Sous Chef Interview Questions & Answers

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A Sous Chef, also known as assistant to the head chef or the head chef’s second in command, is responsible for planning and managing food preparation in restaurant kitchens. They perform a range of duties including planning menus, training new staff, and recording inventory.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Sous Chef or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Sous Chef position, these Sous Chef interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Sous Chef Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Sous Chef interview questions.

1. What steps do you follow to ensure that food is not wasted?
2. Have you ever been part of planning a food budget and menu?
3. In your experience, what role does the sous chef play in a kitchen?
4. What is your favorite cuisine to cook?
5. Tell me about some of the restaurants you’ve worked at and why you moved on from them.
6. Can you offer flexibility in your schedule for overtime, weekends and some holidays?
7. Explain the hierarchy of the kitchen in your experience.
8. When have you made a suggestion to the executive chef before? How was your suggestion received?
9. What types of cuisine are you most comfortable cooking?
10. How do you handle ingredient substitutions?
11. Would you prefer a brunch shift or a dinner shift?
12. What was your biggest disappointment as a sous chef?
13. Where did you receive your culinary training, and what kind of experience do you have?
14. What would you do if there was a an emergency or safety hazard in the kitchen? Say, a grease fire?
15. Do you have any problems working on your feet for a full shift?
16. Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a problem in the kitchen.
17. What is the most difficult part of being a Sous Chef?
18. We do most of our business in the evenings and on weekends. Are you available during those hours as needed?
19. What would you say is your greatest strength as a cook?
20. Do you speak any other languages?
21. What challenges do you think the role of sous chef presents?
22. How do you evaluate success as a sous chef?
23. Have you ever been part of a food and safety health audit?
24. What are a few of the most important hallmarks of food safety in the kitchen?
25. Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult or challenging personality in the kitchen.
26. How would you adjust our signature pasta dish to reflect the dietary restrictions of a vegetarian?
27. What techniques do you use to make sure that food is presentation-ready?
28. Have you ever been overloaded with work? How did you cope?
29. Are you experienced using restaurant computer software? Which specific programs have you used in the past?
30. What methods do you use to ensure that food is cooked properly and safely?
31. What do you do to stay educated about new food trends?
32. Are you willing to help train line cooks or other kitchen staff members?
33. Tell me something you would like to learn or improve upon.
34. How would you resolve an issue with an aggressive customer?
35. How would you respond if a customer sent their plate back to the kitchen?
36. How would you adjust our menu to accommodate the current seasonal trends?
37. Are you comfortable disciplining coworkers if needed?
38. How would you respond if you caught an employee violating a food safety regulation?
39. Have you ever gone out of your way to cook an exceptional dish for a customer? Describe that experience.
40. What do you do to ensure the quality of the food going out is always up to par?

Sous Chef Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Sous Chef interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. What is Your Salary Expectation?
2. Tell Me About Yourself
3. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
4. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
5. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
6. What is Your Greatest Strength?
7. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
8. Why Should We Hire You?
9. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
10. Why Do You Want This Job?

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