Top 22 Kitchen Manager Interview Questions & Answers

Example answer: “In total, I’ve had seven years of kitchen experience — four of which as a Kitchen Manager. In my last job, I managed a team of 15 people, including Chefs, Food Runners and Cooks in the kitchen.

I am experienced in menu planning and pricing, hiring and training staff and sales reporting. I have led several training sessions on food preparation and customer service and have been part of the best kitchen teams in the city.”

For employers: This question allows you to learn more about the candidate’s experience and leadership skills. Ask for any standout experiences that really challenged them as a leader in the kitchen.

For candidates: Discuss your kitchen experience and highlight instances where you took on a leadership role. Include how you kept your team motivated to achieve goals and overcome challenges.

Show your knowledge of the different roles involved in all aspects of kitchen operations. It’s best to build on the information posted in the Kitchen Manager job description.

Example answer: “Compliance with food safety regulations and other health and safety standards is important not only for our patrons but also for my team.

I make sure all new hires are trained in proper food preparation, hygiene practices and equipment handling. For the rest of the staff, I conduct weekly inspections to spot potential hazards and poor practices so we can address these as soon as possible.”

For employers: This question will help you evaluate the candidate’s awareness of health and safety regulations beyond regular kitchen duties, and how they prioritize the safety of customers and employees in everyday operations.

For candidates: Describe how you have executed, or plan to execute, your training process on health and safety regulations, including ways of conducting regular inspections and maintaining documentation of safety standards.

Example answer: “I make sure my kitchen follows a system where older stock is used before newer supplies. I track stock levels as often as I can and use restaurant inventory management software if possible. By analyzing inventory data, I can identify issues and adjust accordingly, which can help reduce food waste in the long run.”

For employers: This question should give you an overview of how the candidate controls costs, reduces food waste and supervises inventory and other supplies in a restaurant setting.

For candidates: Talk about your experience tracking inventory levels, cost savings and supervising inventory management processes, and share specific examples.

Example answer: “When determining prices for new menu items, I aim to strike a balance between offering value to customers and ensuring the dish’s profitability.

For example, I calculate the portion of sales spent on ingredients and factor in raw food costs to arrive at a selling price that aligns with our target profit margin. To make sure that the price is reasonable and competitive, I analyze market trends and competitor pricing.”

For employers: This question shows how the candidate ensures the kitchen’s profitability. A big step in doing so is setting the prices for new menu selections. By asking this question, you can evaluate the candidate’s experience and knowledge of industry trends, ingredient pricing and market demand.

For candidates: Talk about how you keep factors like ingredient costs, labor and profit margins in mind when determining prices. If you have successfully priced new menu items in the past, share specific examples with the interviewer.

Example answer: “As a Kitchen Manager, my job is to know how to effectively respond to emergencies. These can include fires, accidents or equipment failure.

When an emergency occurs, I assess the situation, delegate tasks to staff if needed and communicate to front-of-house operations or the authorities, whichever is appropriate.

It’s important to keep calm throughout as your team also looks to you for guidance and reassurance.”

For employers: Accidents are bound to happen in any fast-paced kitchen environment. Assess the candidate’s problem-solving skills and knowledge of emergency procedures.

For candidates: Discuss how you’ve trained your team in responding to emergencies in the past. Give a step-by-step breakdown of the actions you take when faced with an emergency.

Example answer: “If there’s a shortage of staff in the kitchen, then I prioritize reassigning duties based on individuals’ strengths. I make sure that everyone’s on the same page, so we can manage the guest expectations without causing any delays in service. In my experience, staying calm and keeping open channels of communication is by far to be the best way to deal with any unexpected situation at work.”

For employers: Look for candidates who remain calm under pressure. You want to be able to rely on someone who’s confident and professional in how they approach problems that frequently arise in the kitchen.

For candidates: Elaborate on your experience to emphasize how you are able to think on you feet and maintain control under stressful situations.

Example answer: “The first thing I do when there’s an equipment failure is to assess the severity. If it’s a minor issue, I would delegate the tasks to make sure the equipment is operational during the shift. However, if it’s a major failure, then I’d reorganize the workflow in the kitchen and immediately call maintenance. It’s also important to keep everyone informed about the problem so the whole team can support each other.”

For employers: You want to hire someone who’s able to run the kitchen during major setbacks, so look for a candidate who has experience handling any sort of equipment failures at the workplace.

For candidates: To present yourself in the best light, tell the employer about a time when you managed to keep the guests satisfied during a minor or major disruption in the kitchen.

Example answer: “As a Kitchen Manager, I take food contamination issues very seriously. So, the last time it happened, my team and I quickly discovered it was the uncooked chicken that was causing the issue. I’ve informed everyone we’d be disposing of that batch and further instructed them to follow the outlined protocols when preparing food.

The second important thing was to call the supplier and order a fresh batch of chicken that was delivered shortly. In the meantime, I made sure to inform everyone what happened so we could effectively manage guests’ expectations and offer alternative options on the menu.”

For employers: It’s important you hire someone who’s extra knowledgeable about food safety guidelines and can adjust to any changes quickly without compromising the quality of the service.

For candidates: Describe a specific time when you had to deal with food contamination and make sure to mention what you did to resolve it while coordinating with your team and suppliers.