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Executive Chef Interview Questions

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Executive Chef interview questions and answers.

  1. What attracted you to pursue a career as an executive chef? See answer
  2. The job requires a balance between the cost of food and menu prices. Explain how you will perfect that. See answer
  3. How do you ensure your team follows food handling and safety guidelines? See answer
  4. How do you approach introducing new recipes to your staff? See answer
  5. What style of cuisine do you prefer to serve? See answer
  6. How do you manage the financial responsibilities of an executive chef? See answer
  7. How do you plan to keep your relationship with our vendors and food representatives healthy? See answer
  8. How do you control the quality of food that goes out to the customers? See answer
  9. In a competitive market, how do you attract and retain the best kitchen staff? See answer
  10. How do you decide which kitchen staff to keep or lay off during slow periods? See answer
  11. What are your experiences when dealing with multicultural and multilingual teams, and how do you ensure everyone feels comfortable? See answer
  12. What have you done in the last year to improve your skills and competence? See answer
  13. How do you handle working under pressure in the kitchen? See answer
  14. Do you have any wine knowledge? Could you recommend wine pairings for the menu? See answer
  15. Based on your research and knowledge of this restaurant, what changes would you suggest being made? See answer
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Hire your next Executive Chef today.

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Hire your next Executive Chef today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Executive Chef Interview Questions and Answers

What attracted you to pursue a career as an executive chef?

This question aims to assess the candidate's passion for the job, long-term goals, and desire to be creative. Your candidates should express themselves candidly and with confidence. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ambition and passion for their career
  • Mastery of the chef duties and responsibilities
  • Skill set to suit your restaurant

Example:

"My desire to work as an executive chef comes from my passion for food and artistry. This career gives me an opportunity to marry the two. I also grew up in a family of hoteliers, which is the source of my inspiration and early exposure to cooking."

The job requires a balance between the cost of food and menu prices. Explain how you will perfect that.

Food costs control and menu prices are two aspects that an executive chef should balance to maintain profits. This question gives the candidate the opportunity to share their knowledge of how to maximise profitability. What to look for in an answer:

  • Experience setting menu prices
  • Understanding of cost control measures
  • Business knowledge

Example:

"I always take the cost of ingredients into consideration when setting my menu prices. I know I need to balance the two to make the menu affordable while maximizing profits."

How do you ensure your team follows food handling and safety guidelines?

The question tests the candidate's knowledge of food handling and kitchen safety. Executive chefs need a solid understanding of cleaning standards and the national Canadian safe food handling guidelines. They also need to ensure their team adheres to these procedures. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to keep team members well trained
  • Dedication to cleanliness and hygiene standards
  • Knowledge of national food safety guidelines

Example:

"In my five years of experience as a chef, I have practised and perfected effective food handling practises that include cleaning vegetables and proper meat handling. I am dedicated to ensuring my staff meets the same standards so our guests can enjoy safely prepared meals. I also organise regular safe food handling training sessions for my staff. I find it helpful to refresh their memory and keep them updated on best practises."

How do you approach introducing new recipes to your staff?

This question assesses the candidate's approach to training. It also reveals their experience introducing new menus to kitchen staff and how best to prepare them.What to look for in an answer:

  • Familiarity with training practises
  • Enthusiasm for sharing their menu with the team
  • Leadership skills

Example:

"I'm enthusiastic about training my staff to cook new and exciting recipes. I send out an announcement to prepare the team when I'm working on a new menu. Then, when it's ready, I hold two training sessions where the team can practise the new dishes before we serve them to guests."

What style of cuisine do you prefer to serve?

The question provokes the candidate to show their choice of ingredients andflavours. You want a chef who has a creative vision and relevant skills.What to look for in an answer:

  • Approach to creativity
  • Ability to work with a variety of cuisines
  • Alignment with your restaurant's style

Example:

"I prefer French cuisine because I studied in Paris and have mastered many French recipes. However, preparing the menu has to bedeliberate, it has to blend well with the restaurant design and meet the desired price."

How do you manage the financial responsibilities of an executive chef?

An executive chef oversees many of the activities such as purchases and supplies because they handle restaurant food costs management. The candidate should explain their ability to make money for the restaurant. What to look for in an answer:

  • Business knowledge
  • Experience with cost management
  • Driven to increase profits

Example:

"In the last six years as a chef, I have handled all the purchasing, receiving and managing costs related to kitchen items. I have also assisted the finance department to structure budgets for upcoming hotel events that involve the restaurant."

How do you plan to keep your relationship with our vendors and food representatives healthy?

The question seeks to understand the candidate's ability to build professional relationships with external stakeholders. A good relationship with vendors and food representatives helps the chef source the best quality and prices for ingredients. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interpersonal skills to build professional relationships
  • Negotiation skills
  • Willingness to research and compare prices

Example:

"I'm enthusiastic about meeting our partners and keeping a healthy relationship. I have strong interpersonal skills and the know-how to negotiate good prices in a friendly manner. Good vendors and food representatives are valuable to providing guests with high-quality dishes, so I always find mutually beneficial agreements."

