Research Summary. We analyzed 75,555 cook resumes to determine which ones land the most jobs. Below you'll find examples of resumes that can help you get an interview (and a job offer) from companies like McDonald's and Sonic Drive-In. Here are the key facts about cook resumes to help you get the job:

  • The average cook resume is 192 words long
  • The average cook resume is 0.4 pages long based on 450 words per page.
  • Food handling is the most common skill found on a cook resume. It appears on 14.4% of resumes.
After learning about how to write a professional cook resume, you can make sure your resume checks all the boxes with our resume builder.

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Cook Resume Example

Choose From 10+ Customizable Cook Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Cook templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Cook resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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What Should Be Included In A Cook Resume

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1. Add Contact Information To Your Cook Resume

Your name should be the biggest text on the page and be at or near the top of the document.

Your address doesn't need to include your street name or house number - listing your city and state works just fine.

Your email address should be professional, but not your current work email address. It's not a good look to use your work email for personal projects (job-searching).

Your social media can be included if you have a fully-fledged LinkedIn page or another social media page that showcases your relevant skill set.

Cook Resume Contact Information Example #1

Hank Rutherford Hill

St. Arlen, Texas | 333-111-2222 | hank.hill@gmail.com

Do you want to know more?
How To Write The Perfect Resume Header
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2. Add Your Relevant Education To The Resume

Your resume's education section should include:

  • The name of your school
  • The date you graduated (Month, Year or Year are both appropriate)
  • The name of your degree
If you graduated more than 15 years ago, you should consider dropping your graduation date to avoid age discrimination.

Optional subsections for your education section include:

  • Academic awards (Dean's List, Latin honors, etc. )
  • GPA (if you're a recent graduate and your GPA was 3.5+)
  • Extra certifications
  • Academic projects (thesis, dissertation, etc.)

Other tips to consider when writing your education section include:

  • If you're a recent graduate, you might opt to place your education section above your experience section
  • The more work experience you get, the shorter your education section should be
  • List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent and high-ranking degrees first
  • If you haven't graduated yet, you can include "Expected graduation date" to the entry for that school

Cook Resume Relevant Education Example #1

High School Diploma 2014 - 2016

Cook Resume Relevant Education Example #2

High School Diploma 2014 - 2016

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3. Next, Create A Cook Skills Section On Your Resume

Your resume's skills section should include the most important keywords from the job description, as long as you actually have those skills. If you haven't started your job search yet, you can look over resumes to get an idea of what skills are the most important.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your resume's skills section:

  • Include 6-12 skills, in bullet point form
  • List mostly hard skills; soft skills are hard to test
  • Emphasize the skills that are most important for the job
Hard skills are generally more important to hiring managers because they relate to on-the-job knowledge and specific experience with a certain technology or process.

Soft skills are also valuable, as they're highly transferable and make you a great person to work alongside, but they're impossible to prove on a resume.

Example Of Cook Skills For Resume

  • Food Service Skills

    The food service industry is a vast industry comprising of restaurants, caterers, cafeterias operating in institutions and any other business offering a meal not prepared at home. Foodservice operators require necessary utensils for preparing food for the consumers, foodservice distributors are the people who take care of this need for them.

  • Kitchen Equipment Skills

    Kitchen Equipment refers to all those essential items which are crucial for the task of cooking.

  • Customer Service Skills

    Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

  • Quality Standards Skills

    Quality standards are a specific level of standards of products that are set by the companies for the customers that have to be met and maintained throughout the process until the time of delivery. Quality standards are information that includes the customer's requirements, guidelines, and characteristics for the needed final product or service.

Top Skills for a Cook

Source: Zippia.com
  • Food Handling, 14.4%
  • Food Service, 9.9%
  • Cleanliness, 9.9%
  • Kitchen Equipment, 9.5%
  • Other Skills, 56.3%
Not sure which skills are really important?
3 Big Tips For Listing Skills On Your Resume
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4. List Your Cook Experience

The most important part of any resume is the experience section. Recruiters and hiring managers expect to see your experience listed in reverse chronological order, meaning that you should begin with your most recent experience and then work backwards.

Don't just list your job duties below each job entry. Instead, make sure most of your bullet points discuss impressive achievements from your past positions. Whenever you can, use numbers to contextualize your accomplishments for the hiring manager reading your resume.

It's okay if you can't include exact percentages or dollar figures. There's a big difference even between saying "Managed a team of engineers" and "Managed a team of 6 engineers over a 9-month project."

Most importantly, make sure that the experience you include is relevant to the job you're applying for. Use the job description to ensure that each bullet point on your resume is appropriate and helpful.

