Top 35 Head Chef Interview Questions and Answers
If you are looking to hire a Head Chef, you came to the right place. These questions will show hiring managers how to assess their candidates’ skills. At the same time, the example answers will help aspiring Head Chefs prepare for the upcoming interview.
Popular Head Chef Interview Questions
A lot of the things hiring managers require for a Head Chef position can’t be found on the candidates’ resumes. It is very important that both sides prepare for the interview by considering what are the best ways to check and prove leadership skills, business orientation and resourcefulness.
The Best Head Chef Interview Questions
1. Interview Questions About Skills and Experience
Example answer: “I have always loved cooking. For as long asI can remember, I have been sneaking around my mother and father in the kitchen trying to help them out.
It was obvious that I had a passion for it since a young age. I didn’t immediately know I could make a career out of passion, because my parents were not in the industry.
As soon as I got to know that you can specialize in this industry I started signing up for classes and courses. That is how I ended up with a culinary arts degree.
Over the years I also loved leading the team and helping everyone achieve their goals and become better at wat they do. What I love the most is seeing the team work as one while making the customers happy.”
Example answer: “I obtained my culinary arts degree at the Culinary Institute of America. As I continued progressing in my career, I also continued learning. When I was about to get promoted to the Sous Chef position, I obtained a Kitchen Leadership certificate from Typsy.”
Example answer: “I know that being talented at cooking might be an entrance ticket, but it doesn’t bring you far ahead in your career.
The skills that helped me progress and that I will utilize if I get selected as the Head Chef are terrific organizational skills, outstanding communication and leadership skills.
I believe that all the skills required to be a successful Head Chef need to support the main goal of serving high-quality food and a high customer satisfaction rate. To make this happen the Head Chef needs to know everything, from ordering and pricing, to keeping team members happy.”
2. Situational Head Chef Interview Questions
Example answer: “Depending on the establishment’s policies I would try to accommodate any customer request. The end goal for us as employees is to provide customers with an unforgettable experience.
As there is a rising need for dietary requirements, I would try to speak to the customer personally and check if the requested change is due to an allergy or a matter of preference. If the reason behind the change is an allergy, I would ensure that the meal doesn’t get cross contaminated.
If the reason behind the change is a matter of preference, I would explain that it will change the overall taste of the meal but still try to accommodate it.
Example answer: “Before I would proceed with laying off people, I would try to speak to the sales and marketing people and get some promotions and deals that would end the slow period for our restaurant.
If those efforts wouldn’t bring the desired results, I would approach this unpleasant and challenging task in a professional way. As I would implement a performance review system this task wouldn’t catch me off-guard.
I would communicate openly with team members and let them know what was happening from the start, as this the perfect way to keep the brand reputation intact. Then, I would try to give the team members that will be laid off enough time to find another job.
The things I would include are performance assessments, overall fit in the team, contribution, motivation and willingness to learn.”
3. Business Operation Interview Questions
Example answer: “Yes, food price is one of the key factors when it comes to menu creation and overall revenue.
But one thing I wouldn’t compromise on when it comes to food price is quality. I would do my best to find high-quality food with acceptable prices that will keep the establishment profitable.”
Example answer: “When it comes to choosing vendors, I try to work with local ones that have a better chance of providing high-quality fresh food. I would always try to find vendors that follow organic production, as well as vendors that respect sustainability.
Additionally, I would review the current vendor list and suggest improvements.”
Example answer: “I would train the team members to maintain a high-quality standard of food preparation and presentation. However, I would still adhere to the food tasting procedure.
In my previous position we had a quality-control checklist, that allowed the team members to be creative and decision makers, while never compromising on the food quality.”
Types of Head Chef Interview Questions
- Head Chef interview questions regarding skills and experience: This category will help you understand the candidate’s motivation and overall alignment with your requirements. As a candidate, you can use these questions to go into detail about the skills you are particularly proud of but didn’t have space to describe on your resume.
- Situational Head Chef interview questions and answers: As a hiring manager, you need to ensure that the candidate’s reactions match your establishment’s way of operating. If you’re a candidate, you can use these questions to showcase your problem-solving skills. The most important piece of advice here is to be true to yourself and speak led by your instinct and previous experience.
