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PapaHR · Mike Pritula Academy · Roles

Cook: Job Profile, KPIs and Interview Questions

This page covers a cook’s job profile, key performance indicators (KPIs), interview questions and onboarding plan. Use it to hire for your menu and assess quality, speed and ingredient use.

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  1. Take the profile below or build your own with the builder.
  2. In PapaHR the profile turns into a job ad, an onboarding plan and probation goals.
  3. After 90 days, review the person against the same KPIs and competencies.

Job profile

Why the role exists

Prepare safe, tasty menu dishes on time, using the specified ingredient quantities.

Result in a year

The cook consistently follows recipes and service timings, keeps their station organised and prevents avoidable food waste.

Place in the structure

  1. Reports toHead chef; in a small kitchen, the kitchen manager.
  2. Direct reportsNone; supervises kitchen assistants only when specifically assigned.
  3. Works withOther cooks on shift, Kitchen assistant, Servers and restaurant manager, Purchasing staff and stockroom staff, Dishwasher or kitchen porter
Key result areas
  1. Dish quality: flavour, presentation and portion yield match standard recipe cards — Recipe compliance100% of checked dishes match standard recipe cards.
  2. Service speed: station orders are ready at the agreed time — Orders ready on time100% of station orders are ready at the agreed time.
  3. Station readiness: required prep is ready before service — Prep plan completion100% of planned prep is ready on time without excess quantities.
  4. Ingredient use: portions meet specifications without excess consumption or reduced yield — Ingredient usage compliance100% of checked portions meet ingredient usage and yield specifications.
  5. Storage: food is stored, labelled and checked before use — Storage compliance100% of storage checks find no violations.
  6. Waste records: station waste and reasons are recorded before shift close — Waste recording completeness100% of identified waste is recorded with reasons before shift close.
Requirements

Experience: Practical station experience with a similar menu and order volume.

Formal: Culinary training or demonstrated practical cooking skills.

Should know

  • Standard recipe cards, ingredient quantities and portion yields.
  • Preparation methods used at the assigned station.
  • Storage conditions, labelling and use-by times for prepared ingredients.
  • Prevention of cross-contamination and allergen cross-contact.
  • Safe use of knives, cookers and other kitchen equipment.

Should be able to

  • Produce consistent dishes from standard recipe cards.
  • Calculate ingredient quantities for the required number of portions.
  • Set up a station before orders arrive.
  • Check doneness using suitable measuring equipment.
  • Give colleagues accurate order and stock information.
  • Record waste and identify causes of excessive ingredient use.
Competencies at three levels

Food safety

Incorrect storage or preparation can make a dish unsafe for a guest.

  1. Separates raw and cooked food; checks labels with a mentor.basic
  2. Checks storage and preparation independently; stops the use of questionable food.solid
  3. Identifies recurring safety failures and helps the team remove their causes.strong

Consistent cooking

Guests expect the same flavour and portion size each time.

  1. Follows recipe cards for familiar dishes; weighs ingredients and portions.basic
  2. Maintains flavour, portion yield and presentation during busy service.solid
  3. Spots recipe card discrepancies and tests corrections with the head chef.strong

Station organisation

A prepared station serves orders on time without unnecessary prep.

  1. Sets up the station and completes a mentor’s prep list.basic
  2. Plans prep around stock and demand; adjusts the cooking sequence.solid
  3. Identifies station bottlenecks and agrees improvements to shift preparation.strong

Careful ingredient use

Excess usage and spoiled prep increase the cost of each dish sold.

  1. Follows ingredient quantities, rotates stock correctly and records waste.basic
  2. Identifies waste causes and adjusts prep quantities with the manager.solid
  3. Tests waste reductions without reducing portions or compromising quality.strong

Shift teamwork

Dishes from different stations need to reach the pass together.

  1. Acknowledges orders and tells colleagues when dishes are ready.basic
  2. Coordinates service; flags delays and prep shortages early.solid
  3. Helps stations coordinate peak service while maintaining quality.strong

Handling mistakes

Acknowledging mistakes quickly reduces delays and prevents dishes being returned again.

  1. Reports personal mistakes and corrects dishes with a mentor.basic
  2. Clarifies return reasons, agrees corrections and changes faulty working methods.solid
  3. Reviews recurring returns with the team and checks whether changes work.strong
Builder

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Cook

Prepare safe, tasty menu dishes on time, using the specified ingredient quantities.

