“Restaurants will need to be able to cater to guests both in-restaurant and in their home to be successful as we move forward. We are always learning, and we have learned a lot because of the pandemic.”
The food and hospitality sector took the brunt of the pandemic. Along with many other industries.
Businesses are always trying to offer new experiences. But this time, experts had to adapt to the new normal.
And quickly.
Quirky restaurant trends of the past 5 years suddenly became more popular. As a result, ghost kitchens, al fresco and solo dining are here to stay.
How can you show recruiters you can tackle these challenges on your food service resume?
Which skills are currently in demand?
How can you stand out among the thousands of candidates? Especially those applying for entry-level jobs in the food sector.
What about if you have more experience under your apron?
Read on to find out the answers to these and other questions!
This food service resume guide will help you
- Tailor your resume according to the job posting and your experience
- Effectively showcase the range of your hard and soft skills
- Choose extra resources to supplement your resume
- Draw resume-worthy achievements from your experience. Even if you’re not sure if you have any. And include them appropriately.
- Show you follow current trends and can adapt to the new normal
Looking for related resumes?
- Baker resume
- Fast Food resume
- Cook resume
- Server resume
- McDonald's resume
- Line Cook resume
- Busser resume
How to whip up an irresistible food service resume
What are the main components of a good resume? It’s simple - the right format and a memorable personal statement.
Food service is an umbrella term. It covers many professions - waiters, baristas, chefs, etc.
That’s why it’s important to read the job posting carefully and then:
- Evaluate your level of expertise
- List all your past positions, achievements and skills
- Include only the most relevant information
As with any other resume, you need to tailor it to the particular job position to stand out.
If you’re just starting out, think about your employment history. Have you ever worked in a similar position? Are any of your skills transferable?
Even if you’ve only ever worked as a customer service representative, it still counts. It means you have people skills. You know what sells and how to approach customers.
Use the hybrid or functional resume layout and lead with an attention-grabbing objective.
The resume objective is your personal statement. Explain what makes you think about switching careers. Recruiters want to see enthusiasm.
What about those of you who are already in the industry? The reverse-chronological order is your top choice for resume layout.
Pair it with an enticing resume summary. Again, hiring managers are searching for motivated candidates. Even if you’re more experienced.
Here is what the general layout looks like:
Key sections for your food service resume
- A professional-looking header to show you mean business
- Gripping resume objective or summary to get recruiters interested
- Experience section to display your relevant work history
- Skills section to boast your abilities and show versatility
- Education and certificates to explain what you specialize in
Regardless of which resume format you select, keep in mind the following factors:
Here is how to sweeten the deal for hiring managers
- Which career path do you ultimately wish to follow? How do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Are you more interested in the back of the house duties? Or are you an extrovert, willing to flaunt your social skills?
- Are you a team player? Or do you prefer to lead?
- Do you plan on obtaining specific certifications? Which ones?
- What other interests do you have? Do they inspire you to be more creative at work?
As you can see, it all boils down to which aspect of the food service sector is the most appealing for you.
Also, recruiters want to test how well you work with other professionals in the industry. Even if you’re leading a team.
Learn more about the different resume formats and pick what best fits your needs.
Setting the table: What should the food service resume header look like
Imagine expecting to have a fancy night out only to sit down at the restaurant and find out:
- The chair is wobbly
- There is lipstick on your glass
- Oh, and what’s this? A spelling mistake in the menu.
Great…
The same goes for your resume header. Many applicants overlook it because the header shows your basic personal information. And it’s true.
But if it looks unpolished, error-ridden and out of place, your chances of an interview are slim to none.
2 food service resume header examples
Here is Hallie’s first attempt at framing the header of her resume:
It feels bland, doesn’t it? It needs more ingredients:
- At least one additional method of contact and location
- Something more to spice up your titles
- A personal blog or a social media account
Food service professionals are often on the go. And picking up your phone while serving tables or cooking is not an option. Include your email so recruiters can reach you.