- Interview questions for Head Chef about business operations: A Head Chef must understand all the business elements at the same level as the owners. Those this position will be in charge of ensuring smooth operation and that requires cost efficiency. That said, this set of questions determines if a candidate has what it takes to run the kitchen operations.
What Are the Top Head Chef Interview Questions and Answers?
Make sure to also go through these additional 27 questions below. This way, you’ll anticipate what might the employer ask and prepare the answers beforehand in a more confident manner.
27 More Questions for a Head Chef Interview
- What are your culinary aspirations and how do you plan on achieving them?
- What is the latest culinary innovation that you’re most excited about?
- Describe a time when you had to learn a new technique on the spot.
- What is your favorite dish and how do you usually prepare it?
- How do you ensure all tasks are distributed equally in the kitchen?
- Tell me about a time you faced a challenge at work. How did you overcome it?
- What is your experience catering for large events with thousands of guests?
- How would you approach training a new inexperienced employee in the kitchen?
- How do you handle and minimize waste in the kitchen?
- How do you handle situations where guests dislike your dish?
- How do you deliver feedback to someone who’s underperforming?
- Which precautions do you take when cooking for guests with allergies?
- Tell me about a time when something broke in the kitchen and you had to find a workaround.
- What is your go-to method for prioritizing important task during rush hours?
- How would you handle a conflict with your manager who’s being rude to you?
- What would you do if you noticed the food quality declining at the restaurant?
- How do you maintain the quality of dishes with increasing costs of ingredients?
- Walk me through the process of creating a menu.
- How do you build relationships with your fellow managers and assistants?
- What would you do in case the restaurant’s short-staffed on a busy night?
- Have you ever received a bad review from a guest? What was the outcome?
- How do you motivate your team to stay positive throughout the shift?
- What usually drives your decision to change the items on the menu?
- What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Head Chef?
- How do you maintain work-life balance with such a demanding job?
How To Prepare for a Head Chef Interview
Check out the extra tips and trick you can use to increase your chances of getting hired.
Gordon Ramsay’s Head Chef Interview Test
Tips for Candidates
Research the establishment: Make sure you know which type of food the restaurant prepares. Go to their website, check customer feedback and if possible, eat there. This way, you will be able to incorporate your answers more with the establishment’s values and its requirements.
Showcase unique skills: Always emphasize the facts that prove that you are unique among all the candidates. Whether it is a unique certification which you have earned, a distinctive technique that you have applied in the preparation of food or even any interesting thing which has happened, ensure that you prove your added values effectively.
Prepare situational responses: To be ready to answer situational questions, reflect on the situations that occurred in your practice. STAR (Situation, Task, Action and Result) is a strategic approach that will help to organize your response. This includes describing the situation, the task or your role, the action you took and the result you achieved.
Tips for Hiring Managers
Create a comfortable environment: When beginning the interview, immediately introduce the organization. Take some time to make small talk to help the candidate feel more at ease. Relaxed candidates will be more candid in their answers and provide more depth and thought into their answers.
Ask for practical demonstrations: If possible, one may include a practical section in which the candidate may be asked to prepare a dish or even design a sample menu. This will help you see how good they are in the kitchen, how creative and the kind of pressure they can handle.
Evaluate cultural fit: Finally, check whether the candidate has the right personality as well as the work attitude for your organization and the restaurant.
Tips From a Head Chef
While we gave you thorough interview preparation for the Head Chef position, there is nothing that speaks louder than personal experience.
We asked Jimmy Chill, the Head Chef at Branja Miami, to share his insights on the most rewarding aspects of being a Head Chef.
“In perspective, and after all, I’m an entertainer. I love being hospitable, and curating experiences. The greatest satisfaction and the most rewarding aspect of my work takes place when the boundaries and formalities are broken between myself and the guests, as it makes them feel a part of an inner circle, and thanks to food that’s not a very difficult task.”
Keep these words at heart, and if you are ready to dive into the job market check out the open Head Chef Positions now.
Written by Lidija Misic
Lidija holds a BA in English Language and has lived in five different countries, where she has worked in various roles, including as a flight attendant, teacher, writer and recruiter. Her biggest passion is crafting great content and reading. She is particularly passionate about creating punchy copy that inspires people to make positive changes in their lives.
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