Published: May 6, 2025 – The Head Chef oversees kitchen operations by maintaining food quality, managing staff schedules through software, and ensuring workload balance across all sections. This position implements sales forecasts based on business trends and local events while enforcing portion control, recipe standards, and hygiene regulations. The head chef also handles team recruitment, training, and performance monitoring, and prepares stock reports and inventory checks.

Tips for Head Chef Skills and Responsibilities on a Resume
1. Head Chef, The Green Plate Bistro, Springfield, IL
Job Summary:
- Responsible for the supervision of the back-of-house team
- Lead the Culinary Team in the execution of the highest level of food preparation
- Evaluate staff performance, product quality, and production flow, and foster improvement
- Develop new menus and individual menu items based on current food trends, regional tastes, and seasonal price fluctuations
- Oversee the management of all inventory items
- Establish and maintain vendor relationships
- Facilitate Chef team-building classes for corporate clientele
- Represent the property in the media when the occasion arises
- Assist in estimating the annual food budget
- Collaborate with colleagues on menu development.
- Ensure compliance with company Health and Safety procedures and policies.
- Work on and deliver all company budgets relating to food cost and People.
Skills on Resume:
- Team Supervision (Soft Skills)
- Culinary Execution (Hard Skills)
- Performance Evaluation (Soft Skills)
- Menu Development (Hard Skills)
- Inventory Management (Hard Skills)
- Vendor Relations (Soft Skills)
- Team-Building (Soft Skills)
- Budget Management (Hard Skills)
2. Head Chef, Lakeside Grill, Boulder, CO
Job Summary:
- Responsible for enhancing the food product that is presented to guests.
- Make changes that respond to the marketplace and guests’ needs, both present and anticipated.
- Recommend changes to the food product.
- Use market research and pick up global and regional trends of family-friendly food to develop new products.
- Responsible for maintaining the quality of food products and ensuring consistency in food delivery and standards.
- Ensure operationally that HACCP, DM, and Merlin rules for food safety are in place and followed without gaps.
- Communicate any concern immediately with the HACCP in charge, the F&B Manager, and the Hotel Director.
- Responsible for the selection, training, and development of the personnel within the department.
- Oversee divisional matters as they relate to local laws.
- Control the elements that determine profit and loss.
- Responsible for all major operating expenses.
- Set margins and manage the business against projections.
Skills on Resume:
- Product Enhancement (Soft Skills)
- Market Research (Hard Skills)
- Food Quality Control (Hard Skills)
- Food Safety Compliance (Hard Skills)
- Team Training (Soft Skills)
- Legal Compliance (Hard Skills)
- Profit Management (Hard Skills)
- Expense Control (Hard Skills)
3. Head Chef, Bella Cucina, Miami, FL
Job Summary:
- Report to the Catering Manager
- Organise and control all aspects of the catering operation with strategic planning for the growth and profitability of the business
- Supervise and control all aspects of the production of meals within budgetary guidelines and to comply with the client, company, and statutory regulations
- Take care of the kitchen's accounts and create a work roster
- Ensure and organize regular kitchen stocktakes
- Ensure the production of food to the highest quality and service standards using current trends in cooking techniques and new commodities
- Actively build good client relationships
- Ensure that nominated suppliers are being used to provide the relevant supplies
- Ensure that all company book work and returns are completed in the prescribed manner
- Ensure consistent standards of service through the effective recruitment, selection, and training of all staff
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date personnel files, including working hours, payroll, and training records
- Effectively communicate with the team regularly, including monthly documented team briefings and weekly management team meetings
Skills on Resume:
- Catering Operations (Hard Skills)
- Budget Management (Hard Skills)
- Stock Management (Hard Skills)
- Food Quality Standards (Hard Skills)
- Client Relationship (Soft Skills)
- Supplier Management (Hard Skills)
- Staff Recruitment (Soft Skills)
- Team Communication (Soft Skills)
4. Head Chef, Maplewood Tavern, Charlotte, NC
Job Summary:
- Lead kitchen service with executive excellence and attention to detail
- Menu development - daily features and seasonal menu changes
- Develop food recipes and communicate SOPs in line with the restaurant standards
- Manage the food preparation process and any other related activities
- Ensure the quality and quantities of the different menu items are consistent at all times.
