Catering Assistant CV Example
Tailored for catering assistants supporting food service operations in schools, hospitals, corporate venues, or event settings. Emphasises your food preparation skills and adherence to hygiene regulations.
Recommended template: MinimalPro
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Specify the type of catering environment you have worked in, such as school meals, hospital catering, or events.
- Include your Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate and any allergen management training.
- Describe your experience with large-scale food preparation and portion control procedures.
- Highlight your reliability, punctuality, and willingness to work flexible hours including weekends.
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Upgrade to ProHow to Write Your Catering Assistant CV
A catering assistant CV should demonstrate your reliability, food safety awareness, and ability to work efficiently in a team-oriented kitchen environment. Employers in schools, hospitals, and contract catering companies need staff who can prepare and serve food safely, follow procedures, and maintain high hygiene standards. Your CV should emphasise practical experience and a conscientious approach to food handling.
CV Structure
Use a straightforward reverse-chronological layout with your profile at the top, followed by work experience, skills, and education. For each role, specify the type of catering environment and the number of meals served daily. Include four to five key responsibilities and one to two achievements per role. Keep the CV to one page if you have fewer than five years of experience.
CV Format
Choose a simple, uncluttered template that allows your experience to be read quickly. Catering managers value clarity over design. Use bullet points, consistent formatting, and ensure your food hygiene certification is prominently displayed near the top of the document.
CV Profile Examples
Experienced Catering Assistant
Dependable catering assistant with five years of experience in school and corporate catering environments, preparing and serving meals for up to 400 people daily. Proficient in bulk food preparation, allergen management, and maintaining impeccable hygiene standards in line with local authority guidelines. Holds a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate and a clean enhanced DBS check.
Hospital Catering Assistant
Compassionate and efficient catering assistant with three years of experience in NHS hospital kitchens, supporting patient meal services across multiple wards. Skilled in preparing modified-texture diets, managing dietary requirement labels, and ensuring meals are delivered at the correct temperature. Committed to supporting patient wellbeing through safe and nutritious food service.
Entry-Level Catering Assistant
Enthusiastic and hard-working individual seeking a catering assistant role after completing a Level 1 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry course. Brings experience from volunteering at a local community kitchen and a strong understanding of food safety basics. Eager to develop practical kitchen skills in a professional catering environment.
Write a brief three-sentence summary covering your experience, the types of catering settings you have worked in, and your food safety credentials. Mention the scale of operations you have supported to demonstrate your capability.
Key Skills for Your Catering Assistant CV
Bulk Food Preparation
Preparing large quantities of food items efficiently using standardised recipes and commercial kitchen equipment.
Food Safety & Hygiene
Following food safety regulations including hand hygiene, cross-contamination prevention, and cleaning schedules.
Serving & Presentation
Serving food attractively and in correct portions on counters, trolleys, or at events.
Kitchen Cleaning
Thoroughly cleaning work surfaces, floors, and equipment to meet regulatory hygiene inspection standards.
Allergen Awareness
Identifying and managing the 14 major allergens throughout food preparation, labelling, and service.
Stock Management
Receiving deliveries, checking dates, and rotating stock to minimise waste and ensure freshness.
Team Working
Collaborating effectively with chefs, supervisors, and front-of-house staff to deliver smooth meal services.
Flexible Working
Adapting to varying shift patterns including early starts, split shifts, and weekend or holiday cover.
HACCP Compliance
Recording temperatures, completing cleaning logs, and following hazard analysis procedures consistently.
Work Experience Examples
Describe the catering environment first — school, hospital, corporate, or events — and the volume of meals prepared. List your practical duties including food preparation, serving, and cleaning. Include at least one achievement per role, such as hygiene ratings maintained, waste reduction, or positive feedback from supervisors.
Catering Assistant
Compass Group — Northwood Academy, Sheffield
Supported the kitchen team in a secondary school catering operation serving 600 pupils across two lunch sittings daily.
Responsibilities
- Prepared salads, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, and hot meal accompaniments following standardised recipes and portion guides.
- Served food on the counter during lunch service, ensuring each student received the correct portion and allergen-safe options.
- Cleaned kitchen work surfaces, equipment, and serving areas to comply with food hygiene regulations after each sitting.
- Received and stored deliveries, checking use-by dates and rotating stock according to FIFO procedures.
- Completed daily temperature records for fridges, freezers, and hot-holding equipment as part of HACCP compliance.
Achievements
- Contributed to a 5-star food hygiene rating maintained during two consecutive local authority inspections.
- Reduced food waste by suggesting a flexible portion approach during the second lunch sitting, saving approximately £80 per week.
- Received positive feedback from the head cook for reliability, with zero unplanned absences over a two-year period.
Catering Assistant
Royal Derby Hospital NHS Trust
Assisted with patient meal preparation and distribution across a 1,100-bed acute hospital with specialist dietary requirements.
Responsibilities
- Prepared and plated patient meals following diet sheets and allergen protocols for each ward round.
- Loaded and operated food trolleys, delivering meals to wards on schedule and at the correct temperature.
- Washed and sanitised cooking utensils, trays, and crockery using commercial dishwashing equipment.
- Supported the catering supervisor with stock counts and ordering supplies for the following week.
Achievements
- Maintained 100% compliance with temperature recording requirements during a 12-month review period.
- Trained three new starters on patient meal plating procedures and allergen labelling protocols.
Education & Qualifications
Place your food hygiene certificate at the top of your education section. Follow with any catering NVQs or hospitality courses. List GCSEs or equivalent qualifications, highlighting maths and English. If you have a DBS check relevant to the role, mention this here.
Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate
Core food safety qualification required for anyone preparing or handling food in a commercial catering environment.
Level 2 Award in Food Allergen Awareness
Training covering the 14 major allergens and how to manage them safely in a catering operation.
Enhanced DBS Check
Disclosure and Barring Service check required for roles in schools, hospitals, and care settings.
Manual Handling Certificate
Training in safe lifting techniques relevant to handling heavy stock deliveries and kitchen equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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