Don't have any experience?
How To Show Your Experience On a Resume... Even When You Don't Have Any
Work History Example # 1
Cook
Aramark
  • Washed pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and other cooking equipment.
  • Received food orders via order slips or verbal communication.
  • Exercised Back of House communication to push orders in an timely manner
  • Worked as a First Cook, graduated to a Sous Chef.
  • Operated and maintained cleaning equipment and tools, including the dishwasher, hand wash stations, pot-scrubbing station and trash compactor.
Work History Example # 2
Cook And Delivery Driver
United Parcel Service
  • Operated all vehicles (CDL and non CDL) in UPS fleet.
  • facilitated the needs of customers while exercising excellent customer service and communication.
  • Handled electronic confirmation of all deliveries and pick ups through the DIAD communication board.
  • Ensured 100% compliance with all OSHA, FAA, and DOT regulations as Officer of the Safety Committee.
  • Maintained compliance with DOT and company regulations.
Work History Example # 3
Cook
McDonald's
  • Worked at a fast pace while keeping an open line of communication Worked as a team
  • Cleaned and prepped kitchen Washed dishes Cooked food using grill and deep fryer Assembled sandwiches
  • Maintained a good, clean environment for customers Cooked an assortment of food Washed dirty dishes
  • Established and maintained effective communication system.
  • Conducted performance reviews regularly and successfully retained hard-working employees.
Work History Example # 4
Cook
Burger King
  • Cleaned kitchen and washed dishes.
  • Learned to work within a time limit performing multiple tasks at once Excellent communication between co-workers.
  • prepared food for customers, and wash dishes..
  • Washed and sanitized dishes and equipment.
  • Washed dishes, ran line.
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5. Highlight Your Cook Certifications On Resume

Certifications can be a powerful tool to show employers that you know your stuff. If you have any of these certifications, make sure to put them on your cook resume:

  1. OSHA Safety Certificate
  2. Certified Food Manager (CFM)
  3. Food Safety Manager Certification
  4. Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS)
  5. ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification
  6. Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)
  7. EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA)
  8. Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
  9. Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)
  10. First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor

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6. Finally, Add a Cook Resume Summary Or Objective Statement

A resume summary statement is a 1-3 sentence spiel at the top of your resume that quickly summarizes who you are and what you have to offer. In this section, include your job title, years of experience (if it's 3+), and an impressive accomplishment, if you have space for it.

Remember to address skills and experiences that are emphasized in the job description.

Are you a recent grad?
Read our guide on how to write a resume summary statement

Entry level Cook Resume example

Professional Cook Resume example

And if you’re looking for a high-paying job, here are jobs in the top places hiring now:

  1. Cook Jobs In Seattle, WA
  2. Cook Jobs In San Francisco, CA
  3. Cook Jobs In Boston, MA
  4. Cook Jobs In New York, NY
  5. Cook Jobs In Washington, DC

Five Key Resume Tips For Writing A Cook Resume:

1.
Relevant Experience
Make sure that the jobs, experience, and accolades that you include are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
2.
The Right Skills
This is a great time to run wild with those keywords from the job description. For example, if they’re looking for someone with experience in Kitchen Equipment, be sure to list it in your resume’s skills section.
3.
Quantifiable Achievements
Your workplace accomplishments tell the story of the unique value you bring to an organization. Stay away from dry descriptions of job duties. Use numbers to help contextualize your achievements..
4.
ATS-Friendly
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a piece of software employers use to collect, scan, organize, and rank applications. The key to getting your resume past ATS and into the hands of hiring managers is smart keyword usage.
5.
Impeccable Formatting
Formatting a resume so that it looks professional and attractive is important. With Zippia’s resume builder, you can put together a modern-looking resume in less than 10 minutes. Just choose a resume template that suits your style, answer some questions about your background, and you’ll have a resume that’ll pass muster with both the ATS and the hiring manager.
Not sure how to make a resume that stands out?
See sample resumes for the job you want
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Cook Resumes FAQs

How Do I Put My Line Cook Job On My Resume?

You put your line cook job under the work experience section of your resume when applying for a job in culinary services. You can provide detail on your application regarding your role and specialty as a line cook.

How Do You Describe Cooking On A Resume?

To describe cooking on a resume, list as many specific skills relevant to the job you are applying for. If you have attended culinary school, include this at the bottom of your resume after your work experience.

What Is A Good Objective For A Cook's Resume?

A good objective for a cook's resume is one that highlights skills, dependability with work history, and training to back it up. Employers want to see a mix of what skills you have in the kitchen and that you would be a good fit for their specific work environment.

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