JobsAdvocate Health

Chef Instructor

Advocate Health · Barrington, IL

Posted Sep 7, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you taught a hands-on class where one participant was struggling to keep up while others were ahead. What did you do?

ability to manage mixed skill levels in a live group setting without losing anyone

Tell me about a class or event that didn't go the way you planned. What happened and what did you change afterward?

self-awareness and adaptability when things go wrong in front of an audience

Describe your experience preparing large volume meals or catering an event like a luncheon or buffet on top of your regular teaching schedule.

whether they can actually juggle production cooking with instruction, since this role combines both

Have you taught both in-person and virtually? What's different about keeping people engaged in a virtual cooking class?

range of teaching modalities, which is listed as a preferred qualification

What draws you to teaching in a hospital or clinical wellness setting specifically, versus a restaurant or culinary school?

genuine fit with a healthcare-based kitchen mission rather than a generic culinary career move

Technical

Walk me through how you would design a class curriculum for someone who just got a diagnosis like diabetes or heart disease and has never cooked a special diet before.

whether the candidate can translate clinical dietary needs into an approachable, structured lesson plan rather than just a recipe demo

What does your weekly sanitation checklist actually look like, and tell me about a time you found a problem and had to build an action plan around it.

concrete familiarity with food safety documentation and follow-through, not just knowing ServSafe rules on paper

How do you go about forecasting how much food to prepare for a class, and what do you do when your estimate is off?

whether they actually manage inventory and waste in practice, since this is called out specifically in the job

Talk me through a dish you'd demonstrate that involves a technique like roasting meat or building a sauce from scratch, and how you'd break it down step by step for beginners.

actual technical cooking competence and ability to teach it clearly, not just perform it

Situational

How do you decide on ingredient substitutions when someone in the class has a dietary restriction you weren't expecting?

real-time clinical and culinary judgment, and whether they check in with participants rather than guessing

Someone in your class seems disengaged and keeps checking their phone. What do you do in the moment?

instructional presence and people skills, since keeping participants engaged is explicitly part of the role

What's your approach to setting up the room itself, things like lighting, music, and each participant's station, before a class starts?

attention to the softer, atmosphere-related duties this posting specifically names, which many culinary hires overlook

If you noticed food waste was higher than it should be after reviewing your weekly usage, what steps would you take?

cost consciousness and whether they use the inventory data rather than just filing it

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Advocate Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 39360 Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital - Integrative Kitchen Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 20 Schedule Details/Additional Information: 20 hours per week. 3 class days during the week. Pay Range: $26.55 - $39.85 Major Responsibilities: • Designs and develops engaging culinary courses and curricula that align with educational standards and participants needs. Delivers clear and concise lectures, demonstrating cooking techniques, and guiding participants through hands-on exercises and facilitating discussions.  • Ensures a safe and clean working environment by adhering to food safety regulations and maintaining kitchen equipment. Completes weekly sanitation checklist and develops action plans as needed.   • Monitors the atmosphere of the location to include music, scent, lighting, temperature, and overall cleanliness; adjusts as necessary to participants’ needs or preferences.  • Anticipates the needs of class participants; sets up each participant’s station to support the curriculum and ensures that they remain engaged throughout their entire experience.  • Monitors general department operations, establishes work reschedules, issues daily work assignments and responds to requests for service.  • Prepares general and special diet items in accordance with established standardized recipes. Decides on recipe ingredient substitutions or garnishes based on diet requirements.  • Estimates food requirements and controls serving portions, eliminating waste and leftovers. Reviews weekly food usage and completes weekly inventory. Completes class production forecasting sheet.   • Prepares catered and specialized events including luncheons, buffets, and dinners as needed.   Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • Serve Safe Certification required at hire.  Education Required: • ​​ Associate’s degree in culinary arts or related field, or equivalent experience.   Experience Required: • ​​ 1 year of culinary teaching or related teaching experience required.  Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Must have problem solving and decision-making skills.  • Proficiency in meat roasting and preparation of sauces, gravies, vegetables, meats, cereal, hors d'oeuvres, eggs, soup, casseroles, frying, broiling, steaming, baking, and grilling.  Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the duties of the job.  • Stands, walks, and reaches above shoulders the majority of the workday as well as squats, bends, twists, kneels and climbs throughout.  • Continuously lifts up to 10 lbs., frequently lifts up to 20 lbs. and occasionally lifts up to 50 lbs.  • Working atmosphere may contain odors from food and dust from flour, spices, etc.  • May be exposed to mechanical, electrical and chemical hazards. Protective clothing must be worn as necessary.  • Will be exposed to sharp knives, other sharp cooking utensils, heat from ovens and other hazards in a cooking environment.  Preferred Job Requirements Experience Required: • Experience working in a team-based or clinical environment  • Experience teaching participants both in-person and virtually   • 3 or more years of teaching experience  • 3 or more years of experience in a large volume food preparation and distribution operation.  Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Bilingual preferred   This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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