8 Restaurant Resume Examples and Writing Tips for 2024
Written By Nathan Soto
Reviewed By Samuel Johns, CPRWIf you’re looking for resume examples for the restaurant industry then look no further — our 8 restaurant resume samples and expert writing tips will help you write a winning resume in no time.
Restaurant Resume Template (Text Format)
Start by choosing the best resume format for you.
Copy-and-Paste Restaurant Resume Template
FIRST AND LAST NAME
RESUME SUMMARY
Dedicated Restaurant professional with [number] years of experience. Seeking to leverage my experience in [relevant abilities] to fill the restaurant manager position. Hold a [degree/diploma/certification] in [Degree/Diploma/Certification Title]. Skilled at [2–3 relevant skills]. A [adjective #1] and [adjective #2] worker aiming to contribute to the success of [Restaurant Name].
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
- Include a bulleted list of your achievements as a restaurant manager
Start each bullet point with an action verb (like “develop” or “manage”) to grab attention - Use the present tense for your current restaurant manager role, unless describing a completed project or initiative
- Use hard numbers when possible to quantify your accomplishments as a restaurant manager
- Mention how you’ve used some of the restaurant skills listed in your skills section to demonstrate your mastery of these abilities
- List relevant accomplishments from your previous role as an assistant restaurant manager
- Assuming you’re no longer working in this assistant restaurant manager role, use past tense verbs to describe your work
- Include 3–6 bullet points for each restaurant role, both your current one and previous ones
- Skip the pronoun “I” and begin directly with a verb
- Although you’ll usually list work experience, feel free to include restaurant-relevant internships as well as any volunteer work and extracurricular activities if you lack formal work experience
EDUCATION
Degree Name / Major
University, City, State | Graduation Month, Year
GPA: 3.X/4.0 (optional)
Latin honors (if applicable)
SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS
- List skills and certifications relevant to the restaurant job you’re applying for
- Look at the job description for ideas of the skills the employer wants and that are common in the restaurant industry
- Emphasize restaurant-specific hard skills and technical skills in this section
- Be as specific as possible by including names of tools, equipment, and software you’ve mastered that are used in the restaurant industry
OPTIONAL RESUME SECTIONS
- Add any other relevant information about your background here
- For example, a separate section could be used to highlight any of the following information: restaurant-relevant awards, languages, and volunteer experience
Entry-level restaurant resume
If you’re looking to write a resume for a restaurant job with no experience, look no further:
Example highlights
- Transferable skills: This applicant has no restaurant experience, but they still list their cash handling and customer service skills, because these abilities are also relevant to working in a restaurant.
- Measurable accomplishments: In the experience section of their resume, they’ve added numbers to illustrate the volume and scope of their job duties and accomplishments. This helps hiring managers see what kind of impact they’ve had and what kind of value they can bring to the new position.
Restaurant manager resume
If you’re an experienced restaurant worker and are ready for a new job in restaurant management, here’s a resume sample for you to base your own on:
Example highlights
- Certifications: By listing their food safety and restaurant manager certifications, this candidate shows that they already have the required skills to excel in a leadership position in the restaurant industry.
- Effective resume summary: This resume features a strong resume summary at the top, including a quick overview of the applicant’s experience and key skills. This helps hiring managers quickly see what kind of worker they are and makes them want to keep reading.
Looking for more restaurant resume examples? Start by checking out even more samples for restaurant jobs below:
Busser resume
Working as a busser requires an effective busser resume that shows employers what you’re capable of. Here’s an example:
Example highlight
- Food handler program: As a busser, this candidate will be primarily expected to clean tables, but they’ve included their food handler certification, which shows that they’re willing to go above and beyond the minimum requirements of the job. This shows hiring managers that they can be called upon to help out in other kitchen roles if needed.
Chef resume
If you’re applying for a job as a chef, you can model your resume off of this chef resume example:
Example highlights
- Cuisine-specific skills: This chef includes their areas of culinary expertise in the relevant skills section of their resume. This helps restaurant managers decide quickly whether their skills will be an asset to their restaurant.
- Strong resume summary: The resume summary at the top of this resume includes how many years of experience the chef has, as well as how many tables they typically serve in one evening.
Dishwasher resume
As a dishwasher, you’ll need a resume that highlights your strong dishwashing skills, like this dishwasher resume example does:
Example highlights
- Long list of skills: This dishwasher includes all of their kitchen-related skills, illustrating the breadth of their experience and capabilities.
- Dollar amounts: In the professional experience section, this dishwasher explains how much money they saved their previous employer by repairing equipment by themself. This shows hiring managers what kind of contribution they can make if hired.
Fine dining resume
If you’re applying for a job as a fine dining server, look at this fine dining resume example for ideas to get you started:
Example highlight
- Broad range of experience: This fine dining server has worked in many different restaurants, and lists them in the professional experience section of their resume, illustrating their contributions to each with numbers to quantify their achievements.
