CV for Chef or Kitchen Porter in Ireland 2026

What pay can a chef or kitchen porter expect in Ireland?

Kitchen pay in Ireland varies significantly by role (kitchen porter, commis chef, chef de partie, sous chef, head chef), employer type (independent restaurant, hotel, contract caterer), location and seniority. Contract caterers often offer more predictable hours, while some hotels and fine-dining kitchens may offer more development. Check the job advert and the current minimum wage rules rather than relying on a figure from a blog post. Evening, weekend and bank holiday work may be paid differently.

What CV format do Irish hospitality employers expect?

Larger hospitality employers may use an online application system, while smaller restaurants often accept CVs by email or in person. Either way, front-load HACCP and availability:

• Length: 1–2 pages. Kitchen porter CVs should be one page; chef CVs can extend to two.
• Sections (in order): Contact details → HACCP and certifications → Personal statement → Work experience → Skills/cuisine types → Education
• Availability statement: "Available for evenings, weekends, split shifts, and bank holidays" — put this in your personal statement or a dedicated line. Hospitality managers often look for this first.
• Cuisine types: List specific cuisines you have worked with (Irish, Italian, Asian fusion, patisserie). This helps ATS matching for specialist roles.
• No photo, no PPS number — standard Irish format.

How to describe kitchen experience on an Irish CV

Irish hospitality employers want to see covers served, kitchen brigade level, and food safety compliance. Here is the difference between a weak and strong CV entry:

Before (weak): "Worked as cook in restaurant." After (strong): "Chef de partie (grill section) at 120-cover brasserie, responsible for mise en place, service execution, and section close-down. Managed 2 commis chefs during service. Maintained a clean record across 3 consecutive food safety inspections."

Before (weak): "Kitchen porter duties." After (strong): "Kitchen porter at 200-cover hotel restaurant, managing pot wash, deep clean rotation, and goods-in delivery checks. Trained in allergen awareness and waste segregation. Promoted to breakfast prep within 4 months."

Use Irish hospitality vocabulary: "covers", "brigade", "mise en place", "section", "pass", "goods-in", "FSAI audit", "allergen matrix". These are terms ATS software and hiring chefs often look for.

Which certifications do Irish kitchens require?

Food safety training matters in every kitchen role in Ireland, from kitchen porter to head chef, and employers expect to see HACCP on your CV. Food businesses must make sure their staff are properly trained or supervised, and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) publishes guidance on this:

1. HACCP Level 1 (food handler) — the usual minimum for kitchen porters and entry-level roles.
2. HACCP Level 2 (food safety management) — commonly expected for chefs and anyone supervising food preparation.
3. Manual Handling — required for roles involving heavy lifting (pot wash, goods-in, deliveries).
4. Allergen Awareness — food businesses are required to manage the 14 major allergens, so employers value this. A short course shows you take it seriously.
5. Barista training — valuable addition for roles in hotel breakfast service or café kitchens.
6. First Aid (occupational) — preferred for senior kitchen roles and asked for by some employers.

Place HACCP certification at the top of your CV. It is a keyword employers commonly look for, and if it is not visible, your CV may be ranked lower or overlooked.

5 errors that get your kitchen CV rejected in Ireland

1. Missing HACCP certification — even if you have it, if it is buried at the bottom of page 2, the recruiter will not find it. Place it at the top.
2. Not stating availability — if your CV does not explicitly say you can work evenings and weekends, hospitality managers assume you cannot. State it clearly.
3. Using non-Irish job titles — "cozinheiro" or "cook" is less precise than "chef de partie" or "commis chef". Use the brigade hierarchy terms Irish kitchens use.
4. No mention of covers or kitchen size — Irish chefs want to know scale. A 30-cover café is different from a 300-cover banqueting kitchen. Quantify every role.
5. Including PPS number or personal photos — standard Irish data protection rule. Never include these.

Your next step: build your kitchen CV today

If you have HACCP training and cooking experience, your CV is what shows it. It needs to speak the language of Irish kitchen hiring — brigade roles, cover counts, food safety compliance, and shift availability.

MeuCV builds chef and kitchen porter CVs for the Irish market — HACCP front and centre, proper brigade terminology, availability stated clearly, and ATS-friendly formatting. From €5.99.

Create my chef CV →