A CV for the UAE usually has a photo, runs to 2–3 pages and is printed on A4 paper. The 12 designs below suit chefs and open in the free builder with our sample chef CV filled in, and the checklist further down shows what to change before you apply in the UAE.
A UAE CV is usually two pages, written in British English and sent as a PDF. Unlike in the UK or US, most employers here expect a few personal details near the top: nationality, current visa status, current location and often a professional photo. Recruiters also look for your notice period and whether you hold a UAE driving licence, because these decide how quickly and easily you can start.
Each design below opens in the free builder with our sample chef resume, Anitha Thomas, Sous Chef – Kerala and Coastal Cuisine, already filled in. The list further down takes that sample section by section and shows what to change before you send it to an employer in the UAE.
Why the sample works: Anitha states food cost as a percentage band and explains the yield testing behind it, which is the language executive chefs and hotel managers use daily. Both resumes name the FoSTaC level held, basic for the commis and supervisor for the sous chef, matching the responsibility each role carries in the kitchen.
12 designs that suit chefs and the UAE
About applicant tracking systems: Some older applicant tracking systems read two columns out of order, so pick a single-column design for large company portals and use a two-column one when a person reads your resume first.
Common and often expected: a plain, professional head-and-shoulders photo. Every design below has a photo slot, which you can switch off.
Length
Two pages is typical; three can suit senior or highly technical profiles.
Paper size
A4 size when printed. Pick A4 in the builder before you download.
Personal details
Nationality, visa status, location, languages and driving licence are usually listed.
Dates
Month and year for each role, most recent first; a current role ends in “Present”.
Spelling
British English: organise, colour, programme, licence.
Section names
Call it a CV. The usual order: Contact details and photo, Personal details, Professional summary, Core skills, Work experience, Education and qualifications, Certifications and training, Languages, Additional information.
File
PDF, named clearly, e.g. Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf.
The sample chef CV, adapted for the UAE
Header
Keep Anitha Thomas and “Sous Chef – Kerala and Coastal Cuisine” at the top with a small photo, then add a personal line UAE recruiters look for: nationality, visa status, the emirate you live in and your notice period. Write the phone number with its country code and never add a passport or Emirates ID number.
Professional summary
“Sous chef with twelve years in resort and hotel kitchens, specialising in Kerala and coastal seafood cooking alongside large banquet production. Runs daily kitchen operations, rosters and ordering for a brigade of 30, and leads hygiene audits and menu costing.” Keep it formal and factual in British English; specific numbers stand out because overstated claims are common in the market.
Core skills
Kerala cuisine, Seafood handling, Banquet production, Menu costing, Kitchen rostering, HACCP systems, Vendor ordering, Team training.
Work experience
Sous Chef, 180-room backwater resort with three outlets: “Run daily operations for a brigade of 30 across the speciality restaurant, all-day dining and banqueting. Kept food cost between 30 and 32 percent by weekly yield testing on fish and seasonal changes to purchasing.” Earlier: Chef de Partie, Indian Kitchen, 5-star business hotel. Add one line of context under each employer a Dubai or Abu Dhabi recruiter may not know (sector, size or region covered), then three to six bullets with an outcome where you have one.
Education and qualifications
Diploma in Food Production, Central government-run hotel management institute. Give degree, subject, institution, country and year. If your degree certificate is already attested, a short “degree attested” note helps.
Certifications and training
FoSTaC Advanced Catering (Food Safety Supervisor), FSSAI; HACCP Level 3 certificate; First aid and fire safety training.
Languages and additional information
List Malayalam, English, Tamil, Hindi with a realistic level for each, plus a UAE driving licence if you hold one and your earliest start date.
