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Table of contents

Popular food service resume examples
How to write a resume for a food service worker
Food service resume examples by experience level
Add a food service cover letter
Facts about the food service industry
Key takeaways for your food service resume
Commonly asked question about resume writing

Perhaps you’re really good at cooking and making drinks, or you serve tables like a master, making sure every customer’s needs are met.

But, when you need to talk about what you’ve done and what you’re good at to people who might hire you, it can be tough to know what to say.

Think of a food service resume like a menu for what you’ve done in jobs or school. It shows off the important parts of your work history and helps point you to the job you really want in food. Getting how important your resume is is the first step. Soon, you’ll learn how to make one that really gets noticed.

This guide will offer you:

Inspiring examples of food service resumes.
Strategies for developing a resume that makes a strong impression.
Guidance tailored to food service professionals.
The role of cover letters in the application process.
Essential tips to elevate your resume.

Looking for help with your resume? Our AI Resume Builder can help. Choose a template that suits a career in food service and receive specialized advice for each section, including customizable content options you can add with a click.

Popular food service resume examples

Before you get to work, you should get a sense of what a robust food service resume looks like.

The goal is to showcase your culinary and service skills and experiences in a straightforward and engaging resume that anyone can grasp. Here are three resumes tailored to different food service paths, each serving as a persuasive model of an effective resume:

Browse other popular samples

How to write a resume for a food service worker

Ready to learn how to write a resume? Let’s get started!

First, here are the essential parts of your basic food service resume:

Your contact info right at the top, so they know how to reach you.
A short intro that shows off what makes you awesome.
Sections for your skills and what you’re good at.
A list of your past jobs, starting with the latest one.
Where you went to school and any diplomas or certificates you got.
An extra section or two to make your resume stand out.

Alright, ready to dig into each part? We’ll make it nice and simple.

Step 1

Put your contact info up top

Think of your resume like the menu you hand to customers, but instead of food, it’s all about you. If a restaurant manager or someone from a cafe wants to call you for an interview, they should find your contact details easily. So, put your contact info right at the top where no one can miss it.

Your resume should clearly list:

Your full name.
Your phone number.
A professional email address (something simple, not “PizzaLover123”).
The city and state where you live.

Here’s a tip that everyone in food service knows — keep things clean and simple. Your resume doesn’t need fancy fonts or decorations. It’s okay to show a bit of who you are, but the main thing is to let them know about your work experience and skills.

Next up, we’ll talk about how to write a great summary about you.

Step 2

Write a compelling summary

Your resume profile is like the first taste of a meal — it’s got to be good to make a great first impression.

Right off the bat, your summary should give a peek into who you are, highlighting your best skills and what you’ve done so far. It’s your chance to show why you’re the perfect person for the job and catch the hiring manager’s eye.

Depending on your experience in food service, you’ve got a few choices for your summary:

If you’ve been in the game for a while, go for a professional summary. Here, in a few sentences, show off your top skills and experiences that make you stand out.
New to food service or trying something different within it? Use a resume objective. This is where you talk about your career goals and how you’re ready to bring value to their team, showing your commitment.

Aim to show you fit the job like fries go with burgers.

How? Start by figuring out, “What vibe does this restaurant or café have?” Look at what they’re all about so you can make your resume reflect the achievements and skills they’re looking for.

Writing tip

Change up your summary or objective for every food service job you go after. Just like no two kitchens are the same (and we know how wild kitchens can get), no two jobs are the same. By customizing your resume for each spot, you highlight exactly the keywords found in the job ad. This way, your resume is more likely to get through the filters of applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Professional summary example for food service:

Energetic and adaptable food service pro with five years in the business. Skilled in whipping up high-quality meals fast, keeping customers happy and managing the chaos of a busy kitchen. Known for keeping cool under pressure and making sure everything from the appetizers to the desserts is perfect. Ready to bring my knack for quick problem-solving and team leadership to a new challenge.

Resume objective for a food service resume:

Professional who’s new to the food service industry, bringing a passion for delivering great dining experiences. Eager to use quick learning ability and enthusiasm for food to help your kitchen run smoothly, even on the craziest nights. Looking to grow skills in a fast-paced environment and become a key player in your team’s success. Ready to tackle everything from prep to plating with a smile.

