Do I need a food hygiene certificate?

Not always to apply, but it helps. Many employers ask staff to complete one, often Level 2, so put it on your CV if you have it.

What should I put if I have only worked in one café?

Describe what you did in detail: how busy it was, the tasks you covered and anything you were trusted with, such as opening up or cashing up.

Should I include kitchen work for a front-of-house job?

Yes. It shows you understand how a kitchen runs and can handle busy services, which front-of-house staff need too.

CV guide

Hospitality (bar and waiting staff) CV example

Bars, restaurants and cafés want people who stay calm when it is busy, look after customers and work safely with food and drink. Here is what to put on a hospitality CV, the words the adverts use and a full example.

What employers look for

Friendly, attentive service to customers
Staying calm and quick during busy services
Taking orders and payments on the till or EPOS
Food hygiene and allergen awareness
Serving alcohol responsibly, including Challenge 25
Evening and weekend availability

Words to use from the advert

These come up again and again in adverts for this kind of job. Use the advert's own words on your CV, but only where they are true for you.

Front of house
Table service
EPOS
Food hygiene
Allergen awareness
Challenge 25
Fast-paced
Team player

Make each line show what you did

The examples below are invented. Yours should describe what you really did.

Weaker

Worked in a restaurant.

Stronger

Looked after up to six tables at a time in a busy 80-cover restaurant, taking orders on the EPOS and checking allergens with the kitchen.

Weaker

Can work under pressure.

Stronger

Kept service running smoothly on busy Friday and Saturday nights, serving drinks quickly and checking ID under Challenge 25.

Example hospitality (bar and waiting staff) CV

A made-up example. The person, employers and dates are invented, and every line is something that could be backed up.

Alex Morgan

Birmingham · 07700 900123 · alex.morgan@example.com

Profile

Friendly front-of-house team member with two years' experience in a busy restaurant and bar. Calm under pressure, confident on the EPOS and holds a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate.

Experience

Waiter and Bar Staff, The Old Mill Kitchen, Moseley, 2024 to present
Look after up to six tables at a time, taking orders and payments on the EPOS.
Check allergens with the kitchen and tell customers clearly what is in each dish.
Serve drinks behind the bar and check ID under Challenge 25.
Kitchen Porter, Hilltop Café, Harborne, 2023 to 2024
Kept the kitchen clean and helped the chefs with basic food preparation.

Certificates

Level 2 Food Hygiene, 2024
Allergen awareness, 2024

Education

Hillcrest Academy, Birmingham: 5 GCSEs including English and Maths

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Questions about hospitality (bar and waiting staff) CVs

Do I need a food hygiene certificate?: Not always to apply, but it helps. Many employers ask staff to complete one, often Level 2, so put it on your CV if you have it.
What should I put if I have only worked in one café?: Describe what you did in detail: how busy it was, the tasks you covered and anything you were trusted with, such as opening up or cashing up.
Should I include kitchen work for a front-of-house job?: Yes. It shows you understand how a kitchen runs and can handle busy services, which front-of-house staff need too.