Duties
  1. Check food quality, labels and storage conditions before starting work.
  2. Prepare ingredients according to shift plans and expected order volumes.
  3. Cook station dishes using standard recipe cards.
  4. Check flavour, temperature, portion yield and presentation before service.
  5. Coordinate cooking order with colleagues at other stations.
  6. Report unavailable dishes and delays before the promised service time.
  7. Keep raw food, cooked food, utensils and preparation surfaces separate.
  8. Label prepared ingredients and follow their use-by times.
  9. Record ingredient use, waste and reasons for returned dishes.
  10. Clean the station, check equipment and hand over remaining stock.
  11. Help the head chef develop and test new dishes.
  12. Prepare banquet dishes from an agreed menu.
  13. Pack delivery orders to protect dish quality.
  14. Train an assistant in ingredient preparation at the station.
  15. Help count ingredients and prepared stock.
  16. Cover another cooking station after training.
  17. Suggest ingredient uses that respect recipes and use-by dates.
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Cook KPIs

  1. Recipe compliance — Compliant dishes / checked dishes × 100%. Mistake: Checking only simple dishes outside busy service.weight 25% · month
  2. Orders ready on time — On-time station orders / completed station orders × 100%. Mistake: Excluding late orders from the calculation.weight 20% · month
  3. Prep plan completion — Prep accepted on time / planned prep × 100%. Mistake: Counting excess quantities or prep that fails quality checks.weight 15% · month
  4. Ingredient usage compliance — Portions meeting usage specifications / checked portions × 100%. Mistake: Counting smaller portions as ingredient savings.weight 15% · month
  5. Storage compliance — Compliant storage checks / all storage checks × 100%. Mistake: Allowing successful checks to offset a serious safety failure.weight 15% · month
  6. Waste recording completeness — Waste entries before shift close / all identified waste items × 100%. Mistake: Hiding waste; leave the measure uncalculated when no waste is identified.weight 10% · month
Calculator

Work out the KPI bonus

Enter how much of each target was met, in percent, and the bonus at 100%. You can change the weights.

KPIWeight, %Achieved, %Share
Recipe compliance
Orders ready on time
Prep plan completion
Ingredient usage compliance
Storage compliance
Waste recording completeness
KPI total
Bonus
Sum of weights

The weights are an example. They should add up to 100%.

Interview questions

Scorecard

Run the interview and get the result

Score each answer from 1 to 5 and the total is worked out by competency. Keep this page open on your phone during the interview.

Food safety

Describe a shift when you found questionable food. What did you notice, report and do, and what was the outcome?

✓ Listen for: Isolated the food, stopped its use, informed the manager and checked related prep.

⚑ Red flag: Tried to hide spoilage or use the food after further processing.

Tell us about an order with an allergy warning. What were you responsible for, what did you check and what happened?

✓ Listen for: Checked ingredients and cross-contact risks; confirmed preparation options with the manager.

⚑ Red flag: Removed the allergen from a finished dish and considered it safe.

Consistent cooking

Describe a dish you initially struggled to make consistently. How did you find the cause, change your approach and check the result?

✓ Listen for: Compared quantities, methods and yield with the recipe; cooked it again after corrections.

⚑ Red flag: Adjusted the recipe by eye without checking consistency.

Recall a shift with many orders for the same dish. How did you maintain portion yield and presentation, and what happened?

✓ Listen for: Used scales and recipe cards; checked portions even during busy service.

⚑ Red flag: Reduced portions or skipped doneness checks when rushed.

Station organisation

Describe preparing for a busy shift. How did you set prep quantities, choose priorities and assess the result?

✓ Listen for: Compared stock, order forecasts and storage life; checked station readiness.

⚑ Red flag: Prepared large quantities of everything without checking existing stock.

Tell us about an unexpected rush. What did you change at your station, and how did it affect service?

✓ Listen for: Adjusted cooking order, requested help and warned colleagues about likely delays early.

⚑ Red flag: Hid the backlog or cut corners on cooking methods.

Careful ingredient use

Describe recurring waste at your station. How did you find the cause, what did you suggest and what changed?

✓ Listen for: Reviewed stock and waste causes; agreed smaller batches and checked subsequent waste.

⚑ Red flag: Suggested extending date labels or hiding waste.

Recall excessive use of an ingredient. How did you spot it, what did you do and how did you check the correction?

✓ Listen for: Checked quantities, yield and weighing; removed a specific cause.

⚑ Red flag: Reduced an expensive ingredient without an approved recipe change.

Shift teamwork

Describe an order involving several stations. How did you coordinate cooking, what got in the way and how did service go?

✓ Listen for: Agreed readiness times, flagged delays and checked the complete order.

⚑ Red flag: Considered the job finished while other dishes were still cooking.

Recall a shift when essential prep ran out. Who did you tell, what actions did you agree and what happened?

✓ Listen for: Informed the manager and servers, checked stock and agreed order restrictions.

⚑ Red flag: Substituted an ingredient without approval or telling anyone about the change.

