Many sous chefs start their careers with culinary degrees from programs that take two or four years to complete. Others learn on the job in an apprenticeship situation. Either career path is valid so long as your candidate possesses the basic knowledge and skills for the job. Look for an applicant who’s confident about their training and gives a complete answer. What to look for in an answer:

• Length of education and type of training
• Varied culinary expertise
• Possession of mentors in the culinary field

Your candidate should be able to easily talk about all of the jobs that need to be done in the kitchen of a quality restaurant. Look for a person who can describe various kitchen stations and their purposes. The applicant should also mention their own experience in each area and be familiar with prep, pastry and plate presentation. What to look for in an answer:

• Details about meal plating and delivery on the line
• Knowledge of types of cold items to serve on the salad station
• Familiarity with dishes prepared at the sauté station

A sous chef should have the experience needed to fill in at any station during a shift as determined by the executive chef. This is an important element to look for in an answer. Your candidate may also discuss supervisory and other duties of a sous chef. Details might include preparation of sauces and stocks and cutting portions of fish and meat. What to look for in an answer:

• Acceptance of responsibility for all kitchen functions
• Confidence to take over any station
• Ability to work with executive chef to create and test recipes

In the restaurant industry, movement between jobs is common. It’s a way to gain more experience and move up in pay and responsibility. Look for a lack of defensiveness about changing jobs and a clear reason for leaving them. A candidate should also speak well of previous employers. Expect to hear about the types of food served and what the applicant learned at each restaurant. What to look for in an answer:

• Names of previous restaurants and executive chefs
• Position and duties at start and finish of job
• Detailed reason for leaving

A person applying for a sous chef position may answer that they’re interested in gaining more experience or moving forward in their career. Your candidate should be able to readily list qualifications for the job, such as knife skills, proficiency with making sauces and stocks, and supervisory skills, along with dependability and a willingness to work hard. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience with ordering and inventory
• A record of supervising a well-run kitchen
• Skilled at creating and marketing new recipes

Executive, commercial or other high-end kitchens often follow a distinct hierarchy. It's important for those who want to work in such kitchens to understand how each role relates to the others and where they fall in the overall order. Since sous chefs usually command a leadership role in the kitchen, it's important they understand the managerial structure and their role within it. Good candidate answers to this interview question should include:

• An explanation of the hierarchy
• The sous chef's role within the hierarchy
• Additional duties (besides cooking) that accompany the work of a sous chef