Chef Resume Examples and Templates
Restaurant Resume Examples and Templates for 2024
Last Updated:
November 6, 2024
Restaurant Host
Restaurant Server
Restaurant Owner
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Restaurant Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)
- Restaurant Host
- Restaurant Server
- Restaurant Owner
Restaurant Cashier Resume Example
A good restaurant resume focuses on your relevant skills like food safety, menu development, customer service, or cross-team collaboration. Give examples of your past success working at restaurants or other dining establishments, and cite any service training or certificate programs you’ve done. This guide provides expert tips to help you create a results-driven resume showing your best qualifications to work in a restaurant.
Key takeaways:
- Brainstorm details about your work history on a separate document or sheet of paper. Then, identify the most relevant ones to feature in your experience section — this helps you focus your resume so it positions you effectively.
- Use bullet points to display your achievements. Start each bullet point with a strong verb like “Created,” “Promoted,” or “Enhanced.”
- Spell out the results of your previous restaurant work. Describe how your efforts helped each dining facility achieve its goals.
How To Write a Restaurant Resume
Using a template can help you write an effective restaurant resume. Your restaurant resume should usually include these sections:
- Contact information
- Profile
- Key skills
- Professional experience
- Education and certifications
Before starting work on your resume, jot down any preferences you have for your target job duties, industry, or employer size. These notes will help you filter and emphasize your best career details as you develop each section.
1. Share your contact information
Give your full name, phone number, email address, location, and links to any online professional profiles. Ensure your contact information is current so hiring managers can reach you for an interview.
Example
Your Name
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | City, State Abbreviation Zip Code | LinkedIn
2. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your restaurant qualifications
Impress restaurant managers at the top of your resume by giving the three to five primary reasons you can excel as their next hire. These key selling points may include your:
- Years of restaurant work experience
- Main strengths or specialties
- Work style or approach (such as efficient, collaborative, and service-oriented)
- College degree(s) or certifications in your field
Example
Restaurant host with a strong background in hospitality. Proven ability to manage reservations, provide quality customer service, and coordinate with kitchen and serving staff, as evidenced by roles at Darden Restaurants Inc. and Starbucks Corporation. Hold a ServSafe Food Handler Certificate, TIPS Certification, and a National Restaurant Association ManageFirst Program certification.
3. Add a compelling section featuring your restaurant experience
View the experience section as a chance to give examples of your work and success in restaurant roles similar to the one you’re pursuing. For each job in your recent work history, brainstorm your duties and achievements on a separate document or sheet of paper. Then, choose the most relevant details to feature as bullet points in this section.
Example
Senior Restaurant Server, Darden Restaurants Inc., Orlando, FL | January 2020 to present
- Maintained high levels of service, increasing repeat customers by 20%
- Trained and mentored 10 new servers, improving overall service efficiency by 15%
- Implemented a new system for handling payments and tips, reducing errors by 25%
Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience
When possible, use relevant performance data and metrics to show your restaurant industry results. Hard numbers put your work in context and give recruiters a better sense of your scope and impact.
Do
- “Co-developed a new store layout that improved customer flow and increased daily transactions by 10%”
Don’t
- “Co-developed a new store layout that improved customer flow and increased daily transactions ”
Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume to each application
For each job posting you respond to, note any details given about the hiring restaurant’s size, cuisine, customer base, or service model. How do these areas compare to your own recent experience? By citing these similarities in your profile, you can make a stronger first impression on the hiring manager.
For instance, say you’re applying to a high-volume restaurant. You could enhance your profile by changing your first line from “Manager with seven years of experience” to “Manager with seven years of experience overseeing fast-paced dining facilities.”
What if you don’t have restaurant experience?
Writing a resume can be hard if you don’t have real-world experience. But you still have valuable skills and knowledge from your education and training. Include any relevant coursework you’ve done or certifications you’ve earned. Also, consider including volunteer work or internships you’ve completed in your field, and emphasize your work ethic and willingness to learn. By focusing on these qualities, you can show how you’d be an asset to any restaurant team.
4. Include education and certifications relevant to restaurant work
With the education and certifications sections, you can show you have a strong knowledge base in your field. Cite any credentials you’ve earned that speak to your abilities as a restaurant worker. Following are templates to help you organize this information on your resume (note, years are optional).
