Catering Resume Examples and Templates for 2023

Create a professional resume in minutes for free.

Build Resume

According to Glassdoor.com, the average annual salary for catering positions was $59,591 in 2022. Although the global pandemic has substantially impacted the events and hospitality industry, lucrative opportunities are still available on the open market as the field continues to recover. Developing experience within this space can also open up new long-term career paths in event management or restaurant management. That being said, you’ll encounter intense competition throughout your job search. You’ll need to build a compelling resume that highlights the strongest aspects of your professional experience to grab the hiring manager’s attention.

Using our catering resume building guide will help you to:

  • •   Craft compelling bullet points that showcase the strongest aspects of your experience within the hospitality industry and grab the attention of the hiring manager
  • •   Enhance your content by quantifying your professional achievements as a caterer using metrics, monetary figures, and numbers
  • •   Highlight your leadership and client relations skills to improve your personal branding
  • •   Optimize your document with appropriate keywords to ensure ATS compliance

Catering Resumes Created Using Our ResumeBuilder

Example #1 Entry-level

Example #2 Mid-career

Example #3 Senior-level

Catering Text-Only Resume Examples

Years of Experience
  • Entry-level Entry-level
  • Mid-career Mid-career
  • Senior-level Senior-level

John Bergsen
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Carpenter Street, Philadelphia, PA, 12345

Profile

A Catering Sales Assistant with entry-level experience specializing in customer service, hospitality, event planning, and logistics. Adept at coordinating logistics, menus, and food preparation to execute client catering events and ensure customer satisfaction.

Professional Experience

Catering Sales Assistant, Luigi’s Catering Services, Philadelphia, PA
May 2021 – Present

  • Coordinate catering orders valued at $600-$3K for small and large events, fielded event inquiries to secure new business, and conducted follow-up calls with prospects
  • Develop a portfolio of clients through inbound and outbound leads, including networking, cold calling, referrals, and industry research
  • Manage RFPs, contracts, and client accounts using Salesforce and Flex Catering software
  • Coordinate with internal kitchen teams and catering servers to plan and execute events, including food preparation, transportation, and event setup

Catering Event Server, Dr. Blake Tennyson, MD, Springfield, OH
June 2020 – May 2021

  • Delivered high-quality service for a variety of special events, including corporate luncheons, receptions, weddings, holiday parties, and company dinners
  • Coordinated with servers, kitchen staff, and event planners to set up events, transport food, and breakdown equipment in a timely and efficient manner

Education

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Tourism & Hospitality Management
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA September 2017 – May 2021

Key Skills

  • Event Management
  • Catering Services
  • Strategic Selling
  • Food & Beverage
  • Salesforce

Certifications

  • ServSafe Certification, 2020

Allison Rosenberg
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345

Profile

A Catering Manager with five years of experience within the hospitality industry, specializing in event management, team leadership, sales, and catering services. A proven track record of identifying opportunities to grow client accounts and close new business. Adept at leading catering teams to plan and execute special events with up to 400 attendees.

Professional Experience

Catering Manager, Salvatore’s Catering, Boston, MA
May 2019 – Present

  • Manage, develop, and retain 40+ active client accounts for catering services valued at $50K-$150K, prospect new business, build client relationships, and identify opportunities to cross-sell services and maximize account profitability
  • Coordinate with the Catering Director to develop territory strategy and marketing plans to exceed annual sales goals by 50%-130% YOY
  • Lead teams of 15+ servers, event coordinators, and kitchen personnel to plan and execute specialty events with up to 400+ attendees, including company events and weddings

Catering Manager, Elevate Catering Services, Boston, MA
May 2017 – May 2019

  • Served as the point of contact for 25+ active customer accounts valued at $20K-$50K, fielded inquiries, conducted prospecting to drive business, and coordinated planning and logistics variety of catering events with 150-200 attendees
  • Oversee catering and event teams of up to 10 personnel, coordinated food supplies, event equipment, and decorations, and ensured high-quality service of food and beverages in compliance with dietary needs and restrictions

Education

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Tourism & Hospitality
Boston College, Boston, MA, September 2013 – May 2017

Key Skills

  • Account Management
  • Catering Services
  • Event Management
  • Client Relations
  • Hospitality Management

Certifications

  • ServSafe Certification, 2017

Jessica Lang
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 12345

Profile

A Catering Director with 10+ years of experience specializing in hospitality management, client relations, account management, and business development. A strong history of planning and executing large events for corporate clients with up to 800 guests. Adept at building and leading high-performance teams and developing long-term relationships with customer accounts.

