How to Answer: What other back of house or kitchen roles have you held in the past?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Food Service job interview.
23. What other back of house or kitchen roles have you held in the past?
How to Answer
Most foodservice professionals have worked their way up through the ranks, advancing their career as opportunities come up, and training opportunities occur. The interviewer would like to see that you have a sense of what it takes to succeed in a variety of roles. Generally, in a kitchen setting, the hierarchy works from the dishwasher, kitchen porter, line cook, sous chef, head chef, and executive chef. There are many other roles also which include fry chef, grill chef, pastry chef, and more. These will depend on the complexity of the kitchen where you are working.
Briefly take the interviewer through the roles that you have held, expressing that you can mentor and guide those junior to you, while also showing a willingness to learn from those senior to you.
1st Answer Example
"My food service experience began when I was just 16 years old, as a dishwasher in a commercial kitchen. From there, I gained a role as a kitchen porter, and then an apprentice. I have been a sous chef for two years now and take every opportunity to guide and mentor those junior to me. I want to see people with a passion for food, grow in their career, so I will do what it takes to help them move up the ranks."
2nd Answer Example
"I have been given great opportunities in the foodservice industry, from my start as a dishwasher and porter. The chefs that I have worked under over the past seven years have been very dedicated to stoking my passion for food. I look forward to helping those in return, as we all work up the ranks, earning roles that we desire and growing in our careers."