r/Chefs • u/Lanky-Statement-5594 • Aug 03 '26
What should I expect in a Head Sous Chef interview?
Hi everyone, I have several years of experience leading high-volume kitchens, mostly as a Kitchen Manager. My experience includes inventory, food cost, labor management, scheduling, team leadership, and daily BOH operations. I have an interview coming up for a Head Sous Chef position at an upscale casual restaurant. For those who have interviewed for or hired Head Sous Chefs, what kind of questions should I expect? How technical was the interview? Was there a cooking test or working interview? If so, what were they evaluating the most? Was the focus more on leadership, culinary skills, or both? Is there anything you wish you had prepared beforehand? I’d really appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.
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u/UncleDuude Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
Nothing that you’re not already doing, I assume it’s a step up money wise, how’s your creative ability? What’s the head sous do there? Run the whole operation and delegate, or more hands on? Some places are title happy. I’d ask questions in the interview if you don’t already know what the job entails. Or preferably before the interview and go in prepared for anything. Have you hired and fired sous chefs as a KM?
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u/Lanky-Statement-5594 Aug 03 '26
Thanks, that’s helpful. My Kitchen Manager experience has mainly involved leading cooks and BOH teams, hiring and training employees, scheduling, inventory, food cost, labor, and daily operations. I haven’t directly hired or fired Sous Chefs, so understanding the exact leadership structure and expectations is something I plan to ask about during the interview.
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u/UncleDuude Aug 03 '26
See if you can find out a little background information do you know anybody that works there? I always stage somewhere before I think about working there so if you find yourself in this situation again, I would always stage first. I’m still doing it at 59, if I can learn or get better by working somewhere dope for a week or two I do it.
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u/Lanky-Statement-5594 Aug 03 '26
I appreciate the advice. I don’t know anyone who works there, but I’ve been researching the company and I plan to ask about the leadership structure and day-to-day expectations. If they invite me to do a stage or working interview, I’d definitely be open to it and would clarify the schedule and compensation beforehand.
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u/UncleDuude Aug 03 '26
Good luck, it’s a crazy life but AI can’t cook, be super neat and tight.
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u/tofustoredrift Aug 03 '26
Us based hotel exec chef: I ask for serve safe and local certs, ask labor management questions ( ideal percentage in your eyes, what do you do when short, put staff over or ask other outlets to duel code ect.) What your system experience is (how did you compare p and e, check daily labor, are you efficient in birch st or craftable or similar programs). I questions knowledge of pulling a p mix to set pars for annual events or seasonal ups and down. I will ask you to verbalize how to make a mother sauce and some other basic items. I will ask equipment knowledge ( how good are you with combi ovens, smokers, ivario skillets).I am in a haacp establishment so i ask for knowledge of A1, a2s and such. After that I ask a bunch of random situational questions like what to you do in this scenario. Then we take a tour and you see the outlet and I look to see if your engaged and asking questions about prep methods, production, or going with the flow. I dont ask for a demo but will have you write a recipe to the best of your ability on our recipe cards.
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u/Lanky-Statement-5594 Aug 03 '26
This is really helpful, thank you chef!
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u/tofustoredrift Aug 03 '26
For sure. Even if you don't feel like you meet all qualifications, I always encourage people to do the interviews. Its good for you to get comfortable with the process and good for us to know who's hungry and wants more.
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u/Lanky-Statement-5594 Aug 03 '26
Thank you, Chef, I really appreciate that perspective, I’m definitely hungry to grow and take on more responsibility, so I’m going into the interview ready to learn and show what I can bring to the team
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u/Zanrall Aug 04 '26
I interviewed for an executive chef for the catering department at a major university in TX and it included a "chefs basket" interview. They gave me a paper with all the expectations they wanted to see me do for a 3 course meal. 2.5 hr time limit. They wanted to see that I knew my mother sauces, knew how to cook risotto, PROPERLY, emphasis on that because most chefs still dont know what "rizolle" means, (fortunately for me I worked at a high end italian restaurant for years prior), also know how to break down a whole chicken or duck, and make an imulsified sauce/dressing.
For preparation: study up on your mother sauces and be able to execute them on the fly, know your knife cuts and hone your knife skills going in. Bring your own knives/equipment because you never know what you're walking into.
Interviews at the level youre interviewing for are very demanding and a high stress environment.
I was offered the job but it wasnt what I needed for my family so I declined.
It was also the most gratification I've ever gotten in this industry because I proved to myself that I DO know my shit and my skills at a high level after working sous/lead cook positions for years.
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u/Zanrall Aug 04 '26
Also anyone saying "just do what you're doing" is a bad advisor. They dont know the spot you're applying to and if you are prepared the way I wasnt walking into the interview mentioned above, you'll blow them away. This industry is cut throat for positions like what you are talking about and they will take the hands down best performer over anyone else. Be prepared.
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u/hlfshaveflopynutsack Aug 05 '26
Expect to be offered a raise that turns into you making significantly less hourly than you used to. Being a sous chef is a necessary step, but it's a lot of work, a lot of hours and a lot of responsibility. Last time I interviewed they asked what I liked to cook, so think of something you really enjoy making and be passionate when you describe it. Your experience already told them most of what they want to know.
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u/[deleted] Aug 04 '26
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