- Manage the kitchen in full capacity and under stress load for on-time preparation and delivery of food,
- Manage and train BoH staff to effectively communicate and cooperate with FoH teams to ensure timely and quality service.
- Ensure full compliance with the health and safety of internal standards and local authorities' regulations,
- Work with the Purchasing Section to request and deliver kitchen requirements in a timely and cost-effective manner.
- Work with HR to ensure the payroll and attendance of the BoH staff and to foster a good, cooperative, and respectful work culture.
- Adopt all company systems and operational practices.
- Ensure the highest standards are maintained and the kitchen performance delivers its targets through a People First, Guest Obsessed, Operational Excellence Strategy
Skills on Resume:
- Leadership (Soft Skills)
- Menu Design (Hard Skills)
- Recipe Creation (Hard Skills)
- Food Management (Hard Skills)
- Quality Control (Hard Skills)
- Staff Training (Soft Skills)
- Safety Compliance (Hard Skills)
- Team Collaboration (Soft Skills)
5. Head Chef, Harborview Dining, Portland, ME
Job Summary:
- Lead and develop the Kitchen team, helping them to grow their careers with the business.
- Ensure that proper par stocks of all food items are maintained
- Work closely with the Culinary Team in Brand development and production
- Responsible for managing all food wastage on the proper form and submitting it to the Culinary or Operations team.
- Liaise with suppliers and report any problems to the Culinary Team
- Report any issues with equipment or contractors to the Operations Team
- Liaise with the Culinary Team and Management regarding food service issues
- Responsible for daily and weekly inventory of all items in the kitchen on the last day of the day or week.
- Supervise the weekend stock take of all relevant food storage areas.
- Manage agreed food cost percentage as set down in the budget
- Ensure adherence to targets set through the computer data system used by Vessel for food cost control.
Skills on Resume:
- Team Leadership (Soft Skills)
- Par Stock Management (Hard Skills)
- Brand Development (Soft Skills)
- Food Wastage Control (Hard Skills)
- Supplier Liaison (Soft Skills)
- Issue Reporting (Hard Skills)
- Inventory Management (Hard Skills)
- Cost Control (Hard Skills)
6. Head Chef, The Rustic Fork, Austin, TX
Job Summary:
- Develop catering and policy procedures
- Effectively supervise all kitchen staff and food production
- Ensure that the correct cleaning materials and appropriate methods of use and storage are being utilised.
- Maintain and continually improve the high standards of food prepared for day-to-day operations and the functions' service
- Set budgets for each area, determine food and beverage costs, maintain margins, and monitor achievement of these goals
- Quality control deliveries, check delivery notes and invoices, and negotiate with suppliers to ensure best value purchasing
- Monitor and implement environmental health regulations and health and safety regulations to maintain a high standard of hygiene and safety
- Effective stock management ensures sufficient stocks of ingredients and cooking materials are available to uphold the menu and service, yet minimise wastage levels
- Monitor food quality, portion control, wastage, and staff meal consumption
- Responsible for the overall cleanliness of the kitchen
- Responsible for the security of the department and for developing, monitoring, and maintaining all records relevant to the department following best practices.
Skills on Resume:
- Catering Procedures (Hard Skills)
- Staff Supervision (Soft Skills)
- Cleaning Standards (Hard Skills)
- Food Quality Control (Hard Skills)
- Budget Management (Hard Skills)
- Supplier Negotiation (Soft Skills)
- Health & Safety Compliance (Hard Skills)
- Stock Management (Hard Skills)
7. Head Chef, Ocean Breeze Eatery, Charleston, SC
Job Summary:
- Operate the Food and Beverage Department according to budget, complete monthly Food and Beverage performance review
- Place highest importance on food safety and hygiene of food preparation as outlined in the HACCP principles and the local guidelines for catering establishments.
- Prepare, produce, and present all foods following identified Food Hygiene and Health and Safety standards, commonly accepted in the catering industry.
- Display eagerness to increase food knowledge and skills.
- Strive to minimize food wastage.
- Provide an exceptional Guest experience
- Produce the menu costing following the new menus
- Oversee roster production for the Restaurant to ensure required coverage
- Communicate promptly, clearly, and concisely with the General Manager and team members on all matters.
