7 min read16 June 2026

CV for Chef or Hospitality in the UK 2026 — Guide

UK hospitality is short over 100,000 workers in 2026 (UK Hospitality sector report). From commis chefs to head chefs, from kitchen porters to restaurant managers, the sector cannot hire fast enough. Salaries range from £22,000 for entry-level roles to £40,000+ for experienced chefs and sous chefs. Whitbread (Premier Inn), Greene King, and Compass Group UK recruit at scale through Workday and Oracle Taleo. Your CV needs Food Hygiene certification, kitchen-specific vocabulary, and clean ATS formatting. This guide shows you exactly how to structure it.

What does a chef earn in the UK in 2026?

Chefs and hospitality workers in the UK earn between £22,000 and £40,000 per year in 2026, with head chefs at premium restaurants exceeding £50,000. Data from ONS ASHE 2025, Caterer.com salary surveys, and industry reports:

Kitchen porter: £22,000–£25,000/year
Commis chef: £23,000–£26,000/year
Chef de partie (CDP): £26,000–£32,000/year
Sous chef: £32,000–£38,000/year
Head chef: £38,000–£50,000/year (London: up to £60,000)
Restaurant/hotel manager: £30,000–£42,000/year + service charge
Contract catering (Compass, Sodexo): slightly lower base but regular hours and benefits

Key employers: Whitbread (Premier Inn/Beefeater — 800+ sites), Greene King (2,700 pubs), Compass Group UK (contract catering), Wagamama, Nando's, and hotel groups like IHG, Marriott, and Accor.

What CV format do UK hospitality employers expect?

Large hospitality chains use Workday (Whitbread, IHG) or Oracle Taleo (Compass Group) for recruitment. Independent restaurants often review CVs directly. For chain roles, ATS compatibility is essential:

Length: 1–2 pages. One page is standard for kitchen roles below head chef.
Food Hygiene at the top: State your Food Hygiene Level 2 (or Level 3 for supervisors) in the first section. It is a legal requirement and the first thing checked.
Sections: Contact → Certifications (Food Hygiene, allergens) → Personal statement → Work experience → Skills/Cuisine types → Education → References
Cuisine types: State your specialism clearly: British, Italian, Asian, pastry, contract catering. Employers filter by cuisine.
No photo, no DOB — UK convention. Do state Right to Work status.
File format: PDF. Simple formatting — hospitality managers often review on mobile between services.

How to describe kitchen experience on a UK CV

Hospitality recruiters want to see: covers per service, cuisine type, kitchen brigade position, and any efficiency or cost achievements. Not vague responsibilities.

Before (weak): "Worked as a chef in a busy kitchen." After (strong): "Chef de partie (grill section) at 200-cover brasserie. Managed mise en place and service for grill and rotisserie sections. Reduced food waste by 18% through improved prep scheduling. Maintained 5-star Food Hygiene Rating across 2 EHO inspections."

Before (weak): "Prepared food and cleaned the kitchen." After (strong): "Commis chef preparing 80+ covers/service in a 2-rosette hotel kitchen (IHG). Responsible for vegetable prep, sauce work, and dessert plating. Trained in allergen management (14 declarable allergens) and HACCP documentation."

Use UK hospitality vocabulary: 'covers', 'mise en place', 'brigade', 'EHO inspection', 'HACCP', 'allergen management', 'Food Hygiene Rating', 'COSHH', 'stock rotation'. These are the terms Workday searches for.

Example CV for chef in the UK — Chef CV generated by MeuCV — Food Hygiene and covers

Which certifications boost a hospitality CV in the UK?

Beyond Food Hygiene Level 2, these certifications signal professionalism and open doors to better-paid roles:

Food Hygiene Level 2 (Food Safety in Catering) — legal minimum for food handlers. State awarding body (Highfield, CIEH, RSPH) and date.
Food Hygiene Level 3 (Supervising Food Safety) — required for kitchen supervisors and head chefs. Shows management capability.
Allergen Awareness — mandatory knowledge since Natasha's Law (2021). Demonstrate you understand 14 declarable allergens.
HACCP training — Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. Valued in contract catering (Compass, Sodexo) and hotel kitchens.
COSHH — Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. Required for anyone handling cleaning chemicals.
Personal Licence (alcohol) — for front-of-house and management roles. Lasts 10 years. Costs £37.
First Aid at Work — increasingly expected for senior kitchen staff. Valid 3 years.

5 errors that get your hospitality CV rejected in the UK

Missing Food Hygiene certification — without it on your CV, the ATS assumes you are not legally compliant. Always state level, awarding body, and date.
No covers or service scale — 'worked in a restaurant' means nothing. State covers/service, kitchen size, and your brigade position.
Using non-UK kitchen terminology — 'cocinero', 'cuisinier', 'cozinheiro' get zero matches. Use: Chef, Commis Chef, CDP, Sous Chef, Head Chef.
Including a photo — not expected in UK hospitality recruitment. Remove entirely.
No cuisine specialism stated — employers filter by cuisine type. State clearly: British, Italian, Pan-Asian, pastry, contract catering, fine dining.

Your next step: build your hospitality CV today

UK hospitality has over 100,000 unfilled roles. If you can cook, manage a section, or run a kitchen — the demand is there. A properly formatted CV with Food Hygiene, covers, and the right kitchen vocabulary is your ticket in.

MeuCV builds chef and hospitality CVs that Workday and Oracle Taleo can parse — certifications prominent, brigade position clear, achievement-focused. From £4.99. Takes 5 minutes.

Create my hospitality CV →