Question 1

Walk me through how you'd set up a prep list for a busy Friday.

Accepted Answer

Prep is the part of the job the chef most wants to hand off. This shows whether you think in pars and priorities or just write down everything that's empty. Start from the covers forecast, the reservation book and what sold last Friday Check pars against what's actually in the walk-in and what the order will bring Rank tasks by lead time so braises, stocks and doughs start first Split the list by station and name who owns each item Walk the line at a set time to see what's behind and move people

Question 2

How do you keep food cost in line?

Accepted Answer

Chefs get judged on food cost and they need a sous who protects it without being told. Portion control: scales on the line, spec sheets and portioned proteins First in, first out with dated labels so product gets used before it spoils A waste log that someone actually reads, and menu changes based on it Checking invoices against deliveries and pushing back on short or wrong items Using trim in specials and family meal instead of the bin

Question 3

A cook keeps plating a dish off spec. What do you do?

Accepted Answer

You'll correct people every shift. They want to know whether you coach, yell or avoid it. Fix the plate in the moment and keep service moving Talk to the cook after the rush, privately, and show the spec or photo Find out why: unclear spec, wrong mise, no one trained them Watch the next few shifts and follow up with the chef if it keeps happening

Question 4

Tell me about a night the kitchen got buried. What did you do?

Accepted Answer

Getting weeded happens. The chef wants to hear how you steady a line under pressure. Set the scene briefly: what went wrong and when What you did first, such as taking over the pass or jumping on the weak station How you talked to front of house to slow seating or manage tables What you changed afterward so it didn't happen again

Question 5

How do you handle ordering and receiving?

Accepted Answer

Many sous chefs own the order guide. Mistakes here cost money or leave the menu with holes in it. Name the tools you've used, such as vendor ordering portals, an inventory spreadsheet or a system like MarketMan Order from pars and the forecast, not from memory Check every delivery for temp, quality and count before the driver leaves Log credits for shorts and damaged product and follow up with the rep

Question 6

What food safety practices do you enforce on every shift?

Accepted Answer

The sous chef is often the person in charge when the inspector walks in. Temperature logs for coolers and hot holding, plus cooling logs for big batches Date labels on everything and a clear rotation system Allergen handling: separate boards, clean tongs and clear tickets Mention the food safety manager certificate you hold and that rules vary by local health department

Question 7

How would you train a new line cook on a station?

Accepted Answer

Training is most of what turns a kitchen from a chef's opinion into a repeatable menu. Start them on prep for that station so they learn the mise Have them shadow during service, then cook with you beside them Use written specs and photos so the standard isn't only in your head Check in after the first few solo shifts and fix habits early

Question 8

What would you change about our menu?

Accepted Answer

They want to see if you read the menu before coming in and whether you can critique it with respect. Name something you'd keep and why, so it's clear you ate or read carefully Point to a practical issue, such as one station carrying too many pick-ups Suggest a fix tied to cost, speed or cross-utilization Make clear the chef has the final call

Question 9

How do you work with front of house?

Accepted Answer

A lot of kitchen fights start at the pass. The sous often sets the tone with servers and managers. Run a clear lineup with specials, allergens and what's about to run out Keep communication on the ticket and at the pass, not across the dining room Handle a sent-back plate calmly and figure out what went wrong later Give an example of fixing a recurring problem with a manager

Question 10

Why do you want to be a sous chef here, and not somewhere else?

Accepted Answer

Chefs want someone who will stay long enough to be worth training on their systems. Something specific about the food or the way the kitchen runs What you want to learn from this chef Where you see yourself going, and why this step fits it

Question 11

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a chef.

Accepted Answer

You'll carry the chef's calls to the line. They want to know you'll argue in private and back them in public. Pick a real, low-drama example about a dish, a process or a schedule Explain how you raised it and when Say what the chef decided and how you carried it out Mention what you learned from the result

Sous chef 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 set up a prep list for a busy Friday."

"How do you keep food cost in line?"

Questions to ask them

Need more Sous Chef interviews to prep for?

The question	What they want to know	Your angle
Walk me through how you'd set up a prep list for a busy Friday.	Prep is the part of the job the chef most wants to hand off. This shows whether you think in pars and priorities or just write down everything that's empty.	Start from the covers forecast, the reservation book and what sold last Friday
How do you keep food cost in line?	Chefs get judged on food cost and they need a sous who protects it without being told.	Portion control: scales on the line, spec sheets and portioned proteins
A cook keeps plating a dish off spec. What do you do?	You'll correct people every shift. They want to know whether you coach, yell or avoid it.	Fix the plate in the moment and keep service moving
Tell me about a night the kitchen got buried. What did you do?	Getting weeded happens. The chef wants to hear how you steady a line under pressure.	Set the scene briefly: what went wrong and when
How do you handle ordering and receiving?	Many sous chefs own the order guide. Mistakes here cost money or leave the menu with holes in it.	Name the tools you've used, such as vendor ordering portals, an inventory spreadsheet or a system like MarketMan
What food safety practices do you enforce on every shift?	The sous chef is often the person in charge when the inspector walks in.	Temperature logs for coolers and hot holding, plus cooling logs for big batches
How would you train a new line cook on a station?	Training is most of what turns a kitchen from a chef's opinion into a repeatable menu.	Start them on prep for that station so they learn the mise
What would you change about our menu?	They want to see if you read the menu before coming in and whether you can critique it with respect.	Name something you'd keep and why, so it's clear you ate or read carefully