How to prepare for a chef or cook interview

Australia's occupation list says chefs plan and organise the preparing and cooking of food. The work includes:

• helping plan menus and work out food quantities and costs
• preparing and cooking food
• checking food quality and presentation
• training cooks and kitchenhands, including in food safety
• ordering and managing stock
• following health and safety rules in the kitchen

The US occupation database says restaurant cooks make sure food is stored and cooked at the right temperature. They also keep prep areas clean.

England's National Careers Service lists what it takes to be a chef. Skills include:

• knowledge of food production methods
• attention to detail
• leadership skills
• accepting criticism and working well under pressure
• working well with others
• organising your time and workload

Food safety training rules differ by country. Two examples:

• Australia: some food handlers must complete a food safety training course, or have adequate skills and knowledge. This applies to unpackaged, high-risk food that's ready to eat. Training covers safe handling, contamination, cleaning and personal hygiene.
• United Kingdom: food handlers don't have to hold a food hygiene certificate. But employers must show staff have the right skills and training. Staff must be trained to manage allergies.

Official pages don't all agree here. England's National Careers Service still says chefs need a food safety certificate. It notes that courses last 1 to 2 days.

Bring proof of any food safety training you've done. Never claim a certificate you don't hold.

Kitchen interviews can be practical. You may be asked to:

• cook a dish from a set brief or the menu
• work a trial shift on a section during service
• talk through how you'd plan, cost or prep a dish

Ask in advance what to cook, what to bring and whether the trial is paid. Our guide to trial shifts and pay explains the rules in Australia and New Zealand.

These are the kinds of questions that test each skill. They are examples, not a list from any one employer.

• Food safety: "How do you stop cross-contamination between raw and cooked food?"
• Allergies: "A server says a customer has a nut allergy. What do you do?"
• Pressure: "Tell us about your busiest service. How did you keep up?"
• Teamwork: "Tell us about a time you helped another section."
• Quality: "A dish comes back because it's cold. What do you do?"
• Costs and waste: "How would you use leftover prep without hurting quality?"

1. Study the menu, the style of cooking and the size of the kitchen.
2. Pick true stories about a busy service, a mistake you fixed and food safety.
3. If you're cooking, practise the dish in the time allowed, and plan your prep.
4. Pack clean whites, non-slip shoes and your knives, if they ask you to bring them.
5. Bring proof of any food safety training.

Here is a made-up answer to a question that tests allergy safety.

Marco tells the team, removes every source of contact and checks labels, without stopping service.

Written by Seal the Offer from these pages, last checked on 1 November 2026. Rules change, so check the employer's own page and the job ad before you apply.

• Chef · Jobs and Skills Australia
• 35-2014.00 - Cooks, Restaurant · O*NET OnLine, US Department of Labor
• Chef · National Careers Service (England)
• Food handler training · Food Standards Australia New Zealand
• Running a food business: Staff training, illness and hygiene · GOV.UK