Cook interview questions: 23 questions and a scorecard for interviewers
The short answer
Good cook interview questions test how a candidate works a station during service, preps and follows recipes and specs, keeps food safe on temperatures, cross-contamination and allergens, communicates on the line, and cleans and closes safely. Ask for real services, such as a rush when tickets outran the station or an allergy ticket on a shared grill, and listen for the exact steps, temperatures and call-outs the candidate uses. Confirm the must-haves first, including any food handler training the state requires, such as within 30 days of hire in California and Texas, and availability for early prep, late closes, weekends and holidays. Score every candidate against the same five criteria, and add a short cooking test if the kitchen runs one, so the decision rests on evidence.
All 23 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the cook scorecard and rating guide. Free to download and adapt; no sign-up needed.
When to use these questions
Line and prep cooks turn recipes into plates at speed, and they control the temperatures, hand contact and allergen separation that keep diners, patients or residents safe. An interview needs to show how someone holds a station through a rush and what they do when a ticket carries an allergy or a batch needs cooling, not only which cuisines they have cooked. The strongest evidence comes from specific services and dishes, described step by step, plus a short cooking test where the kitchen runs one.
For agency, seasonal and institutional hiring, check the practical must-haves first: the stations and volume the candidate has worked, any food safety training the state or local area requires, availability for early prep, late closes, weekends and holidays, the physical tasks of the role stated as facts, and the start date. Rules differ by place and setting: California requires food handlers to get a food handler card within 30 days of hire and does not let employers require an existing card, but the rule does not apply to food handlers employed by school cafeterias or licensed health care facilities, among other exceptions, while in the UK food handlers do not have to hold a food hygiene certificate, but the business must be able to show that staff are trained for their role.
23 cook interview questions
Grouped by what they test. Pick the questions that match the role, ask every candidate the same ones in the same order, and score each answer against the scorecard below.
Station work and service
Ask about the stations the candidate has actually worked and the busiest services they have cooked through. Listen for how they keep up without dropping standards, and how they talk to the rest of the line.
Question 1: Which stations have you worked, such as grill, sauté, fry, flat-top or cold prep, and which one would you want to be on for your first busy service here?
- Why ask it:
- Matches real experience to the kitchen’s stations honestly.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific stations, menus and the volume they handled, with candor about where they would need training first.
Question 2: Tickets are printing faster than you can cook them on your station. Talk me through how you work the board.
- Why ask it:
- Tests sequencing and composure during a rush.
- A strong answer shows:
- Reading every ticket, firing the longest cook times first, grouping the same items, calling back to the expediter or chef, and asking for help before plates go out late.
- Follow-up:
- At what point do you tell the chef you’re falling behind, and what do you say?
Question 3: How do you communicate on the line during service with the expediter, the chef and the cooks either side of you?
- Why ask it:
- Kitchens run on clear call-backs and timing between stations.
- A strong answer shows:
- Calling back every order, using the kitchen’s calls such as “heard”, “behind” and “hot”, giving honest times when asked, and warning colleagues when moving with hot pans or knives.
Question 4: Halfway through service, you realize you’re about to run out of an item. What do you do?
- Why ask it:
- Running out without warning leads to lost orders and unhappy guests.
- A strong answer shows:
- Telling the chef or expediter early so the item can be 86’d and servers told, suggesting what could replace it, and noting it so the prep list is adjusted next time.
Question 5: A plate comes back: the steak is overcooked, or the dish is missing a component. How do you handle it during service?
- Why ask it:
- Shows whether the cook fixes problems quickly without getting defensive.
- A strong answer shows:
- Refiring promptly and moving it up the board, checking what went wrong, and not arguing with the server or expediter about it in the middle of service.
Prep, mise en place and following specs
Good service starts hours earlier with prep. Look for organized prep habits and respect for the recipe, the portion and the plate spec, whether in a restaurant or an institutional kitchen cooking in large batches.
Question 6: Walk me through how you set up your station before service, from the prep list to the moment the first ticket prints.
- Why ask it:
- Mise en place decides how smoothly service goes.
- A strong answer shows:
- Checking the prep list and par levels, prepping in order of cook time and shelf life, labeling and dating containers, stocking the reach-in and setting out tools, and asking about specials.
Question 7: How do you make sure a dish matches the recipe and plate spec every time, even when you’re busy or the chef isn’t watching?
- Why ask it:
- Guests expect the same dish every time, and portions that drift cost money.
