Chef CV example and template (South Africa)

Hotels, lodges, restaurant groups, catering companies, hospitals and mines all employ chefs in South Africa. A head chef or executive chef reading your CV wants to see which station you can run, how big the kitchens you worked in were, and whether you know food safety well enough to pass an inspection. Your rank in the kitchen brigade (the team structure, from commis chef up to chef de partie, sous chef and head chef) tells them most of this in one word, so use it accurately.

The example below is for a chef de partie with about seven years in hotel and restaurant kitchens. If you have just finished culinary school, lead with your qualification, the school, and your practical work placement, and name the stations you worked on during training. Students from Capsicum Culinary Studio, Prue Leith, Silwood, Christina Martin and the public TVET colleges all compete for the same commis posts, so your placement experience is what sets you apart.

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Chef CV example

Kagiso Molefe

Chef de partie with 7 years in hotel and restaurant kitchens

073 555 0129 · kagiso.molefe@example.co.za · Johannesburg, Gauteng

Profile

Chef de partie with seven years in hotel and restaurant kitchens in Johannesburg, currently running the hot line for a 180-seat hotel restaurant and banqueting for up to 250 guests. Holds the QCTO Occupational Certificate Chef (NQF 5) and works to HACCP standards. Strong on stock control, portion costing and training commis chefs. Looking for a sous chef post in Gauteng.

Work experience

Chef de Partie (Hot Kitchen)

Southern Sun Hyde Park Sandton, Johannesburg | May 2022 – Present

Run the hot line for the hotel restaurant, sending out up to 220 plates on busy nights
Prepare and plate banqueting menus for weddings and conferences of up to 250 guests
Keep HACCP temperature logs and cleaning schedules up to date for the hot kitchen
Cost new menu items with the sous chef, helping bring food cost from 36% to 32%
Run weekly stock takes and place orders with meat and vegetable suppliers
Train and supervise three commis chefs on knife skills, mise en place and plating

Commis Chef

The Olive Grove Bistro, Morningside, Sandton | Jun 2019 – Apr 2022

Prepped vegetables, sauces and proteins for breakfast and lunch service
Worked the cold kitchen and grill stations during busy weekend services
Rotated stock using FIFO and labelled all prepped food with dates
Helped the kitchen pass monthly internal hygiene audits

Education

Occupational Certificate Chef (QCTO)

Capsicum Culinary Studio, Rosebank, 2019, NQF level 5

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Kwena Molapo High School, 2016, NQF level 4

Subjects: English First Additional Language, Setswana Home Language, Hospitality Studies, Mathematical Literacy, Life Sciences, Life Orientation

Skills

Hot line and grill
Banqueting for up to 250 guests
HACCP and R638 food hygiene
Stock control and FIFO
Recipe and portion costing
Training commis chefs
Combi ovens and blast chillers

Certificates

HACCP Food Safety Awareness, Accredited food safety training provider, 2023
First Aid Level 1, St John South Africa, 2024

Achievements

Hot kitchen passed the 2025 municipal health inspection with no findings
Led the kitchen team for a 250-guest wedding banquet while the sous chef was on leave

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Own transport:: Yes
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: Setswana (Home language), English (Fluent), isiZulu (Good)
Notice period:: One month
Availability:: Split shifts, weekends and public holidays

References

Thomas Ngwenya

Executive Chef, Southern Sun Hyde Park Sandton

011 555 0186

Natasha Pillay

Head Chef, The Olive Grove Bistro, Morningside

011 555 0154

Chef CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

Chef de partie with seven years in hotel and restaurant kitchens in Johannesburg, currently running the hot line for a 180-seat hotel restaurant and banqueting for up to 250 guests. Holds the QCTO Occupational Certificate Chef (NQF 5) and works to HACCP standards. Strong on stock control, portion costing and training commis chefs. Looking for a sous chef post in Gauteng.

