How to screen a chef

Must-haves to check first

Decide these before you advertise. Keep the list short - every extra requirement narrows your pool.

• Food hygiene training - most kitchens ask for a Level 2 certificate (Level 3 for supervisors). The legal duty is training and supervision; a certificate is not a legal requirement Nice to have
• Availability for evenings, weekends and split shifts Possible knock-out
• Experience at the right level - commis, CDP, sous or head chef Nice to have

8 questions to ask every chef applicant

Ask everyone the same core questions, in the same order, and follow up where their CV leaves a gap. That's what makes a screen fair and comparable.

1. What level have you worked at, and what kind of kitchen - fine dining, gastro pub, contract, high volume?Listen for: Experience that matches your kitchen's style and pace.
2. Which section are you strongest on?Listen for: A clear strength, and honesty about weaker sections.
3. How many covers did a busy service reach in your last kitchen?Listen for: Numbers that match yours.
4. Which food hygiene training or certificate do you have, and when did you get it?Listen for: Level 2 is the usual expectation, Level 3 for senior roles - or a willingness to complete it.
5. How do you manage allergens during service?Listen for: Clear knowledge of the 14 allergens, labelling and preventing cross-contamination.
6. Tell me about a service that went wrong. What did you do?Listen for: Stays calm, communicates, fixes it and learns.
7. Which shifts can you work, including split shifts and weekends?Listen for: A pattern that matches your rota.
8. Are you happy to do a trial shift?Listen for: A clear yes. If a trial involves real work, the National Minimum Wage applies - pay for it.

What not to ask

And for every role, avoid asking about:

• Age or date of birth - unless the law sets a minimum age for the task
• Health, sickness record or disability before a job offer (Equality Act 2010, section 60). The narrow exceptions include asking about adjustments for the recruitment process, and whether someone can carry out a task that is intrinsic to the job - ask about the task, not the condition
• Pregnancy, children, childcare or plans to start a family
• Nationality or "where are you from?" - instead, ask every applicant whether they have the right to work in the UK, and check documents before they start
• Religion, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, or gender reassignment

More on this in AI screening and UK law.

Screening chefs at volume

If you get more chefs applicants than your team can phone, the questions above are only fair if everyone gets asked them. BeCareers asks every applicant about your must-haves and these questions in a short conversation - in their own language, at any time of day - and gives you the transcript and a summary. You decide who to interview.

See also: AI screening for hospitality.