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Resume example

Sous chef resume example

In a French kitchen brigade, the second de cuisine is the chef's right hand and runs the pass when the chef is away. Before service you check the mise en place of each section, taste the sauces and stocks, adjust the prep list to the bookings and make sure the chefs de partie and commis know the day's specials.

During service you call the orders, check every plate before it leaves and move people between sections when the grill or the cold station falls behind. Outside the rush, a large part of the job is less visible: receiving deliveries, rotating stock, filling in the hygiene records required by the food safety plan, costing new dishes with the chef and building the staff rota.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Sous-Chef (Second de cuisine) | Brigade Management, Pass, Mise en Place

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

Sous-chef with [x] years in restaurants serving [x] covers per service. I manage a brigade of [x], build the rota, order from suppliers, keep the hygiene records up to date and develop the weekly specials with the chef while watching food cost.

Experience

Second de cuisine, [Restaurant], [City]

[month year] to present

  • Ran the pass for [x] services a week and supervised a brigade of [x] chefs de partie, commis and apprentices
  • Wrote the recipe sheets with allergen details for the new seasonal menu and trained the team on each dish
  • Reorganised the ordering schedule with three suppliers, which reduced waste on fresh fish
  • Kept the hygiene records complete and passed the health inspection without any non-compliance
  • Built the weekly rota while respecting rest periods and the team's day-off requests

Resume headlines

  • Sous-Chef (Second de cuisine) | Brigade Management, Pass, Mise en Place
  • Sous-Chef | Bistronomic Kitchen, Seasonal Menus, Food Cost Control
  • Second de cuisine | Hotel Restaurant and Banqueting, HACCP Compliance

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

Chef de partie with [x] years on the sauce and fish stations at [Restaurant], [City], where I regularly ran the pass on the chef's day off. Holder of a CAP Cuisine and a BP Arts de la cuisine, ready for a first sous-chef position.

Experienced

Sous-chef with [x] years in restaurants serving [x] covers per service. I manage a brigade of [x], build the rota, order from suppliers, keep the hygiene records up to date and develop the weekly specials with the chef while watching food cost.

Career change

Former events catering supervisor who returned to the kitchen after a CAP Cuisine as an adult. I bring planning and team coordination skills from large events, and [x] years as chef de partie in a traditional restaurant.

Tips

  • Give the type of cuisine and the volume (covers per service, number of sittings), since a sous-chef in a fine dining kitchen and in a brasserie do different jobs.
  • Name the chefs and restaurants you trained with: in France, the kitchen you came from often counts as much as the diploma.
  • Show management, not just cooking: rota, orders, training, hygiene records.
  • Mention any experience covering for the head chef, even occasionally.
  • Link your Instagram or a short portfolio of plates if you have one.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Listing only cooking techniques, which makes you look like a chef de partie.
  • Leaving out food cost and ordering, which every head chef expects from a second.
  • Writing vague job titles such as "cook" when you held a specific station.
  • Forgetting your hygiene training, which employers check.

Working as a sous chef in France

Search for "second de cuisine" or "sous-chef", both used in ads. The job is not regulated, but the usual route is a CAP Cuisine followed by experience as commis and chef de partie; the BP Arts de la cuisine or a BTS Management en hôtellerie-restauration help for larger kitchens. Employers check food hygiene training, and the kitchen must follow a food safety plan and declare the major allergens on its dishes. Most restaurants apply the HCR collective agreement (hôtels, cafés, restaurants), with split shifts and weekend work. Kitchen French is a must, since orders and corrections are called out loud during service.

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Frequently asked questions

How many years should I have as chef de partie before applying?

There is no fixed rule. Most head chefs look for someone who has held several stations and has already replaced the sous-chef or chef during some services. If you have done that, say so clearly, with the context, because it is the best proof you are ready for the role.

Should I put my diplomas first or my experience?

Experience first. French kitchens hire on references and on the restaurants you worked in. Put your CAP, BP or BTS in a short education section, and keep the main space for your positions, the type of cuisine and your responsibilities.

Do I need a photo on a French resume for a kitchen job?

It is common but not required. In hospitality many recruiters still expect one. If you add it, use a simple, professional photo, ideally in chef whites, rather than a holiday picture.

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