Why this matters:
Effective inventory management helps maintain steady profit margins, forecast demands for specific ingredients, and assess the profitability of menu items. Candidates must be able to accurately monitor their kitchen inventory, as their ability to estimate a restaurant’s needs can make a world of difference for daily kitchen operations — from smooth to hectic days.
What to listen for:
- Experience facilitating manual inventory management
- Solid understanding of how inventory management impacts the restaurant
- Ability to track food-related expenses for budgeting
Why this matters:
Creating a positive dining experience is essential. It leads to higher customer satisfaction, builds a restaurant’s reputation, and increases the likelihood of repeat business. Therefore, chef candidates must be able to demonstrate their cooking skills by making and delivering delicious food in a consistent, timely manner.
What to listen for:
- Advanced knowledge of baking, cooking, and food preparation techniques
- Ability to create high-quality tastes that increase customer satisfaction
- Ability to implement feedback to improve specific dishes
Why this matters:
The purpose of food safety is to protect diners from unsanitary food products and reduce the likelihood of potential injury or illness. Whether it’s an allergy or sensitivity, food-related accidents can negatively impact a restaurant. Chefs must have in-depth experience adhering to restaurant health codes — and know how to keep food clean, cook thoroughly, and separate ingredients to prevent cross-contamination.
What to listen for:
- Strong understanding of kitchen sanitation and cleaning practices
- Ability to ensure compliance with relevant health regulations
- Sharp attention to detail when assessing the kitchen
Why this matters:
As chefs hone their menu development skills, it’s important they learn from their mistakes, especially when it comes to an unsuccessful recipe. Chef candidates must be able to quickly identify what doesn’t work, whether it’s an ingredient imbalance or simply an unpopular set of flavors — and learn from this to move on to beloved concoctions.
What to listen for:
- Humility when acknowledging unintended results
- Resilient, solution-oriented mindset to succeed with future dishes
- Willingness to backtrack and reflect on missteps
Why this matters:
Kitchens are delicate work environments in which one small misstep can throw off an entire workflow. A chef’s ability to handle this, while keeping their emotions in check, will be crucial in maintaining team unity and morale. The answer to this question should provide insight into the candidate’s leadership style and conflict resolution skills.
What to listen for:
- Creative problem-solving
- Demonstrated leadership when handling unexpected situations
- Ability to remain patient during stressful circumstances
Why this matters:
Although chefs don’t always interact directly with diners, their decisions in the kitchen impact all diner experiences. The best chef candidates will aim for customer satisfaction, without compromising service speed, food quality, or the integrity of their menu. The answer to this question should demonstrate the value your applicant places on service — and their ability to lead a customer-focused operation.
What to listen for:
- Clear verbal communication skills when interacting with a customer
- Ability to defend certain decisions in the kitchen
- Concrete understanding of the restaurant’s service processes
Why this matters:
Unifying a diverse group of people toward a common goal requires a leader that can be culturally and emotionally sensitive — and is committed to fostering trust, empathy, and inclusion. This question will help you gauge your candidate’s attitudes toward working with different people and personality types. The answer may illuminate how they approach personal challenges.
What to listen for:
- Examples of how the candidate addressed past team-related challenges
- Cultural awareness and a positive outlook on diversity
- The desire to create an inclusive kitchen environment
Why this matters:
A restaurant’s relationship with its vendors or suppliers is crucial, impacting everything from smooth cash flow to ingredient quality and availability. Good chefs emphasize the importance of good vendor relations — and they are great at cultivating trust, overseeing timely payments, and handling any issues with tact and professionalism.
What to listen for:
- Ability to build long-lasting, positive professional relationships
- Strong networking skills that expand the chef’s supplier base
- An understanding of the importance of vendor connections
Why this matters:
For any busy restaurant, a sudden influx of diners is normal during a mealtime rush or pre- or post-event rush. A successful chef deftly commands a fast-paced kitchen — either cooking food or coordinating each station to synchronize their output. A great candidate leads with nuance, detail orientation, and finesse.
What to listen for:
- Demonstrated calm in the midst of a mealtime rush
- Deft coordination and command
- Ability to manage kitchen staff with different responsibilities
Contact a sales consultant.