

Layout tip

If you're a recent college leaver with little or no professional kitchen experience, flip your CV order:

1. Contact details
2. Personal statement
3. Education (catering college first)
4. Certifications (Level 2 Food Safety)
5. Skills
6. Experience (including placements, KP work, or hospitality roles)

This puts your strongest credential, your training, at the top.