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Line cook resume: examples and tips

Independent restaurants and busy kitchens often ask you to email or drop off a resume. Chains may hire by app or text. Either way, a clear one-page cook resume helps you get in the door faster.

What kitchens look for

Read the posting and use its words where they match your real work:

  • Stations: grill, saute, fry, prep, pantry, pizza, expo.
  • Speed and timing: working a busy service, plating to ticket times, staying calm on a full board.
  • Food safety: temps, labeling, FIFO, gloves, ServSafe or a food handler card.
  • Teamwork: calling tickets, helping other stations, cleaning as you go.
  • Reliability: showing up for doubles, weekends, and holidays when asked.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 218,600 openings a year on average for cooks (Employment Projections). That figure includes jobs that open when people leave, not only brand-new positions. Source: BLS EMP table.

When a line cook resume actually helps

Better-paying independent restaurants, hotels, and catering kitchens often say "email your resume" or "drop off a resume in person." Big chains frequently use text-to-apply or an app and may not ask for one. Bring a printed copy to a job fair or a walk-in interview anyway. A resume also speeds up long online applications by letting you upload once.

Simple format

One page, one column: Summary, Skills, Experience, Certifications, Education. Put ServSafe or a food handler card near the top if you have it. Keep the layout plain so phones and hiring software can read it. See our ATS-friendly resume guide.

Sample bullet points (use only what is true for you)

  • Ran the grill station during dinner service and plated tickets to house standards.
  • Prepped mise en place for lunch and dinner, following recipes and portion guides.
  • Kept the line stocked and cleaned during service; followed FIFO and date-label rules.
  • Trained new cooks on opening duties and knife safety.
  • Worked weekends and holiday shifts with reliable attendance.
  • Helped with catering trays and banquet plating for private events.

Only add covers-per-night or ticket times if you know them and can explain them in an interview.

A short summary

Example: "Line cook with grill and saute experience in full-service kitchens. Food handler certified and comfortable with high-volume dinner service. Looking for a steady cook role with room to move up to lead."

Skills and certs to list

Grill, saute, fry, prep, knife skills, recipe adherence, food safety, ServSafe or food handler card, FIFO, inventory restock, dishwashing backup, banquet or catering, multilingual if true. Name the POS or ticket system only if you remember it.

Moving up to lead or sous

Lead and sous roles almost always want a resume. Add how many people you directed, which stations you covered, inventory or ordering you handled, and any menu items you helped develop. Keep claims honest.

Common mistakes

  • Writing only "cooked food" with no station or kitchen type.
  • Leaving out food safety cards.
  • Inventing covers or sales numbers.
  • A resume that is hard to open on a phone when you apply the same day.

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