Kitchen Manager Interview Questions and Answers Guide

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: “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: “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.