A food service worker is generally tasked with several activities geared towards preparing and serving food. You will mostly find them preparing salad items, cleaning different surfaces, serving the customers, and even performing roles specific to an establishment.
Are you an experienced food service worker looking for a place to work or tired of your current workplace? Well, worry no more because we will look at some of the questions you should expect in your upcoming interview. Remember that passing your interview begins at the preparation stage, and therefore, anticipating what you will be asked is key. Take a look at the following questions.
1. Why Are You Interested In This Position?
I love preparing quality food. I have worked in many establishments that value good food, just like this one, and therefore believe that I will fit in well. I have also heard many good things about you, including your regard for employee welfare and teamwork among employees, which resonates with some of my values. I am definitely looking forward to newer challenges and a good time here.
2. Mention The Roles Of Food Service Workers
Food service workers are generally involved in the preparation and serving of different foods, which explains the titling of their jobs. Roles include weighing and measuring i9ngredients, cleaning and organizing work areas, utensils, and equipment, wrapping, storing, and date-labeling food items; preparing menu items following well-defined recipes; performing several operations such as peeling, slicing, rinsing, and dicing of fruits and vegetables and lastly, serving customers fast and efficiently.
3. What Are The Qualities That A Food Service Worker Needs To Be Successful?
A good service worker should have excellent communication and customer care skills, given the industry they normally serve. They must also understand food allergies and modified diets, have exceptional people skills, work shifts and extended hours and possess basic mathematical skills. Other requirements include an excellent understanding of the different HACCP requirements, completing the provided food service training program, and the right experience level.
4. Mention The Challenges That You Faced In Your Last Role. How Did You Manage Them?
As food service workers, we face several challenges, given the nature of this industry. However, they are always manageable with the right level of preparation and collaboration. I was on campus during my last role and had to balance school and work. I would study during the day and work at night, an experience that proved overwhelming. I negotiated with the restaurant manager to allow me to start my shifts a little early so that I would come from school and report directly to work, mostly at 4. It enabled me to have some time to rest and feel rejuvenated for the next day. I also improved my overall productivity.
5. Briefly Mention Your Experience
This is my fifth year in food service work. I have worked for various eateries, helping in the preparation of different cuisines, and got to learn one or two things about exotic foods. I have also collaborated with some of the most renowned chefs in the country, gaining many insights into food preparation. It is also worth mentioning that I have extensive experience in customer care, having worked as a customer care assistant while on campus.
6. Describe Your Daily Routine
The foodservice industry is normally busy owing to consistent customer requests. My day, therefore, revolves around conducting several food preparation activities such as peeling, slicing, rinsing and dicing fruits and vegetables; preparing menu items using established recipes; weighing and measuring ingredients; cleaning work areas and equipment; serving customers and assisting them in paying for products; listening to customer concerns and complaints and lastly, performing any other activity required of me in the organization.
7. Mention A Strategy And Mindset Required For This Role
One of the best strategies for a food service worker is proper organization of work, given the number of roles we are required to attend to in the workplace. We deal with food preparation and customer service, which can be overwhelming. Therefore, one should know when to perform preparation duties, weigh and measure ingredients, and when help customers with their orders. On mindset, the best perspective a food service worker should have is an accommodative one, which ensures that they treat all customers fairly, without fear or favor.
8. What Is The Main Challenge That You Foresee In This Role?
I have mostly worked for startups and small-scale eateries as I haven’t stayed in this field for a long time. Therefore, working here will be exciting and a little scary, given the scope of work and the standards needed in such a big institution. However, I am prepared for everything that comes my way since I am currently searching for newer challenges and a chance to grow in this field. Also, I am a fast learner who can easily adapt to change, which means that I will ace this role.
9. How Do You Stay Motivated In This Field?
I love fine dining, and therefore, my motivation mostly comes from the fact that I am doing what I love.I am always looking forward to learning more about cuisines and different food handling techniques. Also, as a great believer in service, I love seeing customers smile whenever I serve them or help them pay for items. This job is highly rewarding, motivating me to give my all and be at my best.
10. Mention A Time That You Failed In This Role And The Lesson You Learned
There is little or no room for failure where food is involved. However, some are inevitable but should not define us. As a food service worker, one of my roles is to escalate customer concerns and complaints to management. However, I forgot to note it down and pass the message, which earned a severe reprimand from the shift supervisor when the customer decided to report to the institution physically. This experience taught me to be thorough in my work and not leave anything to chance. I am also more present at the moment than before to avoid such small but costly errors.
11. Why Do You Believe That You Are The Most Suitable Candidate For This Role?
I believe that my experience level sets me ahead of most candidates who applied for this position. I have worked in different eateries all over the country, obtaining enough food handling experience in several cuisines. I can assemble and prepare ingredients off the head without relying on the recipe all the time, given my level of prowess. I further have extensive experience in customer service, which is definitely needed in the foodservice industry. My service will have a bigger impact on this institution.
12. Mention Your Greatest Achievement
My greatest achievement was getting a chance to work with XYZ, one of the greatest chefs in the country, on a project spanning six months. I was part of the team that helped in food preparation, an experience that I relive to date. It allowed me to meet several dignitaries and sharpen my food-handling skills. It is also worth mentioning that I was one of the 25 people selected out of 3000 applications.
