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Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create ResumeIf you’re writing a cook resume, the most important section is your skills. Hiring managers in restaurants, hotels, and food service operations scan resumes quickly to confirm one thing: Can you handle a station, work fast, and stay consistent under pressure? The right mix of hard skills (technical kitchen ability), soft skills (behavior), and operational skills (how you function during service) is what gets interviews. This guide gives you a complete, practical breakdown of exactly what to include and how to present it effectively.
At a glance, hiring managers want proof of three things:
You can execute food consistently
You understand kitchen systems and safety
You won’t slow down service during a rush
They’re not just hiring someone who can cook. They’re hiring someone who can perform inside a high-pressure, fast-paced system.
Here’s a complete, optimized skills list you can adapt directly:
Line cooking and station execution
Prep cooking and batch production
Knife skills and safe cutting techniques
Recipe execution and portion control
Food safety, sanitation, and allergen awareness
Temperature control and food storage standards
Grill, sauté, fryer, pantry, oven, and prep station work
Hard skills are what determine whether you can do the job on day one. These are non-negotiable in most hiring decisions.
This is the core of most cook roles.
You need to show you can:
Manage a specific station independently
Handle multiple tickets at once
Maintain speed without sacrificing quality
Recruiter insight: If your resume doesn’t clearly show station experience, you’re often screened out immediately.
Prep is where consistency starts.
Include:
Vegetable prep, protein breakdown, sauce prep
Plating, garnishing, and food presentation
Inventory support and par level maintenance
Cleaning, sanitizing, and closing procedures
Attention to detail
Reliability
Time management
Communication
Teamwork
Adaptability
Calm under pressure
Strong work ethic
Coachability
Sense of urgency
Prep list execution
Station setup and breakdown
Rush service support
Ticket accuracy
Kitchen workflow coordination
Food waste reduction
Ingredient rotation (FIFO)
Opening and closing procedures
Quality control
Clean-as-you-go discipline
Bulk cooking for high-volume service
Following prep lists accurately
This signals you understand kitchen efficiency and readiness.
This is a baseline expectation, not a bonus.
Mention:
Speed and precision
Safe handling practices
Experience with different cuts
It shows both technical ability and safety awareness.
Restaurants rely on consistency.
Highlight:
Following standardized recipes
Maintaining portion sizes
Reducing waste
This directly impacts food cost and customer experience.
This is critical in US kitchens.
Include:
ServSafe knowledge (if applicable)
Cross-contamination prevention
Allergen handling awareness
Hiring reality: Many employers prioritize this over advanced cooking skills.
You should clearly state your station experience:
Grill station
Sauté station
Fryer station
Pantry
Oven work
Prep station
This helps managers immediately place you in their kitchen.
Soft skills determine whether you survive and thrive during service.
Kitchens are chaotic. Employers look for stability.
You must demonstrate:
Focus during rush hours
Ability to prioritize tickets
No breakdown under stress
This is one of the most important hiring factors.
Managers want:
Someone who shows up on time
Someone who doesn’t call out frequently
Someone who can handle long shifts
Kitchens run on coordination.
You need to show:
Clear communication with chefs and team members
Ability to call out orders and respond quickly
Willingness to support other stations
Speed matters.
Employers look for:
Fast movement without sacrificing quality
Awareness of timing and ticket flow
Recruiter insight: Lack of urgency is one of the top reasons cooks get let go.
Most candidates skip these. That’s a mistake.
Operational skills show that you understand how a kitchen actually functions.
This shows you can:
Follow structured kitchen planning
Prioritize tasks before service
Complete prep efficiently
Include:
Opening procedures
Proper station organization
Closing responsibilities
This proves reliability and discipline.
Mistakes cost time and money.
You should highlight:
Reading tickets correctly
Managing modifications
Avoiding remakes
This is advanced awareness.
It means:
Knowing when to fire dishes
Timing coordination with other stations
Supporting team flow
Employers value cost control.
Mention:
Proper portioning
Minimizing spoilage
Smart ingredient use
This is a major hiring signal.
It shows:
Professional kitchen habits
Safety awareness
Organization under pressure
Don’t just list random skills. Structure them strategically.
Use a clean, keyword-optimized format:
Example:
Skills
Line cooking, grill, sauté, fryer stations
Food safety, sanitation, allergen handling
Prep production and batch cooking
Knife skills and portion control
Kitchen workflow coordination and ticket management
This is stronger for experienced cooks.
Good Example:
“Managed grill station during high-volume dinner service, maintaining ticket accuracy and consistent plating standards.”
This shows:
Skill
Context
Real-world application
Weak Example:
“Cooking, teamwork, hardworking”
This tells nothing.
Good Example:
“Executed sauté station during peak service while maintaining timing coordination with grill and fryer stations”
Too many soft skills without proof weakens your resume.
Focus on:
5–7 strong, relevant traits
Back them up with experience
Most applicants skip these.
Adding them gives you a competitive edge immediately.
Always adjust your skills based on:
Restaurant type (fine dining vs fast casual)
Volume level
Menu complexity
What they want:
Speed
Station efficiency
Consistency
Prioritize:
Line cooking
Ticket management
Sense of urgency
What they want:
Precision
Presentation
Attention to detail
Prioritize:
Plating
Portion control
Recipe execution
What they want:
Reliability
Willingness to learn
Basic kitchen skills
Prioritize:
Prep cooking
Cleanliness
Coachability
Specific, job-relevant skills
Clear station experience
Operational awareness
Real examples tied to experience
Generic buzzwords
Overly long skill lists
Skills without proof
Irrelevant abilities
Make sure your cook resume skills:
Match the job description
Include both hard and operational skills
Show real kitchen experience
Highlight your ability to work under pressure
Demonstrate reliability and consistency
If your skills section clearly answers “Can this person handle service?” — you’re in a strong position.
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