Line cooks prepare and plate food according to the specifications of their chefs or restaurants menu. As the name describes, they work at one of the “line” stations. These can include the grill, the fryer, the garde-manger, or some combination of these or other stations.
Any food service environmentâfrom Michelin-star restaurants to your local dinerârelies on its line cooks for successful service. Just because a line cook is important doesn’t mean you should know what questions to ask candidates.
Interviewing for a lead cook position? You’ll need to demonstrate your leadership abilities, kitchen skills, and experience overseeing a team of line cooks. While every chef will have their own unique interview style, there are several standard questions you should expect to answer Read on for tips on how to ace the 10 most common lead cook interview questions
1. How Would You Expedite Orders on a Busy Day Without Compromising Quality?
When there are a lot of orders, the lead cook has to make sure that the food moves quickly without lowering the standards. When asked this question, emphasize that quality always comes first. What clear ways would you use to let the line cooks know about ticket times and priorities? Tell them you’ll add more cooks to the line if they’re needed and give support staff jobs like plating and garnishing. Giving examples of how you’ve quickly processed orders during your busiest times will show that you have experience.
2. What Would You Do if You Noticed a Line Cook Using the Same Cutting Board for Meat and Vegetables?
Kitchen sanitation and food safety are paramount. If asked this question, sternly state that you would immediately correct this unsafe practice Explain that you would politely but firmly instruct the cook to discard the contaminated cutting board and sanitize a new one. Cite the serious health risks of cross-contamination and that following proper sanitation procedures is non-negotiable. You may want to add that you’d review food safety protocols with the entire team to prevent this issue in the future
3. How Do You Ensure Consistent Quality and Standards in the Dishes Your Team Produces?
In a lead cook role, you’ll need to verify that each plate meets the chef’s specifications. When answering this question, describe how you’d tasted all menu items yourself so you are intimately familiar with their intended flavor and presentation. Share how you’d work side-by-side with new line cooks to train them in achieving consistent standards. Provide examples of how you give constructive feedback to cooks to develop their skills. Being able to coach others is key for this position.
4. How Do You Manage Your Team to Keep Them Motivated and Productive?
Kitchens can be high-stress environments. Discuss how you create positive energy by communicating openly, leading by example, and treating each team member with respect. Share that you recognize good work and provide reassurance during the busiest rushes. Give examples of how you foster camaraderie through team meals, celebrations, and simply having fun. Convey your passion for supporting and developing your cooks.
5. What Qualities Do You Look for When Hiring Line Cooks?
Cite must-have skills like knife skills, organization, cleanliness, stamina, and the ability to multitask. However, emphasize that you look beyond just qualifications to assess applicants’ attitudes, coachability, and potential to grow. Share how you determine if they will mesh well with the existing team. Convey your commitment to nurturing talent by describing your onboarding and training process. This shows you are dedicated to setting new cooks up for success.
6. How Do You Ensure Food Safety and Storage Standards are Followed in the Kitchen?
Mention daily tasks like verifying temperatures of fridges and freezers, overseeing proper thawing procedures, monitoring food expiry dates, and enforcing strict labeling requirements. Discuss your system for developing detailed production lists and prep schedules to prevent waste through over-production. Provide examples of how you train staff on critical policies like handwashing, preventing cross-contamination, and reporting illnesses. Demonstrating your knowledge of safe food-handling guidelines is a must for any lead cook role.
7. What Steps Do You Take to Minimize Food Wastage and Spoilage?
Reducing waste is a key responsibility of a lead cook. Talk about strategies like keeping accurate records of stock levels, keeping an eye on usage and making changes to orders, setting up a FIFO (first in, first out) system, finding new uses for leftover ingredients, and giving unused food to charity programs. Share your care in checking deliveries for freshness, switching out stock, and composting scraps and trimmings. Show your team how you can help them work together by setting goals for reducing waste and leading projects like cooking popular menu items in bulk.
8. How Do You Ensure All Ingredients and Equipment Needed for Service Are Prepped and Organized?
Thorough mise en place is the bedrock of a smooth service. Explain how you make detailed lists of what you need to make each dish and when it needs to be done. Tell them that you check stations before they go into service to make sure they are stocked and organized. Discuss how you maintain an orderly walk-in fridge and dry storage area. Provide examples of how you ensure backup ingredients and equipment are easily accessible. In this fast-paced job, it’s important to be able to organize both people and things.
9. How Do You Keep Records of Inventory, Food Costs, Labor, and Sales?
Tracking key metrics is an important responsibility. Discuss how you log all purchases and receipts, conduct regular inventory, and calculate food costs. Mention any restaurant management systems you have experience with. Share that you schedule staff efficiently to control labor costs. Describe how you monitor daily sales and comps to identify top-selling and under-performing dishes. Being knowledgeable about technology tools and financials is a key skill set for a lead cook.
10. Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
When asked about your long-term goals, position yourself as aspiring to keep developing as a chef. If interested in continuing on the lead cook path, discuss how you want to fine-tune your managerial abilities through experience. Or, share your desire to eventually move up to sous chef or head chef. Tailor your response to the progression opportunities at the establishment while conveying your passion for the culinary arts and commitment to growth.
Preparing responses to common lead cook interview questions will help you walk in feeling confident and ready to ace the meeting. Be sure to also brush up on the restaurant’s menu and your own resume. With your culinary prowess and leadership capabilities, you’ll be equipped to both cook up delicious dishes and manage a thriving kitchen team. Wow that chef, and the job could soon be yours!
How do you handle running behind when more tickets keep coming in?
Everyone gets caught in the weeds from time to time. With all the moving parts of a restaurant, it is unreasonable to expect it to never happen. What is important, however, is how someone responds under pressure.
It’s important that the candidate’s answer shows they can keep calm when things get crazy. Asking for help and thinking outside of the box in these situations is a good thing.
How have you seen teamwork play a role in the kitchen environment at previous jobs?
Teamwork is an important part of any successful kitchen. You want an answer that shows your candidate can work with others and get along with the people you already have on the team.
Lead Cook Interview Questions
FAQ
What is a lead line cook job description?
What questions should I ask in a head chef interview?
