How to Hire a Chef

Why hire a chef?

A talented chef – one who strives for perfection in every aspect – is committed to crafting the finest recipes, refining plate presentation, and delighting customers. Dedicated to producing a skilled crew and highly efficient operations, a head chef also serves as a valuable leader by training and mentoring team members.

Contributions of a great chef:

• Create new recipes based on knowledge of ingredients and cooking methods
• Oversee kitchen staff and provide instruction regarding meal preparation, mise en place, cooking, and delivering dishes to customers
• Make responsible purchasing decisions while adhering to budget
• Build and sustain positive relations with distributors and vendors
• Resolve concerns raised by kitchen staff and customers
• Comply with safety, food handling, and sanitation standards

Skills to look for in a great chef

The ideal chef is able to inspire and bring joy to customers by using their ability to create a unique experience. Conscious of food quality, operation costs, and food trends, a great chef candidate will have training, qualifications, and experience that reflect top chef skills.

Chef qualifications:

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in culinary arts or related discipline
• Experience in a high volume, full-service restaurant
• Kitchen management, including hiring and training staff members
• Creative
• Professional
• Detail-oriented

Writing a chef job description

A thoughtful job description is important to finding qualified head chef, sous chef or pastry chef candidates. A chef job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities, and the required and preferred skills for the position.

Keywords to include in your chef job description:

• Chef
• Sous
• Executive
• Catering
• Banquet
• Pastry
• Cook

Interviewing chef candidates

Ask targeted and thoughtful questions to learn about a job candidate’s education, training, professional experience, and ambitions. Strong candidates for chef positions will be confident when answering a variety of questions.

Topics for chef interview questions:

• Menu creation
• Culinary standards
• Food preparation/cooking methods and equipment
• Management responsibilities
• Inventory control and food purchasing
• Sanitation and safety

See our list of interview questions for more examples.