Question 1

Walk me through how you cost a new dish.

Accepted Answer

Owners have been burned by chefs who cook beautifully and lose money on every plate. They want a real process, not a feeling. Build a recipe card with yields, trim loss and portion weights Price each ingredient from current invoices, not memory Set the menu price against the food cost target the owner uses Re-cost when a key vendor price moves, and say how you'd catch it

Question 2

Your food cost ran high last month. What do you check first?

Accepted Answer

Every kitchen has a bad month. They're testing whether you find the cause or just reach for the nearest lever. Compare theoretical cost to actual, using inventory counts and the sales mix from the POS Look for waste, over-portioning and comps Check invoices for price creep, shorts and substitutions Tighten receiving and walk-in rotation before touching the menu

Question 3

How do you build the schedule and keep labor in line?

Accepted Answer

Labor is the other half of the kitchen's cost, and a lot of chefs treat it as the GM's problem. Staff to forecast covers, reservations and events, not habit Cross-train so one call-out doesn't sink a station Watch overtime every week and shift prep hours to slower days Give one real change you made that cut hours without hurting service

Question 4

Tell me about a cook you trained who moved up.

Accepted Answer

Turnover eats kitchens alive. Chefs who develop people keep them, and owners know it. Name the cook's starting point and what held them back Say what you actually did: station rotations, tastings, letting them write a special Describe where they ended up, even if it was another kitchen Explain how you train differently now because of them

Question 5

How would you handle a health inspection that goes badly?

Accepted Answer

The executive chef answers for food safety. They want to know you own it instead of pointing at a line cook. Walk the findings with the inspector and ask questions while they're there Fix what you can on the spot and write down what you did Retrain on the specific failure, such as cooling logs or blocked hand sinks Add it to a daily checklist and follow your local health department's rules on re-inspection

Question 6

What would you change about our menu?

Accepted Answer

They want proof you did your homework and that you can critique without trashing their concept. Eat there before the interview, more than once if you can Name what works and say you'd keep it Suggest a few changes tied to cost, ticket times or guest feedback Offer to test changes as specials before they go on the printed menu

Question 7

Describe a night when service fell apart. What did you do?

Accepted Answer

Every kitchen goes down sometimes. They care about what you do on the pass while it's happening. Set the scene fast: what broke and when Say what you did in the moment, on the pass or on a station Explain how you kept front of house and guests informed Close with the fix you put in place the next day

Question 8

How do you choose and manage vendors?

Accepted Answer

Purchasing is where a lot of money leaks out quietly, and it's where favors and lazy habits hide. Weigh quality, price and reliability together Keep a backup source for proteins and key produce Check every delivery against the invoice at the back door Bid out major categories from time to time and track what changed

Question 9

How do you handle allergies and special diets during a full service?

Accepted Answer

An allergy mistake can hurt a guest and sink a restaurant. They want a system, not good intentions. Clear allergy modifiers on the ticket and a spoken callback on the line Separate tools or a cleaned station for severe allergies An allergen chart for every dish that servers can check Training before a new cook's first shift on the line

Question 10

How do you work with the general manager and front of house?

Accepted Answer

A kitchen at war with the floor loses guests. They're checking whether you'll be a partner or a wall. Show up to pre-shift and walk servers through specials and changes Agree on how comps and refires get handled before a problem happens Share food cost and menu plans with the GM early Give an example of a conflict with the floor you settled

Question 11

Tell me about a time you disagreed with an owner.

Accepted Answer

You'll disagree with this owner too. They want to see how you push back and whether you can lose gracefully. Pick a real disagreement about food, money or staffing Show you brought evidence, like sales mix or cost, not just taste Say how it ended, including if you didn't get your way Explain what you'd do the same or differently

Question 12

Why do you want to run this kitchen?

Accepted Answer

They're looking for someone who wants this restaurant, not just the title. Name something specific about their food, guests or setup that draws you Connect it to kitchens you've already run Say what you'd want to build there over time Keep it honest and short

Executive chef interview questions

The 8 questions you will almost certainly get

A forgettable answer, and a better one

"Walk me through how you cost a new dish."

"Your food cost ran high last month. What do you check first?"

Questions to ask them

Need more Executive Chef interviews to prep for?

The question	What they want to know	Your angle
Walk me through how you cost a new dish.	Owners have been burned by chefs who cook beautifully and lose money on every plate. They want a real process, not a feeling.	Build a recipe card with yields, trim loss and portion weights
Your food cost ran high last month. What do you check first?	Every kitchen has a bad month. They're testing whether you find the cause or just reach for the nearest lever.	Compare theoretical cost to actual, using inventory counts and the sales mix from the POS
How do you build the schedule and keep labor in line?	Labor is the other half of the kitchen's cost, and a lot of chefs treat it as the GM's problem.	Staff to forecast covers, reservations and events, not habit
Tell me about a cook you trained who moved up.	Turnover eats kitchens alive. Chefs who develop people keep them, and owners know it.	Name the cook's starting point and what held them back
How would you handle a health inspection that goes badly?	The executive chef answers for food safety. They want to know you own it instead of pointing at a line cook.	Walk the findings with the inspector and ask questions while they're there
What would you change about our menu?	They want proof you did your homework and that you can critique without trashing their concept.	Eat there before the interview, more than once if you can
Describe a night when service fell apart. What did you do?	Every kitchen goes down sometimes. They care about what you do on the pass while it's happening.	Set the scene fast: what broke and when
How do you choose and manage vendors?	Purchasing is where a lot of money leaks out quietly, and it's where favors and lazy habits hide.	Weigh quality, price and reliability together