- Have a high-level understanding of Hotel, Restaurant, and resort operations.
- Comply with WVRAP’s OH&S Policy, procedures, and any reasonable instruction given by WDAP
Skills on Resume:
- Budget Management (Hard Skills)
- Food Safety & Hygiene (Hard Skills)
- Food Preparation (Hard Skills)
- Food Knowledge (Soft Skills)
- Waste Minimization (Hard Skills)
- Guest Experience (Soft Skills)
- Menu Costing (Hard Skills)
- Roster Management (Hard Skills)
8. Head Chef, Elm Street Pub, Denver, CO
Job Summary:
- Responsible for maintaining food quality and ensuring customer and Brand satisfaction
- Plan weekly kitchen rotations in a software system to create employees' time sheets and organise the workload accordingly between the sections of the kitchen.
- Establish sales forecasts based on sales, business forecast, previous experience, London events, and holidays.
- Verify that all portion sizes, quality standards, department rules, polices, and procedures are maintained by kitchen team members
- Ensure that standard recipes are always being followed
- Supervise the production of all food items
- Supervise all staff members by checking prepared mise en place and food stocks (including dry stores), ensuring all necessary work is completed before despatch commencement times
- Ensure that all relevant food controls and correct temperatures are always logged and adhered to.
- Responsible for hiring, training, and monitoring the development of staff
- Lead the team in promoting food hygiene and quality standards and recipe adherence
- Create stock reports as required by the business, for this purpose, to open and close stock checks, and record them
Skills on Resume:
- Food Quality Management (Hard Skills)
- Staff Scheduling (Hard Skills)
- Sales Forecasting (Hard Skills)
- Portion Control (Hard Skills)
- Recipe Adherence (Hard Skills)
- Food Production Supervision (Hard Skills)
- Staff Training & Development (Soft Skills)
- Stock Reporting (Hard Skills)
9. Head Chef, The Urban Spice, Richmond, VA
Job Summary:
- Make decisions that relate to profit and loss.
- Responsible for the financial management of the operation.
- Give direction and be responsible for the implementation of plans.
- Monitor effectiveness and introduce changes in response to the marketplace.
- Set targets, plan, and schedule work and performance indicators that are typically productivity and efficiency measures.
- Perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the hotel
- Consult with the F&B Manager, HACCP in charge, and Hotel Director weekly, as well as with other departments
- Participate in long-range planning.
- Take responsibility for food cost and inventory management
- Recruit, hire, train, develop, and motivate a team of sous chefs and kitchen staff
- Food purchasing and building relationships with multiple suppliers
- Participate, support, and make recommendations for ongoing hotel programs with continuous improvement in networking.
Skills on Resume:
- P&L Management (Hard Skills)
- Financial Management (Hard Skills)
- Decision Making (Soft Skills)
- Market Adaptation (Soft Skills)
- Target Setting (Hard Skills)
- Staff Recruitment & Training (Soft Skills)
- Food Purchasing (Hard Skills)
- Continuous Improvement (Soft Skills)
10. Head Chef, Copper Creek Restaurant, Madison, WI
Job Summary:
- Plan and develop all recipes for center menus, including special days and features
- Demonstrate creativity with menus, keeping up-to-date with trends and recipes that are appealing to children
- Develop menus that align with the food guide in terms of nutritional value and guidelines within the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) and Ontario Dietitians of Public Health Child Care Recommendations
- Responsible for monitoring and evaluating meal preparation and service to ensure established standards are maintained for both the quality and quantity of all meals and snacks
- Create and plan for allergy and food restriction strategies as incorporated into the menus
- Ensure proper presentation, food quality, portion control, and maintenance of proper serving temperatures.
- Supports ensuring positive family relationships and satisfaction at the center level.
- Support Center Operations, including production, interviewing, scheduling, training, counselling, participating in reviews, and recommending disciplinary action for cooks
- Lead and attend Food and Chef team member meetings
- Ensure strict compliance with the CV Quality Assurance and Health and Safety Programs, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and WHMIS regulations
- Develop positive team relationships and ensure that overall team satisfaction with service and menu options is achieved.