Step 3

Highlight your food service skills

From whipping up dishes in a fast-paced kitchen to working together with your team to keep things running smoothly, you use a bunch of different skills in food service every day. The tricky part is showing off these skills on your resume in a way that grabs attention.

You need to talk about your hard skills, like cooking up meals or setting up for service, as well as the soft skills you use with your co-workers, like teamwork and communication.

It’s not about choosing between these hard and soft skills — it’s about showing how you use both to be awesome at your job.

Writing tip

Just like putting together the perfect meal, making a great resume is about balancing your skills. So, while you list your technical skills, don’t forget to mention how good you are at working with others.

Soft and hard skills to add to your food service resume:

Hard Skills

Cooking and food prep
Customer service
Cash handling
Safety and cleanliness

Soft Skills

Teamwork
Quick thinking
Solving problems
Talking clearly and listening

Step 4

Share your work experience

In food service, your job history might include everything from making memorable meals to helping your restaurant staff work better together. Whether you’re improving how fast you get food out, coming up with new menu items or making sure every customer leaves happy, what you do is important.

But remember — when you talk about your work history, you want it to really stand out.

Here’s how to make your work history shine:

Focus on what you’ve achieved, not just tasks. Talk about things like how many happy customer reviews you got or how you helped make the kitchen run smoother, instead of just listing what you did every day.
Highlight career growth. Show how you’ve gotten better at what you do. List your jobs starting with the most recent to show how you’ve grown in food service.
Use action words. Make your experiences come to life with words like “created,” “managed” and “improved” to make your resume lively and focused on results.

Writing tip

Don’t sell your transferable skills short. The ability to deliver flawless dishes, innovate new recipes or handle a busy rush are talents that go beyond the kitchen. Your experience with food and customers highlights skills that can make you a standout candidate in any field.

Food service work experience entry example:

Line Cook
Tasty Bites Diner | Hometown, CA | June 2021 – March 2024

Teamed up in a fast-paced kitchen environment, contributing to the creation of two signature dishes that became customer favorites.
Played a critical role in kitchen efficiency, speeding up meal prep time by 15% without sacrificing food quality.
Led the charge in adopting a new inventory management system, reducing food waste and improving ingredient tracking.

Step 5

Talk about your education

But remember — when you talk about your work history, you want it to really stand out.

Here’s how to make your work history shine:

Focus on what you’ve achieved, not just tasks. Talk about things like how many happy customer reviews you got or how you helped make the kitchen run smoother, instead of just listing what you did every day.
Highlight career growth. Show how you’ve gotten better at what you do. List your jobs starting with the most recent to show how you’ve grown in food service.
Use action words. Make your experiences come to life with words like “created,” “managed” and “improved” to make your resume lively and focused on results.

Culinary education example:

Education

Culinary Arts Diploma,
Culinary Institute of Hometown, Hometown, CA | 2024
Key Coursework: International cuisines, pastry and baking, kitchen management

Certifications

Food Handler’s Certificate
National Restaurant Association
Certification Date: July 2023

Step 6

Add extra sections to showcase more about you

Even if you’re just starting in food service or have some standout achievements outside of work, your resume can reflect more than just your job history and education.

Enhancing your food service resume with a few additional sections can really spotlight your unique skills and personal interests.

Here are some ideas:

Languages spoken: In the diverse world of food service, being able to communicate in multiple languages can be a huge plus. If you’re bilingual or multilingual, highlight this skill. It shows you can connect with a wider range of customers and co-workers.
Volunteer experience: Have you volunteered at local food banks, cooking classes for underserved communities or charity bake sales? Including these volunteer experiences demonstrates your commitment to using your culinary skills for good, showing you’re not just about the kitchen but also about the community.
Awards and honors: Any accolades you’ve received, whether it’s an “Employee of the Month” recognition, culinary competition awards or team leadership acknowledgments, deserve a spot on your resume. They testify to your dedication and talent in food service.

Writing tip

Read your resume out loud to yourself. Hearing the words can help you catch mistakes you might miss when reading silently. It’s a great way to spot awkward phrases or errors that your eyes might have skipped over.

Remember, choosing the right resume template matters. Whether you opt for a traditional look or something more creative, make sure it reflects your personality and the role you’re after.

And don’t worry about finding the perfect template — there are plenty of free options available online that are both professional and easy to customize in a program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. The key is to keep your resume tidy and reader-friendly, making it easy for hiring managers to see why you’re the right fit for their team.