Hostess resume
Base your own hostess resume off of the following hostess resume example:
Example highlights
- Hostess-specific degree: This applicant lists their BA in Hospitality, showing employers that they have formal training in all areas of restaurant operations.
- High volume experience: This hostess includes her experience in high-volume restaurants, using numbers to quantify her impressive qualifications.
Line cook resume
If you’re creating a resume to apply for a job as a line cook, check out the following line cook resume example:
Example highlights
- Certification: This line cook includes their certification as Certified Culinarian, proving to employers that they have achieved a high level of skill as a cook.
- Language skills: They also list their fluency in English and Spanish, which signals their ability to thrive in a bilingual or monolingual Spanish-speaking kitchen.
Prep cook resume
If it’s a position as a prep cook that you’re after, then check out the following prep cook resume example:
Example highlights
- Skills developed: This prep cook lists the skills that they’ve developed, as well as how they did so, which shows employers more about their capabilities and learning potential than simply listing their skills.
- Impressive education and certifications: They also have two certifications, as well as an associate’s degree in culinary arts, which they list proudly at the bottom of their resume. This can help them stand out from the crowd of other applicants.
How to write a restaurant resume
The restaurant industry includes a wide number of exciting and versatile career options. You can find success in the restaurant industry even if you’re just starting out in your career.
But with a low barrier of entry comes plenty of competition. So if you want to land a well-paying job, your restaurant resume needs to help you stand out and advertise your most valuable qualifications.
Whatever your level of experience, follow these tips to write a strong restaurant resume:
1. Highlight your relevant hard skills
If you have previous experience working in a restaurant, list the skills you’ve gained from these positions front and center in the skills section of your resume.
For example, the following hard skills are relevant to a variety of careers in the restaurant industry:
- POS (Point of Sale)
- Food handling techniques
- Food preparation
- Reservation scheduling
- Menu planning
- OpenTable
- Recordkeeping
- Inventory
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- Recipe and menu software
If you don’t have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry, don’t worry. Experience in a related industry like customer service or retail has likely left you with plenty of transferable skills to list on your restaurant resume, such as:
- Cash handling
- Inventory management
- Order processing
- Stock rotation
- Upselling techniques
2. Emphasize your soft skills
In addition to key hard skills, be sure to highlight a few relevant soft skills, such as your ability to remain calm under pressure or develop a rapport with customers. Nearly any restaurant job requires customer interaction and the ability to handle high-stress situations, making soft skills essential for success.
Here are some important restaurant-related soft skills to include on your resume:
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Confidence
- People skills
- Customer service skills
- Positive attitude
- Good work ethic
- Organizational skills
- Problem-solving skills
- The ability to work well under pressure
- Attention to detail
To emphasize your skills, you should also include examples of how you put your expertise to work in your resume experience section.
For example, if you listed customer service skills in your resume skills section, you could add the following bullet to your work history:
- Handled phone, email, and in-person customer requests and complaints with empathy and respect, resulting in positive customer feedback and contributing to an average 4.5-star rating on Google and Yelp reviews
If you’re writing a resume with no experience, you can still include evidence of soft skills on your resume. For example, you may have picked up soft skills from volunteer work or internships listed on your resume.
3. Target your restaurant resume to the job post
One of the simplest ways to make sure your restaurant resume stands out is to adjust the content to address the needs of each restaurant you apply to work at.
To do this, scan through the job listing for the jobs you want. Take note of any required or desired skills and qualifications, and be sure to include them in your resume (as long as you have them). Doing this makes you appear more qualified than if you submit a generic resume to every restaurant you apply to.
In addition to qualifications that are specifically mentioned in the job description, do some research on the restaurant you’re applying to and gear your resume toward their customer-service approach and values.
For example, a family-owned restaurant may place more emphasis on making customers feel like family, while larger chain restaurants may focus more on your ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
4. Include relevant certifications and training
No matter what restaurant job you’re applying for, being able to show employers that you have the training necessary to contribute to giving customers the best experience possible will strengthen your application.
There are numerous restaurant certifications available and which one you should get depends on your role at the restaurant, but here are a few common ones to consider adding to your resume:
- ServSafe Food Handler Certification
- Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) Certification
- Certified Sommelier
- Certified Restaurant Manager
- ServSafe Allergens Certification
When adding certifications to your resume, list them in your skills section or create a separate section for them (if you have three or more).
If you’ve taken any courses or attended workshops related to menu development, hospitality and customer service, health and safety training, or specialized cooking techniques, include these on your restaurant resume as well.
Once you’ve finished your restaurant resume, take a look at our list of the best restaurant job boards to find your next job.
Resume examples for different industries
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8 Restaurant Resume Examples and Writing Tips for 2024
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