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Questions to practise
Can you tell me about any kitchen or cleaning work you have done?
The manager wants to know what you have done before and what you already know how to do.
Name the place type, your tasks and how long you did it. For example: washing dishes, cleaning floors, prepping vegetables. If you have no kitchen work, talk about cleaning jobs or cooking for large groups.
How do you keep a work area clean?
Clean work keeps food safe. The manager needs clear habits, not general words.
Give real steps. Say you clean as you go and wipe surfaces often, even on a busy night. Say you wash your hands often and keep raw and cooked food apart. Short, concrete habits are better than 'I am very clean'.
How would you clean your station at the end of a shift?
The manager wants to see if you know a clear order and finish the job properly.
Describe the steps in order. For example: clear the food away, wash and put away tools, wipe and clean surfaces with cleaning spray, then sweep and mop the floor. Say you check everything before you leave.
Tell me about your busiest shift. What did you do yourself?
Kitchens get very busy. The manager wants to know you stay calm and hear your own actions.
Tell a short story. Say what was happening, what you did and how it ended. Use 'I', not only 'we'. For example: we ran out of clean plates, so I washed fast and we kept up with service.
How do you work with other people in a busy kitchen?
A kitchen is a team. The manager wants someone who helps others and communicates clearly.
Give one real example. Say how you help, like bringing clean pots before the chef asks. Mention clear, short words such as 'Behind you' or 'Hot pan'. Show you are friendly and ready to help.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake at work. What did you do?
Everyone makes mistakes. The manager wants to know you are honest and fix problems fast.
Choose a small, real mistake, like dropping a tray. Say you told someone straight away, cleaned it up safely and fixed it. Finish with what you learned or what you do differently now.
What do you do if you do not understand an instruction?
Mistakes in a kitchen waste food and time. The manager wants someone who checks first.
Say you ask the chef or repeat the instruction back before you start. For example: 'So you want these onions sliced, not chopped?' This shows you listen and care about doing it right.
The chef asks you to do three things at once. What would you do first?
The manager wants to see how you think and if you ask when you are unsure.
Say you would ask which job is most urgent. If you cannot ask, choose the job that helps the team most and tell the chef what you are doing. Explain your thinking in short sentences.
How do you make sure you are on time for every shift?
A kitchen cannot run with missing staff. Being reliable is very important for this job.
Give a real habit. For example: I plan my travel, I leave early and I arrive ten minutes before my shift. Say what you do if there is a problem, like calling the manager early.
Can you work evenings and weekends?
Restaurants are busiest at night and on weekends. The manager needs to plan the roster.
Answer clearly and honestly. Say which days and times you can work. You do not need to give private reasons. Just say which days and times you can work. Clear answers help the manager plan.
I clean as I go, so the area stays safe.
Clara
AI coach
Leo
AI coach
Lines to try
I clean as I go, so the area stays safe.
If I am not sure, I ask the chef before I start.
Let me repeat that back to check I understood.
One busy Saturday, I washed plates fast so the kitchen could keep up.
I keep raw and cooked food apart, and I wash my hands often.
I can work evenings and weekends, and I am always on time.
Common questions
I have never worked in a restaurant. What can I say?
Talk about other real work. Cleaning jobs, factory work, or cooking for family events all count. Say what you did and what habits you have, like working fast, keeping things tidy and being on time. Give one short example. Real examples matter more than job titles.
My English is not perfect. Is that a problem?
Kitchen managers need you to understand instructions and ask questions. Use short, clear sentences. If you do not understand a question, it is fine to say, 'Sorry, can you say that again, please?' This also shows you check before you act, which is good in a kitchen.
What if I say 'I am a hard worker'?
That is fine, but it is not enough. The manager will often ask, 'Can you give me an example?' So add a short story. Say what happened, what you did and how it ended. One clear example is stronger than many general words.