13. Do You Know What Halal Food Is?
Yes. I deal with customers from different cultural and religious backgrounds and must know what they eat. Halal food refers to acceptable food under Islamic law as defined in the Koran. It extends to slaughtering animals or poultry, often known as dhabihah, which requires killing by cutting the jugular vein, carotid artery, or windpipe. All animals must also be healthy and alive at death, and the blood must be drained from the animal’s carcass.
14. We Require You To Know About Common Food Allergies. Can You Mention Some, And How Will You Ensure That People Don’t Get Exposed?
There are several food allergies that I have come to witness in my time as a food service worker. However, some common allergies are dairy products, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, eggs, fish, and shellfish. Some people are also allergic to meat as I have seen their faces swell and rashes come out from nowhere. I am therefore careful when preparing food and serving customers to avoid such cases. Most of the restaurants I have worked in had a policy requiring that anyone serving customers must find out more about their allergies. I also use neutral ingredients when preparing food most of the time.
15. Have You Interacted With A Challenging Customer? How Do You Normally Deal With Them?
I have met and dealt with many challenging customers in my career as this industry predisposes us to them. However, I normally believe that every customer should be treated equally and given the right level of assistance available. I normally let the customer air their views and may apologize depending on the situation before offering the needed help. However, I normally refer them to the supervisor or another employee for help when dealing with other customers.
16. What Do You Enjoy Most About This Job?
I find this job generally amazing and enjoyable. However, I mostly enjoy learning more about and trying different recipes and cuisines. I also serve people from different cultural and religious backgrounds, allowing me to widen my knowledge of different foods. I also love the level of teamwork involved in food service work since we work closely with chefs and other kitchen workers. This is definitely a highly rewarding field, which I am glad to have joined.
17. Can You Work Longer Shifts?
I understand that I may be required to work extended hours without compromising my performance, which I have successfully done in my career. I am relatively young and flexible and can go for such durations without sweat. I can also step in for others whenever they call in sick or are scheduled to get to work late. All in all, I don’t have a problem working for extended durations as long as I will get enough time to rest in the future.
18. Can You Define Hospitality?
Hospitality means everything to a food service worker. It is all about anticipating and responding to a guest’s needs, making them feel welcomed and offering any additional help. I normally try as much as possible to determine what a customer wants before they even ask, making eye contact with them, followed by a smile and warm greeting. I later enquire if they need any additional service after attending to the customer. I am glad that I have managed to be a hospitable guest to all the clients I have interacted with.
19. Why Do You Love This Establishment?
This is my go-to restaurant whenever I need to grab something quickly, meet with a friend or spend the afternoon working. I started coming here in my college days and haven’t stopped yet, owing to your amazing food quality and excellent customer service. You also have an amazing menu and a team of able chefs who ensure that we get at least a new dish every week. Lastly, I normally feel at home whenever I step into this establishment, a feeling that inspires me to keep coming back. I will definitely enjoy working here.
20. How Will You Remember Everything Ordered Suppose The Customer Offers A Long List?
I normally have a few strategies that help me remember a long list of orders. I normally incorporate the use of a small notebook to list down what the customer wants and mnemonic devices that allow me to remember several pieces of information, albeit in a shorter duration. At times I also prefer associating a guest’s order with a given word or phrase, and where necessary, I may come up with a mental image of what they need. All in all, I never miss an order at the end of the day as I am thorough in my work.
21. How Will You Stay Calm During Peak Business Hours?
I understand the pressure experienced during peak business hours, which I am prepared to handle. I normally prefer to focus on whatever I am doing now rather than imagine the scope of work, which helps me beat anxiety. I also ask for all the help I need from my teammates, ensuring that I am not overwhelmed in the long run and unable to focus. Lastly, my multitasking skills come in handy during such time, allowing me to handle many tasks without breaking a sweat.
22. You May Not Be In A Position To Come To Work Early. What Will You Do In Such A Case?
I normally make arrangements with another employee to cover for me until I get to work, which is possible since we do that. However, I always ensure that it is not a last-minute notice but an hour before since people also have plans. I have met many good colleagues who do not have a problem covering for me until I get to work. I should also mention that I don’t do that often.
23. How Do You Handle Criticism?
Anyone working in the foodservice industry understands that it attracts the highest amounts of criticism as customers normally have different preferences when it comes to food. I don’t take criticism to heart but as a stepping stone to doing better. Generally, I focus on the constructive parts, ignoring the difficult aspects, a move that has always helped me in my career. Lastly, I love hearing from the customers who interact with the final product and are better positioned to comment.
24. What’s Your Take On Working On Holidays?
I understand that I may be called upon to work during the holidays since the store must be operational, and at the same time, people need to rest. Fortunately, I don’t have a problem working on holidays since I am flexible and available. I also need more money to get through college, and therefore, more working hours will be a plus. However, I would definitely appreciate it if I am given prior notice to prepare myself well and get in the right headspace to attend to my duties.
25. What Would You Advise A New Recruit To Do Suppose You Are Given A Chance To Mentor Them?
Having been a new recruit before, I understand what one needs to do to succeed in this field. Some of the tips necessary to succeed in the foodservice industry is dressing to impress, even in a casual dining environment, given that customers also value the first impression. A recruit must also show eagerness to serve, which is the cornerstone of the foodservice industry. Other important tips include tailoring all activities towards customer satisfaction and maintaining a level of thoroughness, which comes in handy in terms of hygiene and quality food preparation.
Conclusion
As we conclude our article, we urge you to practice your responses beforehand and work on giving the interviewers a good first impression, as these will determine how well you perform in the interview.
