Question bank
Interview questions, with guidance on how to answer
834 questions across 64 roles. Open one to see what a strong answer includes and common slips, then drill it out loud with Ava. New to answer structure? Start with the learning hub.
Behavioural
Past experience: what you did and what happened.
220 questions
Technical
Craft knowledge and how you would do the work.
572 questions
Case
A scenario to reason through and decide.
29 questions
System design
Design a system and defend the trade-offs.
13 questions
834 questions.
- TechnicalAny levelRestaurant Server
What do you think makes the difference between an average server and a great one?
Tests: Guest service
- TechnicalEntry levelLine Cook
You arrive for your shift and there is a prep list waiting. How do you get your station ready for service?
Tests: Station setup and prep
- TechnicalEntry levelLine Cook
How do you keep raw chicken from contaminating other food in the kitchen?
Tests: Food safety and sanitation
- TechnicalEntry levelLine Cook
What do you do to stay safe working around fryers, hot pans and sharp knives?
Tests: Kitchen safety
- BehaviouralEntry levelLine Cook
Tell me about a time a chef or manager corrected how you were doing something. How did you respond?
Tests: Coachability
- TechnicalMid levelLine Cook
The printer spits out six tickets at once on your station. How do you organize and work through them?
Tests: Ticket management and speed
- TechnicalMid levelLine Cook
How do you know a steak or piece of fish is cooked properly without cutting into it?
Tests: Cooking technique and knife skills
- TechnicalMid levelLine Cook
How do you make sure your dishes look and taste the same as the chef's version every single time?
Tests: Recipe and plating consistency
- BehaviouralMid levelLine Cook
Tell me about a shift where the line was struggling. How did you communicate with your team to get through it?
Tests: Teamwork and communication on the line
- TechnicalMid levelLine Cook
How do you store and rotate food in the walk-in so nothing goes bad or gets served past its date?
Tests: Food safety and sanitation
- TechnicalSeniorLine Cook
A ticket comes in marked as a severe shellfish allergy on a busy night. Walk me through how you handle it.
Tests: Food safety and sanitation
- BehaviouralSeniorLine Cook
If you were running a station and training a newer cook beside you, how would you help them keep up without slowing service?
Tests: Teamwork and communication on the line
- TechnicalSeniorLine Cook
You notice your station is going to run out of a key prepped item halfway through a busy night. What do you do?
Tests: Station setup and prep
- TechnicalAny levelLine Cook
What do you think separates a good line cook from a great one?
Tests: Cooking technique and knife skills
- TechnicalEntry levelBarista
A customer walks up and says they have never ordered at a coffee shop and do not know what to get. How would you help?
Tests: Customer service
- TechnicalEntry levelBarista
What do you do to keep the espresso bar clean and safe during a shift?
Tests: Cleanliness and food safety
- TechnicalEntry levelBarista
When you are on the register, how do you make sure the order and the payment are both correct?
Tests: Cash handling and register accuracy
- TechnicalEntry levelBarista
If you were opening the cafe on your own, what would you do before the first customer arrived?
Tests: Opening and closing procedures
- TechnicalMid levelBarista
How do you know if a shot of espresso is good, and what do you change if it is not?
Tests: Espresso and drink preparation
- TechnicalMid levelBarista
The line is out the door and there are ten drink tickets waiting. How do you keep things moving?
Tests: Speed and workflow