- A strong answer shows:
- Following the recipe card, using scales, scoops and portion tools, checking against the photo or spec, and tasting for seasoning before the plate leaves.
Question 8: Tell me about a time you cooked in volume or scaled a recipe up, such as for a banquet, a school or a hospital. How did you keep the quality and timing right?
- Why ask it:
- Institutional and banquet kitchens cook large batches to fixed meal times.
- A strong answer shows:
- Calculating quantities carefully, adjusting cook times and equipment, staging the cook so food is ready and at a safe temperature for service, and checking the finished batch.
Question 9: How do you plan your prep when the list is longer than the time you have?
- Why ask it:
- Prep shifts rarely have time to spare.
- A strong answer shows:
- Doing first what service needs first and what takes longest to cook or cool, telling the chef early what won’t be finished, and never skipping labeling or cooling steps to save time.
Question 10: A recipe you’ve been given doesn’t work the way it’s written, or you think it could be better. What do you do?
- Why ask it:
- Tests respect for the kitchen’s specs while still raising problems.
- A strong answer shows:
- Following the spec for now, telling the chef what they noticed with specifics, and changing it only once the chef approves.
Food safety and allergens
Cooks control the temperatures, hand contact and allergen separation that keep food safe. Ask candidates to describe exactly what they do, not only to name the rules, and check the figures against your local food code.
Question 11: What temperatures do you hold hot food and cold food at, and how do you check them during a shift?
- Why ask it:
- Food held at the wrong temperature lets harmful bacteria grow.
- A strong answer shows:
- Figures that match the local code, such as the FDA Food Code model of 135°F (57°C) or above for hot holding and 41°F (5°C) or below for cold holding, checked with a calibrated probe thermometer at set times and logged if the kitchen keeps records.
Question 12: You’ve made a large pot of chili or stock that won’t be served today. How do you cool it?
- Why ask it:
- Large batches cool slowly, and food codes set time limits for cooling cooked food.
- A strong answer shows:
- Splitting it into shallow pans or smaller portions, using an ice bath and stirring, leaving it loosely covered while it cools, checking temperatures, and knowing the limits, such as the FDA Food Code model of 135°F to 70°F within two hours and to 41°F or below within six hours in total.
- Follow-up:
- How would you know whether the batch had cooled in time?
Question 13: How do you keep raw meat, poultry and seafood from contaminating ready-to-eat food on your station?
- Why ask it:
- Raw proteins can spread bacteria to food that won’t be cooked again.
- A strong answer shows:
- Separate boards and knives, or washing and sanitizing between tasks, storing raw proteins below ready-to-eat food, washing hands and changing gloves between tasks, and using utensils or gloves rather than bare hands for ready-to-eat food.
Question 14: A ticket comes through marked with a peanut allergy for a dish you normally cook in a shared pan on a shared grill. Walk me through what you do.
- Why ask it:
- Allergen cross-contact on the line can seriously harm a guest even when the allergen isn’t in the recipe.
- A strong answer shows:
- Reading the whole ticket, telling the chef or expediter, checking every ingredient including sauces, oils and garnishes, using clean pans, utensils and surfaces, following the kitchen’s allergen procedure, and saying so if the dish can’t be made safely.
- Follow-up:
- What do you do if you aren’t sure whether a sauce or a bought-in ingredient contains the allergen?
Question 15: How do you label, date and rotate food in the walk-in so nothing is used past its time?
- Why ask it:
- Food that is kept too long or can’t be identified is a safety risk and a waste.
- A strong answer shows:
- Labeling every container with the item and date, putting new stock behind old, checking dates each shift, and throwing out anything unlabeled or past the kitchen’s limit, such as the FDA Food Code model of up to seven days at 41°F or below for ready-to-eat food made in-house, counting the day it was made as day 1.
Cleaning, closing and kitchen safety
Kitchens are hot, sharp and fast. Look for cleaning habits that don’t wait for the end of the night, and safety habits that protect the whole team.
Question 16: Walk me through how you break down and clean your station at the end of the night.
- Why ask it:
- A poor close leaves food unsafe and the next shift starting behind.
- A strong answer shows:
- Wrapping, labeling and storing leftover prep, cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and equipment, cleaning the grill, flat-top or fryer as the kitchen requires, sweeping and mopping, and checking with the chef or closer before leaving.
Question 17: What does cleaning as you go look like on your station during a busy service?