Skills on Resume:
- Menu Planning (Hard Skills)
- Creative Development (Soft Skills)
- Nutritional Knowledge (Hard Skills)
- Meal Evaluation (Hard Skills)
- Allergy Management (Hard Skills)
- Food Presentation (Hard Skills)
- Team Leadership (Soft Skills)
- Safety Compliance (Hard Skills)
11. Head Chef, Riverstone Café, Phoenix, AZ
Job Summary:
- Manage vendor relationships and leverage all potential resources and tools
- Ensure that a high standard of hygiene, cleanliness, and safety is maintained throughout the kitchen areas at all times
- Evaluate food products to ensure that company standards are consistently attained
- Implement measures to effectively manage food costs
- Approve all requisitions for the purchase of products and other necessary food supplies
- Ensure safeguards, food handlers' work practices, by implementing training programs to increase safety and accident prevention techniques
- Prepare necessary information for food costs, monitor actual financial results, and take corrective action to ensure that financial targets are met
- Perform administrative duties that include completion of weekly purchase summaries, inventory controls, and daily production meetings and records
- Develop and implement a cleaning schedule for the kitchens, including the maintenance and cleaning of kitchen equipment, and the general cleaning of the kitchen
- Coordinate frequent workplace inspections and WHMIS training of all staff and promptly report any workplace incident to the Director or designate
- Ensure Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards are followed in the food preparation process.
Skills on Resume:
- Vendor Management (Soft Skills)
- Hygiene & Safety (Hard Skills)
- Food Evaluation (Hard Skills)
- Cost Management (Hard Skills)
- Requisition Approval (Hard Skills)
- Safety Training (Soft Skills)
- Financial Monitoring (Hard Skills)
- Cleaning & Maintenance (Hard Skills)
12. Head Chef, Harvest Moon Kitchen, Orlando, FL
Job Summary:
- Maintain high standards of culinary skills in preparation, cooking, and presentation of all food, in line with hotel standards.
- Establish and delegate the physical stock control and rotation, and prepare potential food costs.
- Liaise with Management and other departments regarding potential business and possible special requirements for future bookings.
- Delegate the receiving and checking of delivered goods (for quantity and quality) against requisitions and delivery notes.
- Attend weekly Food and Beverage and management meetings.
- Ensure that service from the Kitchen is prompt and courteous.
- Assist in producing a maintenance and cleaning schedule, allocating specific duties to ensure the hygiene, cleanliness, and tidiness of the Kitchen areas.
- Delegate duties to the staff and supervise their work.
- Ensure a smooth and efficient operation.
- Train and supervise in menu planning, ordering, rota compilation, and menu costing with the Sous Chef, Chef de Partie’s, and Commis Chef’s.
- Help plan, create, and cost menus and ensure the set food percentage is achieved whilst maintaining standards.
Skills on Resume:
- Culinary Skills (Hard Skills)
- Stock Control (Hard Skills)
- Business Liaison (Soft Skills)
- Delivery Inspection (Hard Skills)
- Meeting Participation (Soft Skills)
- Service Management (Soft Skills)
- Cleaning Schedule (Hard Skills)
- Staff Supervision (Soft Skills)
13. Head Chef, The Tasty Table, Seattle, WA
Job Summary:
- Ensure that personal and working standards of cleanliness are adhered to.
- Ensure that the equipment is functional and well-maintained.
- Secure the company's stock and property, ensuring all keys are included in the hotel key system in order to provide possible access to all lockable areas, cupboards, fridges, equipment, and padlocks at any time.
- Ensure all staff are smartly and correctly attired following company policy.
- Ensure that all aspects of Health and Safety, Hygiene, welfare, guest safety, by-laws, fire regulations, emergency procedures, etc. are adhered to within the relevant departments.
- Ensure all training carried out within the Kitchen is recorded and all training records are up to date.
- Help control the quality of food produced, portions served, plating, and waste.
- Ensure all areas are clean, safe, and tidy.
- Help ensure a good working relationship with suppliers and colleagues in other departments.
- Comply with any reasonable request by Management
- Take ownership of menus.
Skills on Resume:
- Cleanliness Standards (Hard Skills)
- Equipment Maintenance (Hard Skills)
- Stock Security (Hard Skills)
- Staff Attire (Soft Skills)
- Health & Safety Compliance (Hard Skills)
- Training Records (Hard Skills)
- Food Quality Control (Hard Skills)
- Supplier Relationships (Soft Skills)