Sous chef cover letter example
A strong sous chef cover letter shows leadership as well as cooking, with one example of running the kitchen, cutting waste or training a team. It should give the size of your kitchen, mention your food safety and cookery qualifications and say why the venue's food appeals to you.
Liam Fitzgerald
liam@example.com | 07700 900141 | Bristol
3 March 2026
The Hawthorn Restaurant
Dear Mr Abernethy,
I am writing to apply for the Sous Chef position at The Hawthorn Restaurant, advertised on your website. For the past three years I have been sous chef in a 90-cover modern British restaurant, running the kitchen on the head chef's days off and leading a team of five.
Ordering and waste are where a kitchen makes or loses money, so I count stock each week and plan prep from the booking sheet. Last year I changed how we portioned and stored fish and vegetables, which cut our weekly waste and helped us hold the dish costs set by the head chef. I also train new chefs on allergens and safe handling, because good habits from day one protect the whole kitchen.
The Hawthorn appeals to me because of its seasonal menus and its links with local growers, which is the kind of cooking I want to keep developing. I hold a Level 3 food safety certificate and a Level 3 diploma in professional cookery, and I am comfortable working evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
I would be glad to cook a tasting dish or join a trial service. Thank you for considering my application.
Yours sincerely,
Liam Fitzgerald
Tips for a sous chef cover letter
- Lead with your kitchen size, style of food and team size
- Give one example of leadership, such as training new chefs or running service without the head chef
- Mention cost control, ordering or waste, since sous chefs are often responsible for these
- Say why you like the venue's food, using a real detail from its menu
- Offer a trial service or a tasting as an alternative to a formal interview
- List food safety and cookery qualifications near the end
Pair it with a CV: see our sous chef CV example.