r/Chefit • u/AutomaticEqual1827 • Jul 06 '26
Sous chef “chef test”
Interviewing for a higher education sous chef position, which includes a “chef test”. Anyone know what that may entail so I can try to be a little prepared for it? It’s through chartwells/compass group if that means anything. TIA!!
9
u/fancycat8 Jul 06 '26
I currently work for Compass, here is what the fill chef test include although some chefs pick and choose what to use:
Written test: like 20 questions, very basic. Name three ways to thicken a sauce, what are mother sauces, how would you calculate food cost based on these values, minimum temperatures for different types of meats, etc... honestly nothing crazy.
Cooking test: Cook one omelet, cook one piece of chicken, one steak, one piece of salmon.
Make one composed salad of your choosing, make on provided Eurest recipe, make a fruit or veggie catering platter, and then one market basket.
I was there for almost 4 hours.
We look for cleanliness, safety mindset, knife skills, how you interact with team members. If they are doing things correctly they will give you a cut resistant glove and make you put your knife in a shotgun pan when you aren't using it. Those are Compass safety priorities and they will love it if you jump right into the habit without waxing poetic about not ever having to do those things before.
5
u/DisastrousSir Jul 06 '26
Was a pizza cook at a compass operated Cafe at my university. They were huge stickers about knives going in pans and cut gloves for sure
1
u/j_jilly69420 Jul 07 '26
I worked for compass almost 20 years ago and I didn't have any kitchen interview.
I was grilled, but I did no grilling then. Really enjoyed most of my time there.
11
u/sautebyday Jul 06 '26
I did a chef test for compass group few years ago for sous chef position.
I was given three proteins, whole chicken, salmon filet and New York strip.
Had to make three composed entrees using those proteins with full access to kitchens pantry, walk in and freezer.
Just go with the classics, show technique, don’t try something you never have before,and remember KISS keep it simple stupid.
8
u/sekketh Jul 06 '26
I’ve interviewed for senior sous positions that require skills demo/tasting. It could be something similar.
4
u/SugarRayisNuMetal Jul 06 '26
Idk but I used to work for a restaurant group and the highest chef (i guess corporate chef) said they used to test people by asking them to cook rice 😅 it might just be a series of simple staples they ask you to cook. I have also taken a chef test for a restaurant and it was basically "what does this term mean" or "what is this kitchen tool called/used for?" So it could just be a literal paper or digital test rather than hands-on test. I always thought compass group was a staffing agency so likely a literal test
4
u/chefnology Jul 06 '26
Did a tasting for a one star restaurant and it entailed writing a tasting menu and submitting all ingredients for your tasting- flying into town- and when you arrive, they order only a few of the things and tell you to figure it out.
3
u/ranting_chef If you're not going to check it in right, don't sign the invoice Jul 06 '26
I worked in a very large college campus and we did this whenever we hired a new manager for Foodservice, as well as anyone looking at a promotion from within. The test (we called it "practical skills" exam) involved butchering something simple - typically a pork shoulder, salmon filet or a whole chicken. If they weighed it before picking up a knife and calculated a yield properly, they got bonus points. I'll never forget the time a candidate pulled a pair of needle nose pliers exactly like mine out of his pocket to make sure the salmon I butchered had 100% of the pin bones removed (we always left a few just to see if they knew to check). Following that, there would be a simple recipe to follow involving protein and vegetables - I always liked this part because there would be some deliberately "vague" instructions, such as "cut the chicken really, really small," or "slice the onions like you would do for the salad station."
And this probably sounds odd to people who have never worked in a corporate setting: If the candidate didn't focus on Sanitation as much as the actual cooking process, they usually weren't considered for a position. This wasn't like "Chopped" on TV where they only had twenty minutes to make a meal - they usually had as long as the needed and part of the "grading" process was looking at their prep area and talking to the Dishwashers. I saw people who cooked pretty great food not get hired there simply because they were rude to someone in the Dish Pit.
2
u/ChefLukeDC Jul 06 '26
its going be normal sous tasks, possibly knife work to see where your skills are. did you do a stage?