Skills to list on your Chef CV

Running a station such as the hot line, grill, sauce, pastry or garde manger (cold kitchen)
Classical and modern cooking methods, sauces and stocks
HACCP food safety and temperature logging
Hygiene rules for food premises under Regulation R638
Stock control, FIFO rotation and weekly stock takes
Recipe and portion costing to meet food cost targets
Ordering from suppliers and checking deliveries
Menu planning for à la carte, buffets and banqueting
Mise en place (prepping and setting up a station before service)
Plating to a set standard under time pressure
Training and supervising commis chefs and kitchen assistants
Halaal, vegetarian and allergen-safe preparation
Using combi ovens, blast chillers and vacuum packing machines
Working split shifts, weekends and public holidays

Duties written as strong bullet points

Ran the hot line in a 180-seat hotel restaurant, sending out up to 220 plates on a busy Saturday night
Prepared banqueting menus for weddings and conferences of up to 250 guests, from ordering to final plating
Recorded fridge, freezer and core cooking temperatures on HACCP logs and fixed problems before they became food safety risks
Kept the kitchen ready for inspection under R638 hygiene regulations, with no findings at the 2025 municipal health inspection
Costed new dishes and adjusted portion sizes, helping the kitchen bring its food cost down from 36% to 32%
Ran weekly stock takes and FIFO rotation, cutting food waste on the cold kitchen section
Checked supplier deliveries for temperature, quality and weight, and sent back stock that did not meet the standard
Trained and supervised three commis chefs on knife skills, mise en place and plating standards

Tips for a stronger Chef CV

Use your correct kitchen rank

Do not call yourself a chef de partie if you were a commis, or a sous chef if you only stood in for one. Head chefs know the brigade well and will ask what you did. If you acted in a higher role, write it honestly, for example "Commis chef, acting chef de partie on the grill for six months".

Give the size of every kitchen

A chef from a 40-seat bistro and a chef from a 300-room hotel have very different skills. Write the number of seats, covers per service, or banqueting size for each job. It lets the reader picture the pressure you worked under.

Show you understand food cost

Owners and executive chefs care about food cost percentage, waste and stock losses. If you costed recipes, helped bring food cost down or ran stock takes, put a number on it. This is often what gets a chef de partie promoted to sous chef.

Put food safety in writing

Every food premises needs a certificate of acceptability and must meet the R638 hygiene regulations. Mention HACCP logs, temperature checks, cleaning schedules and any inspection or audit you helped pass. A chef who keeps the kitchen inspection-ready is worth a lot to an employer.

Link to photos of your plates

Chefs are judged on what their food looks like. If you have a professional Instagram page or online portfolio of your own dishes, add the link next to your contact details. Keep it to food only, and make sure the photos are your own work.

Questions people ask

Which qualification do I need to become a chef in South Africa?

Many chefs now study for the QCTO Occupational Certificate Chef at NQF level 5, offered by private culinary schools and some TVET colleges. City & Guilds diplomas are also widely accepted. You can work your way up without a qualification, but hotels and bigger groups increasingly ask for one for chef de partie posts and above.

What is the difference between a commis chef, chef de partie and sous chef?

A commis chef is a junior chef who preps and cooks under supervision. A chef de partie runs one station, such as the grill or pastry. A sous chef is second in charge of the kitchen and runs it when the head chef is off. Use the exact title you held, because it tells employers your level straight away.

Should I put my culinary school practical placement on my CV?

Yes, especially if it is your only kitchen experience. List the hotel or restaurant, the months you were there and the stations you worked on, such as cold kitchen, pastry or breakfast. Head chefs often hire commis chefs straight from placements they have seen or heard about.

What is R638 and why do chefs mention it?

R638 is the regulation on general hygiene requirements for food premises and the transport of food, made under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act. It covers things like personal hygiene, safe temperatures and clean premises. Saying you work to R638 and HACCP shows you know the rules an environmental health officer checks.

Can I apply for a chef job on a cruise ship or overseas with a South African CV?

Yes, but recruiters for cruise lines and overseas kitchens usually ask for proof of your qualification, a list of stations you have run and references from head chefs. Some ask for internationally known certificates such as City & Guilds. Keep the same honest structure as this CV and add a valid passport to your details.