What is the difference between a chef de partie and a sous chef?

A chef de partie runs one section of the kitchen. A sous chef is second in command, runs the whole kitchen in the head chef's absence and usually handles ordering, rotas and training.

Do I need a Level 3 qualification to be a sous chef?

Not always. Experience counts heavily, but a Level 3 food safety certificate and a cookery qualification help, especially in hotels and larger businesses.

Should I include costs and percentages on my CV?

Include targets or results you truly know, such as kept food costs to target. Never guess or invent numbers.

Sous chef CV example

A strong sous chef CV shows that you can run the kitchen when the head chef is away, lead a small team and keep food safe, consistent and on budget. It should give the size of the kitchen, the style of food and real examples of ordering, rotas and training.

Priya Shah

Sous chef

priya@example.com | 07700 900141 | Bristol

Profile

Organised and steady sous chef with eight years of kitchen experience, the last three as second in command in a 90-cover restaurant serving modern British food. Leads a brigade of five, manages ordering and stock, and keeps HACCP records and allergen information up to date. Holds a Level 3 food safety certificate and a Level 3 diploma in professional cookery.

Experience

Sous Chef

a 90-cover modern British restaurant

Ran the kitchen on the head chef's days off, leading a team of five through lunch and dinner service

Managed weekly ordering with three suppliers, checking deliveries and cutting waste through tighter stock counts

Helped write the seasonal menu and costed each dish to hold the margin set by the head chef

Trained new chefs on prep, allergens and safe food handling, and kept training records

Kept HACCP, temperature and cleaning records up to date, helping the kitchen hold its 5 food hygiene rating

Chef de Partie

a hotel restaurant and banqueting kitchen

Ran the sauce and grill sections for a 60-seat restaurant and banquets of up to 150 guests

Prepared mise en place to the head chef's specifications and set up the section before each service

Supervised two commis chefs and showed them new techniques

Worked to tight banquet timings, sending out plated courses together

Covered the sous chef's absences, handling ordering and rotas

Key skills

Leading a kitchen teamMenu developmentOrdering and stock controlFood costing and waste controlHACCP and food safety recordsAllergen managementStaff training and rotasModern British cookingRunning the passLevel 3 food safety

Example · fictional candidate · Timeline design · Use this design

Tips for a sous chef CV

Give the number of covers, the style of food and the size of your team so the reader understands your level
Show leadership with examples of training, rotas and handovers, not just cooking
Mention cost control, such as waste reduced, margins held or supplier deals you managed
List food safety, allergen and cookery qualifications clearly
Describe menus you helped create or improve
Show that you can stay calm and run the pass when service is under pressure

Applying with a cover letter? See our sous chef cover letter example.