Interview Questions to Ask a Chef / Line Cook Candidate
Questions that surface real evidence of consistency under pressure, not just recipe knowledge — plus what to actually listen for in the answer, not just whether they say the right buzzwords.
1. How do you set up your station before service so you can handle a rush?
What to listen for: Expect mise en place, labelled and dated containers, checking temperatures, clean surfaces and knowing the menu specials.
2. Six tickets arrive at once and one dish is delayed. What do you do?
What to listen for: Good answers communicate with the pass, sequence by cooking time, call out clearly, and keep calm.
3. How do you avoid cross contamination between raw meat and ready to eat food?
What to listen for: Look for separate boards and utensils, handwashing, correct storage order and temperature control.
4. You realise you sent out a dish with the wrong sauce to a guest with an allergy note. What happens next?
What to listen for: Strong answers act immediately, alert the server and manager, retrieve the dish, and review the process.
5. What would you do in your first 30 days in this chef / line cook role?
What to listen for: Whether their plan is grounded in the role's actual must-haves (food preparation and kitchen safety/sanitation) or generic ("get to know the team"). Specificity here signals real understanding of the job, not just interview prep.
6. Why are you leaving your current role, and why this one specifically?
What to listen for: Forward-looking motivation tied to something concrete about this role, versus badmouthing a past employer or vague dissatisfaction. Watch for whether their reasons actually match what this role offers.
A warning sign in this interview
Treating temperature logs, labelling and allergy notes as formalities, or hiding a mistake instead of telling the pass.
What to look for on the CV before the interview
Stations worked, covers served and the kitchens they came from.
Confirm before you make an offer
Food hygiene certification, and any allergen training the venue requires.
People who may apply under another title
This job is also called Line Cook, Cook, Commis Chef, Sous Chef. A candidate with one of those titles can be a strong match, so ask the same questions and judge the answers, not the title.
Frequently asked questions
How many of these questions should I ask in one interview?
3-4 is realistic for a 30-45 minute interview once you leave room for follow-ups and the candidate's own questions. Divide competencies across panel members rather than every interviewer asking all of them — see the Interview Scorecard tool for a structured version of this.
How is this different from the Interview Scorecard tool?
This page is a generic starting point for the chef / line cook role. The tool generates a full panel-ready kit — competency-grouped questions, a 1-5 rating rubric, and strong/weak answer examples — tailored to your actual job description and competencies.
What is a red flag when interviewing a chef / line cook?
Treating temperature logs, labelling and allergy notes as formalities, or hiding a mistake instead of telling the pass.
What should I confirm before offering a chef / line cook the job?
Food hygiene certification, and any allergen training the venue requires.
Hiring a chef / line cook? The rest of the toolkit
- How to write the job description →
Titles, must-haves, credentials and a starting posting.
- Search strings to find candidates →
Five searches from broad to narrow, with exclusions.
- Run the whole hire in one place →
Jobs, CV review, interviews, offers and checks together.