Once you have secured an interview for a new chef role, you need to make sure you do everything you can so that you are thoroughly prepared for it. Being unprepared does not look professional and in many cases could cost you the job.
Like most interview scenarios, you will be asked a number of questions. Many of them will be quite general in order to determine your personality and strengths – for example, ‘why do you want to work here?’ and ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses?’. There will also be some more specific questions that are designed to determine your style of cooking and how you would fit into their work environment. Some questions you might be asked are listed below:
Where, and how were you trained?
This will help the interviewer determine whether your working style would suit their kitchen and whether you may need any training. Also, certain schools and colleges will have certain ways of teaching and these might be recognisable to potential employers and be beneficial to your application.
Which chef do you admire the most?
Similarly to your training, the chefs you look up to will influence your cooking so your potential employer will want to further establish your style so that they can determine your skills.
Describe your role in a team work environment
Working in a kitchen is all about working as a team. You need to be able to work well together in order to deliver the food on time. This question allows you to reflect on your experiences and demonstrate your teamwork skills.
How would you handle a difficult situation?
Here, you are required to give an example of how well you can handle a difficult and potentially stressful situation. The way you deal with things might not fit in with their kitchen so this is an important trait that an employer will look to establish early on.
What is an example springtime menu you would prepare?
This tests your on-the-spot creativity and knowledge. This question is particularly relevant for those applying for a Head Chef position where you would oversee menu creation in the role.
Top tip: keep the menu at the tone of the kitchen you are applying to – if your choices are too extravagant, it might not work for that particular kitchen, and vice versa.
How are you constantly developing your skills?
Employers will be looking for someone who is keen to learn and adapt in order to keep their cooking style and techniques fresh and new. Describe the ways in which you are keeping your skills up to date.