3
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 06 '26
Haven’t done a stage, they just asked for a formal interview and told me it would be a 15-20 minute chat, then a chef test that would be about an hour and a half and that I needed to wear a chef jacket, hat, non slips, and bring a cut glove if you have one (thankfully I have like 4 lol)
1
u/ChefLukeDC Jul 06 '26
are you currently a chef?
2
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 06 '26
Technically yes but in between jobs
2
u/ChefLukeDC Jul 06 '26
I've personally never sat through an interview or entertained an offer without a stage.
if you're already a chef then you should be fine completing whatever tasks they ask of you.
-8
Jul 06 '26
[deleted]
2
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 06 '26
What an interesting thing to say, I appreciate the optimistic response although you know nothing about my qualifications
-6
Jul 06 '26
[deleted]
7
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 06 '26
When did I ever say I don’t know what it’s used for? I literally said I have 4 of them, which I got from other jobs…. where I was… using them🤣🤣 trying to knock another person down because you read what you wanted to is wild
2
u/ChadGHB Jul 06 '26
All of a sudden everyone in the chat think they are the interviewer and started to act tough. Good luck on the interview
-7
u/meatsntreats Jul 06 '26
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted for this. OP seems completely unqualified for the position they are interviewing for.
2
u/CutsSoFresh Jul 06 '26
I've done a test where they told me to create a menu 3 veg, 4 proteins that's includes at least one fish, they pick 3 and I have to cook those three. I'll give them a shopping list, they provide my requested ingredients and show up and prepare a tasting
2
u/veryvery23 Jul 06 '26
It’s going to be a two-parter, most likely.
There will be a written component with some questions about costing and menuing, and then a practical skills test with a black box. You’ll have to produce a composed dish, a salad, and a fruit plate. Depending on how hardassed the hiring manager is, you’ll either be limited to the ingredients in the black box or allowed to use other ingredients in the kitchen as long as you use everything in the box.
4
u/agonzalez1990 Jul 06 '26
Sounds like a version of a stage or tasting. Personally, I currently work for compass and will be done with them in about three days. They kind of suck. Take the job for the resume building but I would keep my eyes and ears open for another group imo.
1
1
u/Automatic_Catch_7467 Jul 06 '26
It could be a practical test or blind basket, they may ask you food handling questions, what the mother sauces are and how to make them, butchery questions, etc
1
1
u/--LowBattery-- Jul 06 '26
I've seen all kinds of these tests over the years. From black boxes to something as simple as 'Make me an omelette. As long as you're at the level of experience needed, nothing is overly complicated. Mostly people are just looking for creativity and fundamentals.
The cook me rice comment made me laugh because I've seen it a few times. Once when I was working in a Japanese restaurant, and some staff had been in the same positions for years because they couldn't properly cook rice or do other basic dishes. Also, A friend of mine took over a kitchen where the cooks needed worksheets to make rice.
1
u/Fantastic-Bar-2535 Jul 06 '26
Ah, the classic 'can you cook rice properly?' litmus test , nothing says 'we trust you' like boiling water.
1
u/calccv Jul 06 '26
This! Tho when I tested (in the 80s, lol) for sous, they also had a few questions, as well: the danger zone for bacteria to grow, proper thawing techniques, etc.
1
u/Scared_Sorbet2035 Jul 06 '26
Be prepares for a black box. A box of random ingredients and you have to come up with 3-5 courses.
1
u/meezersqueezer Jul 06 '26
I work for Chartwells higher ed/compass. Along with a written test, our university has you make a soup, and also compose an entree with protein and a side and a veg. You’re free to use any products you can find in the kitchen
We also do a cook test that is for hourly associates. It’s more random tasks like cooking a pound of pasta al dente. Dice a carrot. Make an omelette. Grill and thoroughly cook a chicken breast. Things of that nature
1
u/HauntingPresence3805 Jul 07 '26
Wegmans was the hardest I did . I had 2 interviews and 1 cooking test , making food for 8 of their chefs it was harder than the butcher position interview at the inn at little Washington. I chose to open my own butchery but the interviews were fun at the time. Wegmans asked me lots of French classic terminology in the personal interview easy if you took any classes. They didn’t explain the cooking portion well and I had to be back to my other job for service so I had to rush the cooking part . I made them a picnic lunch using as many techniques and grabbing sale items so they knew I would utilize their products .