- Why ask it:
- Shows whether hygiene holds up when the line is under pressure.
- A strong answer shows:
- Wiping down between tickets, keeping sanitizer at the right strength and changing it regularly, swapping dirty boards and utensils, and clearing spills straight away.
Question 18: What habits keep you and the people around you safe from knife cuts and burns on a busy line?
- Why ask it:
- Cuts and burns can take a cook off the line and put others at risk.
- A strong answer shows:
- Sharp knives, a damp cloth under the board, carrying knives point down and calling out when moving, never leaving knives in the sink, dry towels for hot handles, pan handles turned in, and letting fryer oil cool before filtering or changing it.
Question 19: Tell me about a safety hazard or near miss you spotted in a kitchen. What did you do about it?
- Why ask it:
- Tests whether the cook deals with hazards rather than walking past them.
- A strong answer shows:
- A specific hazard, such as a wet floor, a damaged cord or a blocked exit, dealt with or reported straight away, and a change that stopped it happening again.
Must-haves and logistics
Ask these of every candidate before the main interview or cooking test, and verify the answers.
Question 20: Which food safety training have you completed, such as a food handler card, a food protection manager certificate or, in the UK, a food hygiene course, and when? If the state requires training you don’t have yet, can you complete it in the time allowed after hire?
- Why ask it:
- Some states require food handler training within a set time after hire, such as 30 days in California and Texas.
- A strong answer shows:
- Certificate details you can check with the issuer, or a willingness to complete the training on time; in California, don’t make an existing food handler card a condition of the job.
Question 21: The role involves [standing for shifts of up to [hours], working next to grills, fryers and ovens, lifting stock and full pots of up to [weight], and working in the walk-in cooler and freezer]. Can you do these tasks, with or without adjustments?
- Why ask it:
- Confirms the candidate can perform the essential tasks, without asking about health or disability.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear yes, or a conversation about adjustments for the employer to consider.
Question 22: Our kitchen schedule includes [early prep shifts, late closes, weekends and holidays such as [dates]]. Which of these shifts can you commit to, and what is the earliest date you could start?
- Why ask it:
- Rules out schedule mismatches before the cooking test or training.
- A strong answer shows:
- Clear availability, with any constraint stated up front, and a firm start date.
Question 23: Are you authorized to work in [country] for this employer? We ask every candidate the same question.
- Why ask it:
- Confirms eligibility the same way for every applicant.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear answer, with documents checked later through the employer’s normal hiring process.
Cook interview scorecard
Five criteria for this role, with what a score of 1, 3 and 5 looks like. Scores of 2 and 4 sit between them.
| Criterion | What it means | Score 1 looks like | Score 3 looks like | Score 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station skill and speed | Runs a station and keeps tickets moving during service. | Vague about stations worked, or describes keeping up by cutting corners. | Works a station competently and sequences tickets sensibly in a rush. | Calm and fast at volume, reads the whole board and supports the stations either side. |
| Prep and consistency | Preps in an organized way and cooks to the recipe and plate spec. | No prep system, or changes recipes and portions without asking. | Follows the prep list, recipes and portions reliably. | Organized prep that sets up the whole service, consistent plates and problems raised with the chef. |
| Food safety and allergens | Controls temperatures, cross-contamination and allergens. | Can’t give holding or cooling temperatures, or treats allergy tickets lightly. | Knows the key temperatures, separates raw and ready-to-eat food and follows the allergen procedure. | Checks and records temperatures, cools and labels correctly, and handles allergy tickets with a clear, careful process every time. |
| Communication and teamwork | Works with the line, the expediter and the chef under pressure. | Blames servers or other cooks, or doesn’t call back orders. | Calls back orders, gives honest times and asks for help when needed. | Keeps the whole line informed, warns early about shortages and helps teammates without being asked. |
| Cleanliness and kitchen safety | Keeps the station clean and works safely with knives, heat and equipment. | Leaves cleaning until the end, or is careless with knives and hot oil. | Cleans as they go and follows safe habits with knives and heat. | A spotless, safe station all shift, a thorough close and hazards dealt with before anyone gets hurt. |
The 1–5 rating scale
The same scale for every criterion and every candidate.