Professional Experience

Catering Director, Premiere Caterers, Nashville, TN
May 2016 – Present

  • Oversee 80+ active clients and corporate accounts generating over $2.5M in annual revenue, execute corporate events with up to 800 attendees, build and develop client relationships, and lead initiatives to close new business and expand territory growth
  • Manage a catering team of 30+ servers and provide training in customer service techniques, client relations, and food safety protocols
  • Identify opportunities to reduce operational expenses and food costs by 10% for events by enhancing resource allocation and performing vendor negotiations

Catering Manager, Catering Event Pros, Nashville, TN
May 2011 – May 2016

  • Interfaced with 30-40 active client accounts to plan and execute 300-person events, which included developing menus based on guest specifications, coordinating catering teams, and planning logistics for event setup and breakdown
  • Conducted negotiations with vendors for event equipment, supplies, and food product
  • Coordinated with the catering director to develop and manage a $700K annual budget

Education

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Tourism & Hospitality
University of Tennessee, Nashville, TN September 2007 – May 2011

Key Skills

  • Event Management
  • Catering Services
  • Account Management
  • Strategic Planning
  • Logistics

Certifications

  • ServSafe Certification, 2011

Tips for Writing a Better Catering Resume

Now that you’ve seen some examples of catering resumes, we’ll walk you through some expert tips to help you use our methodology to build your own document. As a catering professional, you’ll want to highlight accomplishments that demonstrate your expertise within the hospitality industry. Creating bullet points that showcase your knowledge of event management and ability to lead diverse teams is important for these roles. You’ll also want to provide examples of you developing and nurturing client relationships, as reputation means everything within the hospitality space. Below, you’ll find three expert tips to help you craft your catering resume.

1. Feature Your Leadership Abilities

Leadership and management skills are essential for success within the hospitality industry. You will need to collaborate effectively with servers, kitchen staff, and event planners. You’ll also need to be able to manage client accounts. Showcasing your ability to communicate effectively across various groups will be sure to grab the eye of potential employers during the job search. In the example below, the candidate highlights their ability to manage and train catering teams to deliver high-quality service to customers. They also draw attention to their ability to cultivate and grow relationships with clients to maximize new business opportunities:

Example


  • Oversee 80+ active clients and corporate accounts generating over $2.5M in annual revenue, execute corporate events with up to 800 attendees, build and develop client relationships, and lead initiatives to close new business and expand territory growth
  • Manage a catering team of 30+ servers and provide training in customer service techniques, client relations, and food safety protocols

2. Quantify Your Catering Experience

Leveraging numbers and metrics from your career can significantly enhance the impact of your bullet points and grab the hiring manager’s attention. Companies are interested in candidates who can provide tangible results that demonstrate their ability to drive new business, improve operations, and create value for the organizations they work for. In the example below, the job seeker establishes a sense of scope for their achievements by specifying the average value of the client accounts. They also showcase an accomplishment in which they managed to reduce labor and food costs, which is an incredibly valuable skill set for companies within the hospitality space:

Example


  • Manage, develop, and retain 40+ active client accounts for catering services valued at $50K-$150K, prospect new business, build client relationships, and identify opportunities to cross-sell services and maximize account profitability
  • Coordinate with the Catering Director to develop territory strategy and marketing plans to exceed annual sales goals by 50%-130% YOY

3. Create an Eye-catching Professional Profile

Making a strong first impression is essential for generating interview opportunities during the job search. Hiring managers often have limited bandwidth to review each document in-depth, so you’ll want to create a summary at the top of your resume that creates a compelling snapshot of your professional career. In the example below, the job seeker showcases the scope of their event management expertise by focusing on their background working with corporate clients for events with up to 800 attendees. Adding these deeper insights and specifics can make all the difference in capturing the attention of potential employers and landing the interview:

Profile


A Catering Director with 10+ years of experience, specializing in hospitality management, client relations, account management, and business development. A strong history of planning and executing large events for corporate clients with up to 800 guests. Adept at building and leading high-performance teams and developing long-term relationships with customer accounts.

Key Skills Hiring Managers Look for on Catering Resumes

To generate traction during your job search, you’ll need to ensure that your document meets the requirements of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Employers use this software to audit your resume for specific keywords. If you fail to achieve certain benchmarks, your application may be rejected before reaching the hiring manager. To mitigate this risk, you’ll want to incorporate as many key terms as possible into your document. Below, you’ll find a list of potential keywords that you may encounter during the job hunt.

Key Skills and Proficiencies
Account Management Budget Management
Catering Services Client Relations
Customer Service Event Management
Event Planning Food & Beverage
Guest Relations Hospitality
Logistics Menu Development
Operations Management Process Improvement
Salesforce Strategic Planning
Strategic Selling ServSafe
Team Leadership Upselling
Vendor Management  

Common Action Verbs for Catering Resumes

When building your resume, it’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs. You may find that there’s a limited number of verbs you can use to describe your professional experience accurately. Diversifying your usage of action verbs can help improve the readability and presentation of your document. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list you can use to keep your content fresh and compelling.

Action Verbs
Analyzed Built
Collaborated Conducted
Coordinated Created
Delivered Developed
Drove Enhanced
Evaluated Executed
Identified Implemented
Improved Led
Managed Negotiated
Oversaw Performed
Planned Resolved
Supported  

How to Align Your Catering Resume With the Job Description

Tailoring your content to the job description is the most important aspect of the resume-building process. It’s important to understand that at its core, the resume is a marketing document. Employers don’t want to read a vague resume filled with generic job responsibilities. They want to see a professional document customized towards the individual needs of their organization.

For example, if you’re pursuing a catering manager position heavily focused on account management and sales, you should highlight specific accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to build client relationships and maximize revenue growth. If a company is looking for a candidate who excels in staff development, you’ll want to provide insights into your managerial style and showcase examples of your training and mentoring team members. By aligning your resume with the job description, you’ll significantly increase your chances of landing your next interview.

Frank headshot

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).