Build a Head Chef CV That Commands Top Kitchen Positions

The head chef is the commanding officer of the kitchen — responsible for everything from menu creation and food cost management to brigade leadership and supplier negotiations. In the UK, head chef positions represent the pinnacle of kitchen careers for many culinary professionals, with over 40,000 unfilled positions creating both opportunity and intense competition for the best roles. Whether you're leading a brigade of 20 in a Michelin-starred London restaurant or managing a high-volume hotel kitchen outside the capital, your CV must demonstrate commercial acumen alongside culinary excellence. Recruiters at major groups like Compass, Sodexo, BaxterStorey, D&D London, and independent fine-dining establishments are using ATS systems to filter hundreds of applications. A head chef CV that doesn't include the right keywords — P&L management, food cost percentages, EHO ratings, brigade sizes, covers per service — will be filtered out before a human ever reads it. Generic CV builders cannot distinguish between a commis chef CV and a head chef CV. HospitalityCV understands that at head chef level, the emphasis shifts from technical cooking skills to operational leadership, financial management, and strategic menu development. According to Indeed UK, the average head chef salary sits at £38,915 based on 11,800 reported salaries, while PayScale reports £32,635 and Glassdoor places the figure at £33,000. CareskillsTraining data shows a range of £29,604 to £36,064 depending on region and venue type. London and the South East command the highest salaries, particularly in fine dining, luxury hotels, and high-profile restaurant groups where the right head chef can transform a kitchen's reputation and commercial performance.