Cook
Posted Sep 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Walk me through your experience cooking in a high-volume setting like a hotel, restaurant, or institutional kitchen. What was the scale you were working at?
What they are checking: whether the three years of required production experience is real and at a comparable volume
Tell me about a time you had to adapt a recipe for someone with a diet restriction. What did you change and why?
What they are checking: real experience handling therapeutic or restricted diets, which matters heavily in a hospital kitchen
Tell me about a time the kitchen got slammed and you were behind on prep. How did you handle it?
What they are checking: ability to manage time and stay calm under volume pressure
Tell me about a time you disagreed with a coworker about how something should be prepped or plated. How did you work it out?
What they are checking: interpersonal skills and ability to work smoothly in a shared kitchen team
What would you do
Say you notice a cooler is running a few degrees warmer than it should be during your shift. What do you do?
What they are checking: judgment under a food safety risk and whether they escalate rather than ignore it
You're plating and garnishing a dish for patient trays. What does 'meeting the standard' look like to you before it goes out?
What they are checking: attention to presentation standards and consistency, not just getting food out fast
This role covers patients across different age groups, from kids to elderly. How would your approach to preparing or serving a meal change for an older patient versus a younger one?
What they are checking: awareness of age-specific care needs, which the posting explicitly requires
This schedule is mostly 10:30 to 7, with every other weekend and three holidays a year. How does that fit with your life right now?
What they are checking: realistic commitment to the actual shift pattern before it becomes a problem
About the work
How do you read a production sheet and recipe to figure out exactly how much of an item to prepare for the day?
What they are checking: basic literacy with standardized recipes and portion scaling, a core daily task here
What is your process for checking and logging food temperatures during a shift?
What they are checking: knowledge of safe food handling procedures and whether logging is second nature, not an afterthought
How do you decide how much to batch-cook so you don't end up with waste at the end of service?
What they are checking: cost and waste control mindset, called out directly in the posting
Do you have your ServSafe Food Handler certification, or are you comfortable getting it within your first year here?
What they are checking: confirms they understand the required certification timeline and are willing to complete it
What steps do you take to keep your station and storage areas properly rotated and sanitized throughout a shift?
What they are checking: habits around FIFO inventory rotation and sanitation, not just knowledge of the rule
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Advocate Health.