Secondly, think about what else you can add to your title besides your last occupation.
Are you a student of culinary arts or a cocktail master? Brag about your diverse skills!
Finally, the hospitality industry relies on visuals to appeal to its customers. If you have a personal food blog or an Instagram/Pinterest profile with photos, include them!
Here is the revised version of Hallie’s resume header:
Much better! Now recruiters know that Hallie is determined to become a chef who serves healthy meals.
Plus, there are enough ways to contact her, so hiring managers have no excuses not to do so.
How to make your food service resume summary appetizing?
You do know the purpose of a good apéritif or a starter, right?
To stimulate the appetite.
Well, this portion of your resume has to make recruiters even hungrier to learn more about you.
As such, the next question on your mind may be what is better for your food service resume - a summary or objective?
If you have a long work history, summarize your achievements and put your best foot forward.
Otherwise, use an objective. Explain what benefits you can bring to your potential employer.
2 food service resume summary examples
Let’s see how Hallie has managed this part of her resume:
It leaves a bad aftertaste, doesn’t it?
Hallie has displayed her ambitions to become a cook. But, the phrasing sounds crude. Also, she hasn’t hinted at why recruiters should consider her for the position.
More importantly, Hallie hasn’t mentioned anything about previous work experience or specialization. Information about certificates and extra training is missing, too.
How can Hallie edit the objective?
Wonderful!
Hiring managers know exactly how much Hallie has been a part of the food service business. They can also refer to past employers.
And recruiters see she abides by her industry safety regulations. All the while being able to cook for many people at the same time. Now this requires skills!
What’s next? The main course!
Cooking Up the Experience Section of Your Food Service Resume
The employment history section is not that difficult to concoct.
All you need is the right recipe!
Keep in mind to avoid recording your experience as a list of instructions. Hiring managers know your job entails many duties. Show them the results, instead.
What’s more, you need to keep it diverse. Tell the story of how your career started and how you got to where you are now. Continuous personal development is key.
Finally, introduce various aspects of your job:
- Your contributions to the back of the house team
- How you handle problematic customers
- How you cultivate relationships with vendors
Food service resume experience examples
Let’s have another look at Hallie’s first resume draft:
06/2015 - 11/2019 
- •Introduced new cocktail recipes.
- •Negotiated vendor contracts.
- •Worked with event planning companies.
- •Trained staff.
Oh, cool! Hallie is a Certified Cicerone and Mixologist at a trendy bar in Dallas. And she supposedly makes custom drinks.
But then, it fizzles out. How did this happen?
That’s because a to-do list follows a great introduction.
What can Hallie do to change this?
06/2015 - 11/2019 - •Expanded the customer pool by 45% by introducing custom-made cocktails for clients with dietary restrictions.
- •Increased customer satisfaction by 63% by re-negotiating new vendor contracts to diversify the lounge's selection of drinks.
- •Secured 5 ongoing beverage vendor contracts with various wedding and event planning agencies, which led to a 54% increase in revenue.
- •Educated new staff members on how to safely prepare flaming drinks, thus reducing workplace accidents by 20%.
Just wow!
Hallie shouldn’t have any problems grabbing the recruiters’ attention at all. Her talents have:
- Brought many additional clients
- Increased customers’ satisfaction and employer’s revenue
- Helped colleagues stay safe
Not only has she shown versatility, her actions and skills bring results.
Speaking of abilities…
What is the perfect skills cocktail for your food service resume?
You need:
- Half a pint of technical expertise
- Another half a pint of social prowess
- A dash of verifiable accomplishments
Food service professionals have a long list of responsibilities. So, it’s not difficult to balance your resume with equal parts hard and soft skills.
Select those you excel in and corroborate them with results.
But what are considered food service skills?
Let’s explore them by type.
How to present hard skills on your resume
Depending on the career path you’ve chosen, your skills list will vary.