How do you control the quality of food that goes out to the customers?

There are many ways that an executive chef can manage quality control. This question's goal is to assess the candidate's leadership abilities in ensuring everyone on the team meets quality standards. What to look for in an answer:

  • Dedication to meeting quality standards
  • Desire to provide an excellent customer experience
  • Leadership qualities to ensure the team works towardss a common goal

Example:

"Whether I'm dealing directly with our customers or not, I'm responsible for the quality of their food. I make sure there are various control stages throughout the preparation process.I also ensure I train my staff about the need to observe quality standards at all levels of food preparation."

In a competitive market, how do you attract and retain the best kitchen staff?

The question assesses the candidate's ability to find and hire qualified team members. It also allows the candidate to express their attitude and desireto train and promote existing staff members.What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the importance of career growth
  • Ability to train and promote staff from within
  • Desire to reward hard-working team members

Example:

"To attract the best talents for kitchen staff, I highlight the restaurant's stellar reputation. I ensure my team members feel valued and that I reward them for their hard work. I always provide feedback and allow the staff to take charge of their duties, and offer career development opportunities."

How do you decide which kitchen staff to keep or lay off during slow periods?

An executive chef will be a leader and a supervisor to the kitchen staff. A good leader should appraise their juniors, advise and mentor them. This question will give you an insight into the candidate's leadership skills. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to assess employees' performance
  • Ability to act decisively
  • Experience with hiring and firing

Example:

"I understand the responsibility the restaurant has entrusted me to hold in recruiting, mentoring and in some cases firing the kitchen staff. My primary appraising metrics, when consulted for such an exercise, are performance and loyalty. I will keep a less experienced staff who is keen to perform and loves their job over an experienced staff who has less pride in the job or the employer."

What are your experiences when dealing with multicultural and multilingual teams, and how do you ensure everyone feels comfortable?

The restaurant industry often hosts a myriad of multicultural staff members. An executive chef should prioritise bringing together the kitchen staff in an inclusive setting. What to look for in an answer:

  • Empathy
  • recognises the benefits of cultural differences
  • Focus on teamwork

Example:

"In my last engagement, I worked with a multicultural team and we had differences in communication and sometimes argued about specific recipes. However, I encouraged my team to embrace each other's cultures and adapt some of those that we felt were universally beneficial. Together with the restaurant management, we organised several cultural sensitization programmes and team buildings which highly contributed to our harmonious working environment."

What have you done in the last year to improve your skills and competence?

This answer to this question determines your candidate's passion to learn and improve. Whether it's attending online classes or reading weekly magazines on different cuisines, your executive chef should show as an aspect of deliberate intention to improve. What to look for in an answer:

  • Genuine passion to learn
  • Willingness to create time for skills enhancement
  • Ability to self-evaluate

Example:

"I read online blogs such as Food52 and Serious Eats to keep me informed. In the last year, I've also attended three cooking competitions that featured seven types of cuisines and I emerged on top. In the last six months, I have been a volunteer at “Try and Make” a weekly cooking experiment that features high school students with a passion for cooking."

How do you handle working under pressure in the kitchen?

Working in a busy professional kitchen, an executive chef experiences many high-pressure moments. Look for an answer that shows the candidate can lead a team through a fast-paced kitchen environment. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments
  • Able to remain calm and exhibit leadership under pressure
  • Capacity and skill to manage many orders at once

Example:

"Being a chef involves responding to many demands for orders at a time. In my previous role, whenever there was immense pressure to deliver, I encouraged my staff to keep going and working as a team. Soft music helps me unwind after a long shift."

Do you have any wine knowledge? Could you recommend wine pairings for the menu?

Executive chefs need to understand flavour profiles for food, but also how they pair with beverages. This question tests your candidate's experience with food and wine combinations. Your executive chef should have an in-depth understanding of wines and other beverages your restaurant offers. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of various food and wine pairing combinations (or other beverages)
  • Experience in developing suitable pairing suggestions for a menu
  • Any relevant training or certifications

Example:

"I've included food and wine pairing as part of my service for a long time. I'm familiar with how to find the perfect match for each dish. One example of an excellent combination ispairing a dry Riesling with a light fish dish.I always discuss my pairing suggestions with the sommelier or general manager to hear their opinions, too."

Based on your research and knowledge of this restaurant, what changes would you suggest being made?

This question assesses the candidate's awareness of the changing roles of a chef that can impact the culinary industry. You want to evaluate your executive chef if they can work outside of their roles to effect a positive change. What to look for in an answer:

  • Innovative character
  • Flexibility
  • Prior research in the job opening

Example:

"I think you're doing very well as a restaurant, but I suggest a new campaign where the chef has a direct connection with diners. Whether by visiting tables in person, or connecting on your Instagram page. It will surely change the way your customers perceive your brand."

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