Cooking

► What kind of formal training have you have?

► How would you describe the difference between broiling and braising?

► What dishes best showcase your creativity?

► What would you do if you were cooking and realized that you didn't have all the ingredients you needed to make a dish?

► What would you do if you were shopping and couldn't find the right brand of an ingredient for your recipe?

► How do you make sure that shift changes go smoothly?

► How do you respond to increases or decreases in customer flow?

► Describe the busiest times at your previous restaurant. How did you go the extra mile to help out?

► What are the least busy times? What do you do with your extra time?

► What would you do if you were on your way to work and your car broke down?

► How would you handle negative feedback from a customer about the food?

► Describe a time you went out of your way to please a customer.

► Describe a time you helped a co-worker finish a job on time.

► Describe a time you disagreed with your manager. How did you handle it?

► Do you have the qualities and skills necessary to Line Cook?

► Why are you the best person for this Line Cook job?

► What has been your biggest professional disappointment?

► Describe some ideas that were implemented.

► How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?

► What was the most important task you ever had?

► What questions do you have for me?

Make sure to have a specific idea of where you envision yourself in five, ten and even twenty years. This is a good time to illustrate how you can contribute to the company if you are successfully recruited. Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked.

► What situations, during the last year, have kept you from fulfilling your job duties and coming to work on time?

► How do you handle situations that could cause tardiness or absenteeism?

► Everybody misses work sometimes. What are some legitimate reasons to miss work?

► During the last year, when your replacement hasn't shown up and your manager asked you to stay late, what percentage of the time have you stayed late?

► What outside situations would affect your dependability on the job?

► Why do you think dependability is important for a restaurant cook?

► When you do not show up for work, how does it affect your co-workers?

► How many unscheduled absences did you have with your previous employer?

► How often are you late for work?

► Where does your employment fall in your list of priorities?

► Do you have your own transportation?

► Could I call your previous employer and ask how your attendance was and what would they tell me about your attendance?

► As a cook, if you see an increase or decrease in customer flow, how do you respond?

► If you see product getting low, what would you do?

► Give an example of a time when you did something without being asked? Can you give me another example?

► How would you handle not having everything in stock that you need to make the product you are assigned?

► What about your character would help you do this job day in and day out?

► The restaurant is busy, you're tired, short-handed and you haven't had a day off in six days. How does this affect your work and attitude?

► Tell me about the hardest job you have ever had? How did it end?

► How many hours can you stand on your feet without a break?

► What would your reaction be if your replacement didn't show up?

► How do you pace yourself through the day?

► What would you do if a 30 top table walked in?

► Are you willing to take on extra tasks or what kind of extra tasks would you be willing to take on?

► How do you handle complaints about meals you have prepared?

► What steps would you take to insure your job is done in your allotted amount of time?

► What would you do if a delivery driver accidentally left double the number of an item that his company charges us a lot of money for?

► Tell me about a time you saw a coworker taking out food they did not pay for?

► If you are shopping and the item you would like is not available in your brand, would buy something else?

► How do handle requests to work a non-scheduled shift?

► How do you respond when your manager changes your shift on short notice?

► How do you handle working with a co-worker you are not fond of?

► What if you get a special request from a customer, what do you do?

► If another work needs help in order to get a job finished on time, what would you do?

► You are cooking for dinner and the convection oven goes out, what would you do?

► Your boss changes the special, what would you do?

► How have you gone about making important decisions?

► What type of management style do you thrive under?

► If selected for this Line Cook position, describe your strategy for the first days?

► Are you willing to work overtime?

► How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?

► What are key tasks for Line Cook?

► What were the responsibilities of your last position?

Asking these interview questions helps determine the candidate's ability to learn from successes and failures.

When interviewing, spend a few minutes describing your ideal environment so both sides can make an informed decision. Don't talk about yourself too much.

► Example when you went above and beyond the call of duty.

► Do you think you are overqualified for this Line Cook position?

► What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? How you handle it.

► How have you changed in the last five years?

► What was the most stressful situation you have facedas as Line Cook?

► What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in school or at work?

► How do you stimulate the sharing of further information?

Make sure to have a specific idea of where you envision yourself in five, ten and even twenty years.

The interviewer is trying to see how well you would fit in to the position.

Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position.

► Imagine you see a product getting low, but you are working on a completely different task. What would you do?

► Tell me about a time at work when you did something without being asked?

► Imagine you need to make a product, but you do not have all the ingredients you need. What would you do?

► Imagine multiple people complained to you about a meal you prepared.

► How would you handle their complaints?

► Describe a time you helped a coworker who was struggling to complete a task.

► Tell me about a fast-paced environment in which you have worked. How did you handle it?

► Describe a time when you had to work with a co-worker with whom you were not fond. How did you handle the situation?

► How long can you stand on your feet without a break?

► What steps do you take to make sure your tasks are completed in the allotted amount of time?

► How important is it to you to keep your work space clean?

► What measures do you take to ensure safety in the kitchen?

► What training (formal or informal) have you had in cooking?

Give me an example of a high-pressure situation for Line Cook.

Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback.

How do you go about setting goals with subordinates?

How did you get work assignments at your most recent employer?

How did you handle meeting a tight deadline?

Situation where others disagreed with your ideas.

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

Always associate your skills and experience with the requirements of the job.

Explain that you are looking for a new challenge, better career prospects or a change of environment. The interviewer wants to find out if you are focused and set goals for yourself.

Regardless of where or in which setting you work, there will sometimes be an individual with whom you clash. Perhaps you do not see eye to eye or you use different techniques to accomplish the same tasks. In any case, you will need to show your employer that you can handle working with that individual in a professional setting. "My personal feelings about a coworker will not affect my ability to produce high quality food for customers. There is always some sort of resolution that can be reached, and I would work toward that." This shows your interviewer that you are willing to go to great lengths to ensure that the quality of the restaurant will not be affected by your dislike for another employee.

No matter how skilled you are, there will always come a time when a customer will be dissatisfied with something you have prepared. Whether or not you feel that you made an error, the customer is always right. You should answer with "I would listen very carefully to the complaint and resolve the issue by anticipating the needs of the customer. I may ask questions to discover the nature of the complaint and take the proper steps to ensure that the error does not occur a second time." No matter how serious or slight the issue, there is always something to be learned. Your interviewer will want to make sure that you will not take small complaints too seriously or more complex complaints too lightly.