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Well below requirement | No relevant evidence, or an answer that contradicts the requirement. |
| 2 | Below requirement | Partial evidence with important gaps. |
| 3 | Meets requirement | Clear, relevant evidence at the level the role needs. |
| 4 | Above requirement | Strong, specific evidence beyond the expected level. |
| 5 | Exceptional | Repeated high-quality evidence with clear impact. |
How to run the interview with these cook interview questions
- 01
Step 01
Agree the must-haves first
Confirm the essential credentials, experience and availability with the hiring manager or client before any interviews. - 02
Step 02
Pick 8 to 12 questions
Take the must-have questions, then the questions that test what this role needs most. Use the same set, in the same order, for every candidate. - 03
Step 03
Ask for real examples
When you hear “we” or “I would”, ask what the candidate personally did, and what happened in the end. - 04
Step 04
Score before you discuss
Rate each criterion on the scorecard with the evidence behind it, then compare with other interviewers. - 05
Step 05
Verify before you submit
Check licenses, certifications and right to work against the original source before you put the candidate forward.
Red flags, and questions not to ask
- Can’t give hot holding, cold holding or cooling temperatures, or judges doneness and safety by eye instead of with a thermometer.
- Treats allergy tickets as optional, or thinks a quick wipe of a shared pan is enough.
- Describes keeping up in a rush by skipping labeling, cooling steps, handwashing or cleaning.
- Changes recipes or portions without telling the chef.
- Blames servers, the expediter or other cooks for every late or returned plate.
- Age, marital or family status, pregnancy or plans for children, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. These are protected characteristics under the UK Equality Act 2010 and US federal law, and they say nothing about whether someone can do the job.
- Health, sickness absence or disability before an offer. You can ask whether the candidate needs any adjustments for the interview, and whether they can do the essential tasks of the job.
Screen cook applicants before the first call
Add these questions to a Beatview AI interview and every applicant answers them on video or audio, with the same time limit. Beatview scores each answer against your criteria and shows the reasoning, and you can share the shortlist with your client through a password-protected link. AI interviews are on the Pro plan; the Free plan screens resumes for one active job.
Cook interview questions: frequently asked questions
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Ask for real examples that test station work during service, prep and following specs, food safety and allergens, communication on the line, and cleaning and kitchen safety, such as a rush when tickets outran their station or an allergy ticket on a shared grill. Add must-have questions about food safety training, shifts, the physical tasks of the role, right to work and the start date, run a short cooking test if the kitchen can, and ask every candidate the same questions in the same order.
It depends on the state, the local area and the setting. In California, a food handler must get a food handler card within 30 days of hire and keep it valid, the employer must pay for the training time and costs, and an employer may not make an existing card a condition of employment, though the rule does not apply to food handlers employed by public and private school cafeterias, licensed health care facilities and some other settings. In Texas, food employees must complete an accredited food handler course within 30 days of employment. If the cook will run shifts as the person in charge, also check the local code: the FDA Food Code, a model that state and local regulators use for their own rules, calls for the person in charge to be a certified food protection manager, except in some low-risk operations. In the UK, food handlers do not have to hold a food hygiene certificate, but the business must be able to show that staff are trained for their role, including on allergies.
Ask them to explain what they do rather than recite rules: how they hold, cool, label and store food, how they keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat food and what they do with an allergy ticket on a shared station. Check their figures against your local code; the 2026 FDA Food Code, which state and local regulators use as a model, sets hot holding at 135°F (57°C) or above, with an exception for some roasts, cold holding at 41°F (5°C) or below, and cooling of cooked food from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and to 41°F or below within six hours in total. In the US, the major food allergens identified by law are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame; in the UK, Food Standards Agency guidance lists 14 allergens that food businesses must declare and says staff must receive allergen training.
It helps if the kitchen can run one. Keep it short and the same for every candidate: for example, ask them to prep and cook one or two items from your menu to spec, and watch their knife work, station setup, cleanliness, timing, tasting and how they handle a mock allergy ticket. For institutional kitchens, add a recipe scaled to your meal numbers, and score the test against the same criteria as the interview so the comparison stays fair.
Get the cook interview questions template
All 23 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the cook scorecard and rating guide.
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Version 2 October 2026.
Sources: California Health and Safety Code section 113948: food handler cards; Texas DSHS: food handler education or training programs FAQ; FDA: FDA Food Code; FDA: Food Code 2026; FDA: Food Code 2026 (PDF), sections 2-102.12, 3-501.14, 3-501.16 and 3-501.17; FDA: Food allergies (major food allergens); Food Standards Agency: Allergen guidance for food businesses; GOV.UK: Running a food business, staff training. This template is general guidance, not legal advice.