Executive Chef

Executive Chef interview questions:

Much of what you seek in your new Executive Chef may not be apparent from their resume alone. These interview questions are crafted to help you evaluate crucial attributes such as leadership skills, resourcefulness, and business acumen. A seasoned chef should excel at building, training, and supervising a team of cooks, fostering relationships with food suppliers, and devising menus that consider ingredient costs and availability. Chefs have the responsibility of recruiting their own team and procuring ingredients, necessitating careful budget management and the ability to make adjustments when needed.

In essence, a restaurant is a hospitality-focused environment, and the chef you hire should actively contribute to creating a positive customer experience. Questions like “how would you accommodate special dietary needs?” or “how would you address a dissatisfied customer?” provide insights into a candidate’s commitment to delivering excellent customer service.

Depending on the type of establishment you operate, there may be additional specific criteria you’re seeking, such as expertise in a particular cuisine or experience with a specific customer demographic. You can tailor these questions accordingly. Ideally, your candidates will have already considered these factors and will be prepared with questions that demonstrate a deep understanding of your hiring needs. They should also be able to elaborate on any relevant or noteworthy accomplishments from their previous positions.

Operational and Situational questions:

• Can you elaborate on your training and how it is relevant to this role?
• From your experience, how does the consideration of food costs influence the creation of a menu?
• Could you describe your responsibilities in Purchasing and Receiving?
• Share some of your preferred food suppliers and what sets them apart in your opinion.
• How do you manage and control labor costs effectively?
• Can you outline your strategy for staff recruitment and the specific qualities you seek in candidates?
• Share an experience when you had to terminate an employee. What were the circumstances leading to this decision?
• To what extent are you involved in overseeing your team of cooks?
• Describe your experience working with teams that are culturally diverse and multilingual.
• Which food pairings do you find appealing and what motivates these choices?
• In what ways does your winter menu differ from your spring menu?
• How do you ensure the quality of dishes served to customers?
• How do you take responsibility for enhancing the overall dining experience at your restaurant?
• How do you handle customer requests for ingredient substitutions?
• What is your approach to accommodating special diets, such as those requiring gluten-free options?
• Recall an instance when you addressed a situation involving a dissatisfied customer.
• Recall a time when you successfully resolved a conflict with a challenging team member.
• Reflect on someone you have mentored or trained. Where did they start, and where are they now in their career?
• How would you propose improvements for our establishment?