How To Write The Best Chef Job Description?

With millions searching for jobs every day, a great job description helps the employer attract the most qualified candidates to the open position. This blog is a detailed account of the right way to  get a chef job description done.  

Chefs play a pivotal role in the kitchen of a restaurant. They determine the success or failure of a restaurant. Since there are various types of chefs required in a kitchen, hiring one isn’t a straightforward affair. Before starting the process of hiring a chef, it is important to know who they are, their responsibilities and the right way to create a job description to attract the right candidates.

The foundation for professional kitchens was laid by the French Brigade system. It created the hierarchy of positions to ensure smooth running of operations in a restaurant. Known as “Chef de Cuisine”, the chef is the leader who is in-charge of the entire kitchen.

The head Chef is involved in menu creation, food preparation, staff management and inventory tracking. They are involved not just in frying, flipping, seasoning and sauteing but also up to the point of trench composting. In large restaurants, the Chef reports to the executive Chef who plays the role of a manager and is not involved in the everyday operations of the restaurant.  

Since Chefs have a lot on their plates, they most often delegate their tasks to the sous chef, the second-in-command. This leads to an overlap of responsibilities between the two positions.

1. Develop and plan menus along with daily specials
2. Lead, mentor and manage culinary team
3. Create prep lists for kitchen crew
4. Follow quality control measures in food storage, rotation and appearance
5. Oversee and manage food costing and inventory
6. Ensure compliance with the local health codes and regulations
7. Create a cleaning and maintenance schedule for equipment, storage and work areas
8. Conduct or participate in interviews held for selection of kitchen staff
9. Schedule staff and assist in human resources processes as required

An effective job title should include a general term, the experience level expected and mentions of any other special requirements. Using a general term will optimize the job title and show up as results during searches for jobs of similar nature. Mentioning the level of experience will attract the most eligible candidates. One can also outline the amount of responsibility and prior knowledge required in the job title. In case the open position is specialized, it is also advisable to include the specialization in the job title itself.  Refrain from using internal titles, abbreviations or acronyms to make your job title distinctly clear.

Start the chef job description with 2 to 3 sentences that give some general information about your restaurant. This is sure to draw aspiring and qualified candidates to your open position. If the communication about your offers for the job can be authentic, yet creative and exciting, you are sure to receive applications right away.

Moving on, outline the mandatory and preferred skills that you are looking for in the candidate. This includes education level, prior job experience, certifications and technical skills. You could also include details of the soft skills and personality traits that you look for in the candidate.

Do not include a long list of skills and requirements as your job description gets lengthy, boring and dissuades potential candidates from applying. So, just keep the qualifications list brief while using all relevant keywords and terms.

When it comes to communication about work hours and benefits, it is best to mention them clearly in your job description as they are key information that any job seeker looks for. When this information is shared transparently, it will retain the interest of job seekers and provide an opportunity to showcase attractive benefits or perks associated with the open position. You can highlight information about paid vacation, retirement plans or bonus offers. It is in this section that you must mention special schedule requirements (if any) like seasonal overtime, weekend or night working hours, on-call expectations, etc.

Finally, add a Call To Action along with specific instructions regarding the way interested candidates should apply. When this information is clearly explained in the job description, it increases the response rate and ensures that applications are submitted in the format or procedure that you prefer. A call to action can be in the form of an “apply” button at the top of the page or by emailing a resume to a particular address.

Here’s an example of how the job description for chef should look and read.

EXAMPLE 1:

Are you a passionate, skilled chef who can cook pure deliciousness in our restaurant kitchen? You must plan a nutritious, cost-effective meal and collaborate with the kitchen staff to serve food that is of a high standard.

As a Chef, you must lead the team with great organizational skills and precise time management. To top the list of filtered candidates, you must be creative and invent recipes that become our signature dishes, thereby making customers return to us.

Chef Responsibilities: 

1. Ensure food of superior quality is served in a swift manner
2. Plan the menu within the budget and availability of seasonal ingredients
3. Oversee kitchen operations and ensure every task is completed efficiently
4. Coordinate kitchen staff, provide instructions and assist them when required
5. Train staff in pre-preparation and cooking every item on the menu
6. Take stock of ingredients and equipment to place orders when stocks are scarce
7. Comply with safety and sanitation standards in the kitchen
8. Constantly create new recipes and keep the menu fresh
9. Establish maintenance and cleaning schedules for equipment, pantry and working counters
10. Stay abreast with industry trends
11. Receive feedback and improve aspects that need attention
12. Participate in interview process and selection of kitchen staff

Chef Qualifications: 

1. Culinary school degree or diploma
2. Prior experience working as chef
3. Expertise in culinary arts
4. Perfect in adhering to sanitation and quality control
5. Hands-on experience in creative, unique dishes
6. A superb multi-tasker
7. A great leader with outstanding interpersonal skills
8. Capability in stocktaking and place orders for supply
9. Uphold exemplary work ethics in a high-pressure environment
10. Passion for food and pride in delighting hungry customers

EXAMPLE 2:

Chef Qualifications And Skills: 

1. Associate Degree in Culinary Arts (mandatory) – Bachelor’s preferred
2. 5+ years of experience in a full-service restaurant as Chef
3. Minimum 2 years of experience in a supervisory role
4. Understanding of menu and recipe development techniques
5. Excellent communication and organizational skills
6. Impeccable leadership abilities
7. Excellent knife-handling skills
8. Dedicated to compliance with food quality and control
9. Quick and smart to work in a busy environment
10. Stellar problem-solving skills
11. Knowledge of health and sanitation laws
12. Proper food handling
13. Awareness of ongoing culinary trends, techniques and practices
14. Preferable knowledge of wine and beverages
15. Ability to walk or stand for long periods
16. Basic computer skills. Ability to operate Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook)

Education And Experience Requirements

1. High school degree or equivalent
2. Possess culinary degree with a pass percentage of 80% or above
3. Undertaken culinary training from renowned colleges
4. Prior kitchen management experience preferable
5. Minimum 3 years of experience in high-volume kitchens
6. Certification from SERVSafe
7. English communication must. Spanish knowledge a plus

1. Focus only on a minimum of 5 capabilities required for your open position and for the recruited candidate to succeed in the restaurant. If the JD consists of a laundry list of traits, it will only dissuade potential candidates from applying.
2. Elaborate only on the truly essential skills. To get this done effectively, spend time on understanding the restaurant’s needs and the things that a new Chef must bring to the table. Only this will help you cut to the chase and make your communication functional.
3. Your description should make job seekers think of your restaurant as a challenging, yet a great place to work in. This branding can be achieved by highlighting the benefits of the job, its best aspects and by elaborating on the work-life balance that the position offers.

A Chef’s role does not end with the cooking of delicious food. It takes dexterity, leadership skills, patience, dedication and creativity to carve a niche for oneself in this job. And to compel such rare people to come in search of you and work for your success, a powerful job description is essential. A good Chef Job Description will help a qualified culinary expert find you and vice versa. Since the job is highly complex involving several responsibilities that one cannot shirk, craft a job description that compels great candidates to swarm towards your restaurant.

This blog would have been enlightening if you were looking for guidance in writing job descriptions for chefs. For any further assistance in restaurant website building and digital marketing services, feel free to get in touch.