A successful interview can take your career to great heights.
That is why it is important to prepare beforehand.
Here are sample interview questions and answers to help you be prepared for a head cook interview.
Head Cook Interview Questions and Answers
1. What skills do you possess which make you an extraordinary person to hire as a head cook?
I have worked as a head cook for over 12 years now, and have seen the evolution that the industry has gone through. I am skilled in cooking a wide variety of cuisines and possess in-depth knowledge of creating menus and recipes, following management approvals. Moreover, I can run a tight ship, overseeing the work of food preparation workers, cooks, and kitchen staff, ensuring that any issues are dealt with on an urgent basis.
2. Speaking of cuisines, what cuisines do you specialize in?
I am a professional cook, who has several specializations. I can cook dishes from a variety of cuisines, including French, Chinese, Italian, Indian, American, and Korean.
3. As a head cook, what duties have you performed in a previous role?
While working as a head cook, I have been overseeing the work of kitchen staff members, ensuring that they are working towards a common goal –patron satisfaction. Training kitchen staff members to ensure that they cook, grill, or bake dishes according to set standards, performing cooking activities, overseeing orders, monitoring inventory, and ensuring that all safety standards are being followed have all been part of my work as a head cook.
4. What do food hygiene and safety mean to you?
Both food hygiene and safety mean the world to me. As a seasoned head cook, I am only too well aware of the fact that these two things are what make customers come back (or not), and make a restaurant famous (or considered a no-go).
5. How do you make sure that the people working under you do so according to the policies and procedures of the restaurant?
I am very firm when it comes to restaurant protocol. My training methods ensure that kitchen staff members adhere to set procedures, and I keep a tight check on them, through well-placed monitoring activities.
6. What was the most difficult day that you have spent working as a head cook?
On a hectic day at my present place of work, I had to oversee the food preparation, cooking, and serving for 92 patrons – all at the same time. This I believe was the most difficult day that I have spent, although all went exceptionally well, and there were no complaints!