Question 1

Walk me through how you'd start a morning prep shift.

Accepted Answer

They want to know if you'll organize yourself or stand around waiting for instructions. Wash hands, set up the station with a board, a damp towel under it, a sanitizer bucket and a trash bowl Read the prep list and check the walk-in against it before starting Start with items that take longest, like stocks or braises, then move to knife work while they cook Label and date every container as it's finished

Question 2

How do you keep raw chicken from contaminating other food?

Accepted Answer

Cross-contamination is the fastest way a prep cook makes guests sick, and inspectors look for it. Separate cutting boards, often color-coded, with yellow for poultry in many kitchens Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of the walk-in, below ready-to-eat food Wash and sanitize the board and knife between proteins and produce Change gloves and wash hands after handling raw meat

Question 3

What does FIFO mean, and how do you use it?

Accepted Answer

Stock rotation keeps food from spoiling and money from going in the trash. First in, first out: older product gets used before newer product New deliveries go behind or under what's already on the shelf Check date labels and pull anything past its use-by date Tell the sous chef when something's close so it can go on a special

Question 4

Show me, or tell me, the difference between a dice, a julienne and a chiffonade.

Accepted Answer

They want to know if they can write a cut on the prep list and trust you to know what it means. A dice is even cubes, with small, medium and large sizes set by the kitchen A julienne is thin matchstick strips, like carrots for a slaw A chiffonade is leafy herbs like basil stacked, rolled and sliced into ribbons Admit which cuts you're still slow at and say you'd practice them

Question 5

You're halfway through your prep list and the chef adds a big catering order. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

Plans change most days in a kitchen, and they want someone who reshuffles without panicking or going silent. Ask what's needed and by when Reorder the list: what service needs first, what the new order needs, what can wait Say out loud which items won't get done so the sous chef can plan around it Ask the dishwasher or another cook for help with simple tasks if it's allowed

Question 6

How do you label food in the walk-in?

Accepted Answer

Unlabeled containers get thrown out or, worse, used when they shouldn't be. Health inspectors check labels. Every container gets a label with the item name, the date it was made and your initials Many kitchens use painter's tape and a marker or printed day-dot labels Follow the kitchen's own system for use-by dates Never top off an old container with a new batch

Question 7

How would you cool a big pot of stock?

Accepted Answer

Cooling food too slowly is a common health code problem, and prep cooks make stocks and soups all the time. Never put a hot stock pot straight into the walk-in Split it into shallow pans or use an ice bath and an ice wand, stirring often Check the temperature with a probe thermometer and log it if the kitchen keeps a cooling log Cover and label once it's cold

Question 8

Tell me about a time you cut yourself or saw someone get hurt in a kitchen.

Accepted Answer

Knife cuts and burns happen. They want to know you'll handle it safely and not hide it. Stop, step away from the food and tell the lead Clean and bandage the cut, put on a finger cot or glove Throw out any food that might have been contaminated and sanitize the station Mention what you changed afterward, like using a claw grip or a sharper knife

Question 9

Which shifts can you work, and how are you getting here?

Accepted Answer

Prep shifts often start very early, and a prep cook who's late means the line isn't ready. Be specific about the days and start times you can work Say how you'll get there at that hour, whether you drive, take the bus or bike Mention if you can pick up extra shifts when someone calls out Be honest about limits now rather than missing shifts later

Question 10

What would you do if you ran out of an ingredient you needed for a recipe?

Accepted Answer

They want to know you won't swap ingredients on your own and change a dish the chef has set. Check the dry storage and walk-in before calling it gone Tell the sous chef or chef right away Don't substitute without asking Write it on the order sheet or tell whoever does ordering

Question 11

Why do you want to work in a kitchen?

Accepted Answer

They're checking whether you'll stick around through the repetitive part of the job. Say something true, like liking physical work, early hours or wanting to learn to cook Mention if you want to move to the line later Show you know prep is repetitive and you're fine with that

Question 12

How do you keep your station clean during a busy prep shift?

Accepted Answer

A messy station slows everyone down and is where cross-contamination starts. Clean as you go: wipe the board and knife between tasks Keep a sanitizer bucket at the station and change the water when it gets dirty Keep a trash bowl so you're not walking to the bin every minute Break down and wipe the station fully before handing off

Prep Cook interview questions and how to answer them

The 8 questions you will almost certainly get

A forgettable answer, and a better one

"Walk me through how you'd start a morning prep shift."

"How do you keep raw chicken from contaminating other food?"

Questions to ask them

Need more Prep Cook interviews to prep for?

The question	What they want to know	Your angle
Walk me through how you'd start a morning prep shift.	They want to know if you'll organize yourself or stand around waiting for instructions.	Wash hands, set up the station with a board, a damp towel under it, a sanitizer bucket and a trash bowl
How do you keep raw chicken from contaminating other food?	Cross-contamination is the fastest way a prep cook makes guests sick, and inspectors look for it.	Separate cutting boards, often color-coded, with yellow for poultry in many kitchens
What does FIFO mean, and how do you use it?	Stock rotation keeps food from spoiling and money from going in the trash.	First in, first out: older product gets used before newer product
Show me, or tell me, the difference between a dice, a julienne and a chiffonade.	They want to know if they can write a cut on the prep list and trust you to know what it means.	A dice is even cubes, with small, medium and large sizes set by the kitchen
You're halfway through your prep list and the chef adds a big catering order. What do you do?	Plans change most days in a kitchen, and they want someone who reshuffles without panicking or going silent.	Ask what's needed and by when
How do you label food in the walk-in?	Unlabeled containers get thrown out or, worse, used when they shouldn't be. Health inspectors check labels.	Every container gets a label with the item name, the date it was made and your initials
How would you cool a big pot of stock?	Cooling food too slowly is a common health code problem, and prep cooks make stocks and soups all the time.	Never put a hot stock pot straight into the walk-in
Tell me about a time you cut yourself or saw someone get hurt in a kitchen.	Knife cuts and burns happen. They want to know you'll handle it safely and not hide it.	Stop, step away from the food and tell the lead