Food service resume examples by experience level

Work experience is super important on a food service resume. The more you work, whether it’s in a kitchen, at the front of the house or even doing inventory, the more skills you’ll pick up and the more chances you’ll have to move up.

As you get more experience, you might want to change up how your resume looks. There are three main types of resume formats, and each one is awesome for different stages in your food service path:

If you’re just starting out, a functional resume layout is a good pick. It puts the spotlight on your skills and what you’re good at, not so much on where you’ve worked.
If you’ve been in food service for a bit but aren’t a veteran yet, a combination resume layout is a smart choice. It blends info about your skills with your job history.
If you’ve got a lot of food service experience under your belt, a chronological resume layout is the way to go. It lists your jobs from the newest to the oldest, showing off your career progression.

Let’s break down what these layouts could look like for you.

Entry-level food service resume

Create your resume

Why this is a great resume for an entry-level food service worker:

Attention-grabbing header
The bold, statement header makes a strong first impression, immediately drawing the recruiter’s attention.
Two columns of skills
Listing skills in two columns near the top, mixing both soft skills like adaptability and hard skills like table bussing, showcases a well-rounded candidate.
Emphasis on time management
Highlighting time management skills underscores a crucial ability in the fast-paced restaurant industry, signaling the applicant can handle pressure and maintain efficiency.

Midcareer food service resume

Create your resume

Why this resume is great for food service workers in their midcareer:

Elegant, scannable layout
The layout’s elegance and clarity make it easy for recruiters to quickly identify both skills and work experience, facilitating a quick understanding of the candidate’s capabilities.
Balanced skills and experience
This resume format offers an equal spotlight on skills and experience, addressing a broad range of abilities essential for progressing in the food service field.
Use of quantifiable metrics
Including specific achievements, such as improving service quality by 30%, provides concrete evidence of the candidate’s impact and effectiveness in previous roles.

Experienced food service resume

Create your resume

What makes this a great resume for an experienced food service worker:

Professional summary introduction
Starting with a professional summary that concisely presents the applicant’s level of experience and key skills establishes credibility and expertise right off the bat.
Extensive work history
Allocating significant space to work history, which demonstrates a clear progression from entry-level positions to management, illustrates the candidate’s growth and increasing responsibilities.
Inclusion of certifications
Listing industry-relevant certifications, such as those from the American Culinary Federation, adds a layer of professionalism and commitment to the craft, making the candidate more appealing to potential employers.

Add a food service cover letter

Create your cover letter

Believe it or not, a killer cover letter could really set you apart in your job search.

A cover letter gives you the space to share stuff that didn’t fit in your resume. Maybe you took some time off to get a culinary certificate, or you’re switching to food service from a totally different job. Start with our easy guide on writing cover letters to cover everything important.

When you’re ready to start writing, check out our cover letter examples and tips on making your letter stand out for all the good reasons.

Running out of time or just want to make sure your cover letter is top-notch? Try using a cover letter generator. These handy tools suggest sentences that are perfect for food service roles, and you can adjust them to make sure they showcase your own achievements and style.

Wondering what’s next on your food service career path? Let’s check out the opportunities waiting for you

Facts about the food service industry

Curious about the food service scene and where your career might take you?

Here are some tasty bits about the food service industry:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 4.5 million people working in the food service industry,
Over the next 10 years, there will be about 1 million new openings for food service workers each year, on average.
Roughly 77% of food service employees work in restaurants.

Key takeaways for your food service resume

Tailor your food service resume
Every food service job is different. Look closely at the job ad and change your resume to show off the skills and experiences they want the most.
Talk about your food service skills
Whether it’s making meals fast, keeping customers happy or managing the kitchen, your resume should show what special skills you have.
List any certifications
Having certifications, like a food handler’s certificate, can really make you stand out. If you’ve got any, put them where they’re easy to see on your resume.
Share your experience with food
In food service, what you’ve achieved matters. Use real examples with numbers to show how you’ve made things better or faster.
Check your resume twice
Getting details right is super important in food service. Look over your resume to catch mistakes, then ask someone else to check it too.
Don’t forget your cover letter
A cover letter can show your excitement and commitment to food service in a way your resume can’t by itself.

Commonly asked question about resume writing

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Don is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than 10 years’ experience creating digital content, including four years helping job seekers develop their careers. He holds an M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University.