If you’re a chef, you will have to know your way around the kitchen. Preparing dishes, safely using equipment and maintaining cleanliness is a must.
By contrast, if you manage the customer side of the business, you need to be able to operate POS systems. And mobile booking apps.
Running a bar? Then you need to keep track of inventory, mix drinks and handle the cash register at the very least.
With that in mind, some of the essential hard skills include:
Top technical skills for food service professionals
- Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds
- Ability to stand for long periods of time
- Coordination, dexterity and balance
- Taking directions
- Reading Comprehension and Basic Maths
- Interpretation and language skills
- Knowledge of kitchen layout, supplies and services ordering
- Ability to safely handle restaurant equipment
- Inventory management
- Adherence to safety procedures and quality standards
- Safe use of cleaning equipment and supplies
- Knowledge of temperature requirements and food safety
- OSHA regulations
- HACCP guidelines
- Good understanding of food allergens and accompanying dietary restrictions
- Food preparation mastery (including recipes, techniques, presentation methods)
- Ability to work in a hazardous environment
- Ability to operate POS systems and cash registers
- Accounting, inventory management, and restaurant management software
How to dish out soft skills on your resume
Before we get to the list of all the soft skills you can add in your resume, it’s important to know how to describe them.
Remember to tie in your talents to measurable outcomes. Employers are hiring for potential results. They want someone they can rely on.
Going back to Hallie’s resume, the soft skills section looks a little something like this:
Notice how each of her strengths is backed by a definitive result?
It’s even better, if you have a certificate or a prize, awarded by a third party. This means that an unbiased jury of your peers has fairly judged your abilities.
So, what are the soft skills you can boast on your resume?
The main soft skills a food service expert should have
- Strong work ethic
- Enthusiasm
- Willingness to learn new skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to organize, educate and lead staff
- Adaptability
- Flexibility
- Organization skills
- Time management and prioritization
- Negotiations skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Creativity
- Resourcefulness
- Communication skills
- Decision-making skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Being personable
- Team work
- Customer service skills
- Strategic planning
- Knowledge of restaurant etiquette and cultural eating habits
Food service resume: Should the education section be on the menu?
Of course! Every resume should have an education section because it provides context.
Hiring managers get an idea of your personal development. Combine it with your experience and you get a well-rounded story.
Even if the requirements for an entry-level position are usually:
- A high school diploma or a GED
- At least 6 months of related business experience
- Home economics classes
It means there is room for growth. If you show you’re motivated and willing to learn, then there’s nothing stopping you.
But the higher you go up the career ladder, the more evidence of further training you have to add.
This includes the following degrees:
- Culinary Arts
- Pastry
- Mixology
- Hospitality and Management
- Business Administration
- Strategic Management
- Nutrition
The world is your oyster!
Spicing up your food service resume with a pinch of certificates
Much like the education section, what you add in this part of your resume depends on your career path.
Research job ads to find out what hiring managers and employers are looking for. Then, explore which reputable institutions for further education are providing these certifications.
Curate your assets and tell your story the way you like it.
What about desserts? Other sections to sprinkle on your food service resume
These usually provide the icing on a nicely-baked resume.
Why?
Because the supplementary information makes your story believable. It helps you exhibit character traits and interests you haven’t listed on your resume yet.
Here is what else you can add to your resume:
- A letter of interest (cover letter)
- Certifications and awards
- Key achievements
- Languages
- Volunteer work
- Personal blog
Although many job ads don’t say this explicitly, employers expect a letter of interest. They want to know how invested you are in what they have to offer.
Also, they want to see what you can give in return.
Key takeaways: how to make recruiters come back for more
- Read job postings carefully and tailor your resume to the position
- Emphasize how you are involved with different aspects of your profession
- Lead your experience and skills sections with results
- Both technical and soft skills are important - balance them out
- Write a letter of interest to supplement your resume and show how serious your are about the job