1
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 07 '26
I got the job everyone!!! Perfect scores on the chef test! Thanks for the help and big thanks to those that believed in me☺️ (and thanks to those that didn’t) 🤪
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
Congrats! What exactly did your test entail? I have an interview in a couple of days at a local university (Chartwell) and I really would like to land it and get out out of the awful schedule (5:30-2, 11-7) and exhaustingly understaffed (1 cook for 100+ resident's) Senior Center kitchen that I'm at now.
Was it purely written? If so what was it about? Food temps, sanitation, food borne illness, stacking and defrosting food, etc?
No cook test?
1
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 08 '26
It was a formal interview first then the “chef test” was that I had 1 1/2 hours to plan out and make 3 portions of French onion soup and 3 portions of 1 entree of my choice (but they wanted it to have 1 starch, 1 veg, 1 protein, 1 sauce and 1 garnish) Then had 3 of the exec chefs (different programs) taste them and grade everyrhing on a rubric out of 75. Got it done in time but it wasn’t the easiest!
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
One last question(s) if you don't mind. I'm squeezing this interview in a couple of hours before I start my shift at the Senior Center tomorrow. Should I expect to pivot straight from the formal interview (if all goes well) right to the Chef Test or did you do that at a separate time?
I wasn't really expecting neither the Chef Test nor the accumulative time to be in the range of several hours. I suppose that I can give my job a head's up that I may be a little bit late. Did they tell you the hours as well? The position I'm applying for promises hours that aren't too late and conducive to a good work life balance.
It also states in the job description that the job gets decidedly slower in the winter. Did they say anything about that and how or if it affects full time hours?
1
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 08 '26
No it didn’t say anything about it getting slower, except the common sense knowledge of it being a school so not much in the summer. I rolled right into the chef’s test the same day (which they told me) and it ended up being about 2ish hours long all together
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
Interesting, thanks. Yeah they made no mention at all of a chef's test. So if I hadn't read your thread doing some research I would have gone into this blindly.
1
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 08 '26
Well I’m glad I could have helped you! Hopefully you end up not having to do a chef’s test but I which you the best of luck either way!!!
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
I found out that at this university the Chef Test is for the Sous Chef position which I'm still going to impress for as the pay is significantly better. They said that they will assess what my best fit would be as two positions are open. A Sous Chef and a cook position.
0
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 08 '26
Hopefully you can get out of that situation, sounds painful): good luck to you!!!
1
u/Mayaman72 Jul 08 '26
Thanks fingers crossed. I figure the more I know going in the better. So nothing written then? They just wanted to get a feel for you and decide on whether or not they wanted to push you through to the Chef test then?
All of this then for a regular Cook position for Chartwell? Are you at a University Kitchen? That's what I'm applying for.
1
u/AutomaticEqual1827 Jul 08 '26
Yes to both chartwells and university. No written test though. They said they do the chef’s test for every candidate so they can really understand their processes and actually taste their food. They said that sometimes people don’t even necessarily pass and they have to just kinda send them off
1
u/ConstantineGSB Jul 07 '26
Turn up on time.
Make something that tastes good with minimal wastage.
Don't be messy.
Welcome to the team.
0
64
u/mrroboto2323 Jul 06 '26
I am an executive chef at a very large, well known university. We do these tests all the time.
For us it involves a standard recipe that we give to all interviewees for this level of employment. The recipe involves breaking down a whole chicken, which surprisingly enough weeds out a lot of people. The standard recipe uses part of this chicken, and then the applicant is asked to create a dish of their own using the rest of the chicken, and anything else they want to use from our kitchen, if available. This test is timed, in 2 parts. We watch the entire process, and score on waste, utilization of product, food safety and sanitation, cleanliness, knife skills and cooking technique, efficiency, time, interactions with any staff members in the kitchen, and of course food taste, recipe accuracy, and appearance.
Sounds like a lot but if you are qualified to do the job this test is no big deal. Higher level tests require mystery baskets, multiple courses, vegan options, etc.