Education
Template:
[Degree Name], [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
[Relevant coursework or honors]
Example:
Bachelor’s Degree in Restaurant Management, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] | [Completion Year]
Example:
Certified Restaurant Server (CRS), American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
5. List restaurant-related skills and proficiencies
A separate skills section lets you quickly display the different ways you can add value to a restaurant facility. This section may include your soft skills like collaboration, hard skills like payment processing, or specific cuisines or food items. Every skill must be one you are versed in and want to use in your next job. Below, you’ll find some key terms and skills to consider for this section:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Cash register operation | Cost reduction and elimination |
| Cross-team collaboration | Customer order management |
| Customer service and satisfaction | Efficiency improvement |
| Financial management | Food safety and sanitation |
| Inventory management | Menu development |
| Menu memorization | Payment processing |
| Process streamlining | Regulatory compliance |
| Reservations management | Task prioritization |
| Team leadership and motivation | Transaction processing |
Resume writer’s tip: Use common action verbs
One of the best ways to enhance your resume is by starting each bullet point with a strong action verb. Dynamic verbs help you keep the hiring manager’s attention and show the varied nature of your experience. The following list can help you find a good mix of action verbs for your restaurant resume:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Collaborated | Created |
| Decreased | Delivered |
| Enhanced | Fostered |
| Generated | Grew |
| Improved | Increased |
| Introduced | Lowered |
| Monitored | Prepared |
| Prevented | Ranked |
| Reduced | Served |
| Streamlined | Trained |
| Updated | Won |
How To Pick the Best Restaurant Resume Template
A resume is a simple tool for professional communication and should be formatted accordingly. Choose a clear and straightforward template, and avoid any with elaborate graphics or various colors and font styles. Simple resume design helps a hiring manager scan for relevant information. It also helps you tailor the document to each job application and make updates to your work history going forward.
Restaurant Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Kevin Morrison
Boston, MA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | LinkedIn
Restaurant host with a strong background in hospitality and restaurant management. Proven ability to manage reservations, provide quality customer service, and coordinate with kitchen and serving staff, as evidenced by roles at Darden Restaurants Inc. and Starbucks Corporation. Hold a ServSafe Food Handler Certificate, TIPS Certification, and a National Restaurant Association ManageFirst Program certification.
Key Skills
- Cross-team collaboration
- Customer service and satisfaction
- Reservations management
Education
Bachelor of Science in Restaurant, Food, and Beverage Management
Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Associate of Applied Science in Hospitality Management
The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
Professional Experience
Restaurant Host, Darden Restaurants Inc., Orlando, FL | January 2020 to present
- Manage and organize reservations for a high-volume restaurant, ensuring timely seating for all guests
- Provide quality customer service, addressing inquiries and resolving issues promptly to ensure customer satisfaction
- Coordinate with kitchen and serving staff to maintain smooth restaurant operations, resulting in a 20% increase in table turnover rate
Assistant Restaurant Host, Starbucks Corporation, Seattle, WA | June 2018 to December 2019
- Helped manage reservations and seating arrangements, improving the reservation process and reducing customer wait times
- Contributed to customer service efforts, answering questions and handling complaints, leading to a 15% increase in satisfaction ratings
- Collaborated with kitchen and serving staff to ensure efficient operations, improving service delivery
Professional Development
ServSafe Food Handler Certificate, National Restaurant Association
Training for Intervention ProcedureS (TIPS) Certification, Health Communications, Inc.
ManageFirst Program, National Restaurant Association
Why this restaurant resume example is strong:
Kevin has created an eye-catching document by using bullet points to set off important information under each recent job.
Frequently Asked Questions: Restaurant Resume Examples and Advice
How do you align your resume with a restaurant job posting?
First, look closely at the job post text and note any words that are repeated or emphasized. Compare these phrases to the language you’re using in your resume, particularly the profile and key skills sections. Then, seek ways to align your resume text with the job posting while not copying phrases or misstating your background.
For example, if the facility seeks someone collaborative, call out that aspect of your experience in your profile. Or say the restaurant has many non-English speaking customers. Highlight your foreign language skills both in your profile and as a separate section farther down the document. With adjustments like these, you can make your resume more relevant to each opportunity.
What is the best restaurant resume format?
Most restaurant job seekers should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section and the functional format’s profile section. (The resume examples on this page all use combination format.)
A combination resume offers the best of both worlds by fusing these two features. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history — essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section enables you to display your career highlights at the top, regardless if they’re from that work history or another part of your background.
As a result, you can present yourself clearly and strategically. With this format you give hiring managers the best view of your experience and relevant strengths so they can decide to call you for an interview.
Expert advice:
Include a cover letter with your resume
A good cover letter can enhance your job application. To write a standout letter, get specific. Tell the hiring manager why you’re interested in their restaurant and the specific role they hope to fill.
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Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach
Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.
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