Handling mistakes

Describe a dish returned because of your mistake. How did you find the cause, correct the order and prevent a repeat?

✓ Listen for: Acknowledged the mistake, agreed a remake and checked subsequent dishes.

⚑ Red flag: Blamed the guest or sent the same dish back unchanged.

Recall a mistake you spotted before service. What did you do with the dish, tell the team and achieve?

✓ Listen for: Stopped service, reported the remake and readiness time, and recorded waste.

⚑ Red flag: Served the dish hoping the guest would not notice.

Score at least one answer and the result shows up here. ·
Track candidates in PapaHR

Test task

Set up a station and serve dishes from standard recipe cards · 2 hours

In a training kitchen, receive two standard recipe cards, ingredients, a stock list and four simulated orders. Within two hours, plan prep, set up your station and cook dishes for assessment. The assessor introduces a delay at another station and a guest’s allergen enquiry: explain your actions. Finish by handing over remaining stock, recording ingredient use and waste, and cleaning your station. Before starting, the employer explains the equipment, provides utensils and agrees payment terms for the assessment; the dishes are for assessment only, not for sale.

How to assess it

  • Raw and cooked food separated; labels and storage checked.
  • Ingredients, flavour, portion yield and presentation match the recipe cards.
  • Prep plan considers existing stock and avoids unnecessary quantities.
  • Dishes ready at agreed times; delays flagged in advance.
  • Allergen enquiry checked against ingredients and preparation conditions.
  • Ingredient use and waste recorded; station ready for handover.
  • An unsafe practice stops the assessment regardless of speed or flavour.

Ready job ad

Cook at [venue name], [city]

Prepare [cuisine] at [station], handling [orders per shift].

What you will do

  • Cook dishes to standard recipe cards and presentation standards.
  • Set up the station and complete prep before service.
  • Coordinate order readiness with other cooks.
  • Maintain safe storage, clear labels and a clean station.
  • Check portions, record waste and report ingredient shortages.

What we need

  • Experience cooking [menu] at [station].
  • Ability to follow recipes, weigh ingredients and check portion yields.
  • Knowledge of safe food handling and kitchen equipment use.
  • Willingness to flag delays and mistakes early.

What we offer

  • Pay: [salary in $], paid [frequency].
  • Schedule: [schedule], shift length [hours].
  • Kitchen location: [city], [address].
  • Station: [station], equipment: [equipment], team: [shift team].
  • Menu training with a mentor: [duration and format].
  • Meals, uniform and practical assessment arrangements: [details].

In PapaHR this text becomes a job opening with a careers page and a candidate pipeline.

90-day onboarding plan

Before day one

  1. Confirm schedule, pay, kitchen address and uniform requirements.HR
  2. Assign a mentor and select a training station.Manager
  3. Prepare recipe cards, utensils and the first shift plan.Mentor

Day one

  1. Show storage, washing, cooking and service areas.Mentor
  2. Explain safe work, labelling and handling questionable food.Manager
  3. Cook the first dish from a recipe under supervision.New hire
  4. Show how orders arrive and finished dishes reach service.Mentor

First week

  1. Practise core station dishes; check flavour and portion yield.New hire
  2. Check labelling, storage and equipment cleaning at shift end.Mentor
  3. Learn prep planning, waste recording and stock handover.New hire
  4. Agree probation period goals and how performance will be checked.Manager

30 days

  1. Run a normal station shift with mentor support available.New hire
  2. Check dishes, service timings and ingredient usage compliance.Manager
  3. Review returned dishes and plan further cooking practice.Mentor

60 days

  1. Independently prepare the station for a forecast busy shift.New hire
  2. Assess coordination with other stations during peak service.Manager
  3. Review waste causes and test a proposed prep change.New hire

90 days

  1. Compare shift results with probation period goals.Manager
  2. Complete an assessment shift and independently hand over the station.New hire
  3. Agree the next training station and skills to develop.Manager
  4. Record probation period outcomes and the new starter’s feedback.HR

Probation period goals

  1. Independently cook the agreed range of station dishes.By day 30, pass each recipe check for flavour, yield, doneness and presentation.
  2. Maintain safe food storage and preparation on every shift.No serious safety failures during probation period checks; isolate all questionable food pending the manager’s decision.
  3. Have orders ready on time at the agreed station workload.By day 90, achieve 100% of the agreed on-time target for the final month.
  4. Meet ingredient usage specifications and record all station waste.By day 90, achieve 100% of the usage compliance target; record all identified waste before shift close during the final month.

Career path

Kitchen Assistant / Prep Cook

Prepares ingredients and simple components under a cook’s supervision.

To move up: Learn station recipes, safe food handling and independent workstation setup.

Line Cook / