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Cover letter examples · Hospitality

Chef cover letter example

Head chefs skim applications between services, so a chef's cover letter needs the section you run, the covers you handle and your food safety habits up front. This example is from the same chef as our CV example, applying for a junior sous chef role, using only facts from her CV.

Goes with Priya Raman's Chef CV · Checked

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The letter

What each paragraph is doing.

Priya Raman is made up, and so is The Tussock Room, Arrowtown. Every fact in the letter comes from Priya's CV, the way a real one should: nothing new, just the parts of the CV this job cares about most.

Priya Raman

Queenstown · 027 555 0114 · priya.raman@email.com

Ben Hartley, Head Chef

The Tussock Room, Arrowtown

Re: Junior Sous Chef

Kia ora Ben,

I'd like to apply for the Junior Sous Chef role at The Tussock Room. I'm a chef de partie with seven years in busy à la carte kitchens and hotel events, and at Rimu Lodge I run the grill section for up to 180 covers on a busy night.

A sous chef keeps the kitchen running when the head chef is stretched, and much of that is already part of my job. I keep our food safety records under the Food Control Plan ready for every verification, train new commis chefs on prep, plating and hygiene, and help cost and test new dishes for seasonal menu changes. Before Rimu Lodge I spent three years at Harbourside Hotel in Nelson, preparing food for functions of up to 250 guests and running stock rotation and deliveries on the morning shift.

I'm looking for a kitchen where I can have more say in the menu, and your seasonal approach is the kind of cooking I want to do more of.

I'm based in Queenstown and available nights and weekends. I'd be happy to come in for a trial shift whenever suits you.

Ngā mihi,

Priya Raman

  1. 1Opens with the job and the proofIt names the role, then gives the head chef a number they understand straight away: running a section for up to 180 covers.
  2. 2Shows sous chef work she already doesFood safety records, training commis chefs and costing dishes are the extra responsibilities a sous chef carries, so each point answers the step up.
  3. 3Keeps the why short and realOne line about wanting more say in the menu gives a believable reason for the move without gushing about the restaurant.
  4. 4Closes with availability and a trialKitchens care about who can work nights and weekends, and offering a trial shift is how most chefs get hired.

Opening lines

Other ways to open.

The first line decides whether the rest gets read. Each of these names the job and leads with proof. Swap in your own facts.

  • “I'm applying for your Chef de Partie role, bringing seven years in à la carte kitchens and experience running a grill section for up to 180 covers.”
  • “I'd like to apply for the Sous Chef role at your hotel, where I can use three years of preparing food for functions of up to 250 guests.”
  • “As a chef de partie who trains new commis chefs on prep, plating and hygiene, I'm applying for your Junior Sous Chef position.”
  • “I'm applying for the Events Chef role, with experience across larder, pastry and hot sections in a busy hotel kitchen.”

Common mistakes

What gets chef letters skipped.

  • Writing about your love of food instead of how you run a kitchen.

    Lead with the section you run, how many covers and the kind of service. That tells a head chef more than any passion statement.

  • Leaving out food safety.

    Mention how you keep records under your kitchen's Food Control Plan. It shows you can be trusted with verification.

  • Not saying when you can work.

    State your availability for nights, weekends and split shifts, and offer a trial shift.

Write yours

A letter like this, for every job ad.

Paste a chef job ad into SmartCVs and it writes your cover letter alongside your tailored CV. The free plan gives you 3 job scans a week, each with both.

How cover letters work in SmartCVs
  • Written in the same step as your tailored CV, from your profile and the job ad
  • Three or four paragraphs, in plain, professional language
  • Every fact from your profile: a number your profile doesn't have is dropped before you see it
  • Edit any line, copy it into an application, or download PDF or Word

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Do chefs need a cover letter?

Many kitchens hire from a CV and a trial, but a short letter helps for sous chef and hotel roles, or when you're moving to a new town.

Should I offer a trial shift in my cover letter?

Yes. Trial shifts are common in New Zealand kitchens, and offering one shows you're confident in your cooking.

How do I show I'm ready to step up to sous chef?

Point to the parts of the job you already do, like training junior cooks, costing dishes and keeping food safety records.

More cover letter examples

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