Chef Interview Questions Explained

Do you watch cookery shows which showcase cuisines from around the world? Do you love experimenting with recipes? Can you cook mouthwatering dishes with a pinch of creativity? If your answer was yes to most of the questions then you can think of pursuing a career in the culinary field as a chef. Pursuing a career as a professional chef can be highly rewarding especially if you are passionate about food. To build a strong career as a chef, you should hone your skills through apprenticeships, degree programs, or certificate courses. An ideal chef should also be creative, have excellent work ethics, physical strength, and mental endurance. From hotels and restaurants to government offices and private organizations, a chef can work in a wide range of companies. But the important question here is, are you really prepared for the interview? Whether it’s your first job or you are applying as an experienced professional, it is important to have a fair idea on the kind of questions that can be asked in the interview. Most of the Chef interview questions asked are designed to give the interviewer an opportunity to gauge through your talents, skills, and seriousness for the job. In this blog, we have collated a list of some of the most commonly asked chef interview questions which will help you ace this round. 

List of Chef Interview Questions

Below we have explained some of the commonly asked Chef interview questions and how you can effectively answer them to get selected for your dream restaurant.

1. Tell us about yourself?

This question may seem simple but it is one of the toughest Chef interview Questions.  It thus becomes important to prepare for this question well in advance. Instead of giving all the details of your previous employment or work, you can talk more about your culinary skills and how they can be put to use in the organization. Starting with your qualification, you can mention the cuisines you specialize in or an average number of customers you have cooked for. 

2. Why do you want to work with us?

Hotels or restaurants would want to hire chefs who are passionate about cooking. The answer to this commonly asked Chef Interview Questions lies in these four questions:

• Why this company? 
• What are the traits they are looking for?
• What are the skills that you possess?
• How will your skills benefit the company?

Whether you want to specialize in cuisine the restaurant offers, or you want to get trained by a particular chef, what matters here is that your personal goals should align with the company’s ethics. 

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3. What are your weaknesses? 

This is one of the most trickiest Chef Interview Questions which is asked by the employer to gauge through the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. The key to ace this question is to give an honest reply. Instead of worrying about a lack of experience in a Cusine the restaurant specializes in, put thrust on your strengths which can benefit the restaurant. Make sure to be subtle in explaining your weaknesses. 

4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

The head chef can instantly understand your seriousness for this role by hearing the answer to this question. The answer to this trickiest Chef Interview Questions should be honest and aligned with your personal goals. It should be able to maintain a balance between realism and ambition. Don’t exaggerate the answer to a point that it gives an odd impression. Be modest about your future goals. 

5. Who inspires you and why?

Through this question, the employer will be able to asses your knowledge of current culinary trends, international chefs, and their cooking style. You can explain how the cooking style of a particular chef helped you mould your skills and how these skills can be beneficial for the restaurant.  

By now you must have become familiar with some of the most asked Chef Interview Questions. If you need more guidance to prepare for interviews or take admission to a university abroad then you can get in touch with Leverage Edu. Our mentors and counsellors will help you ace any job interview.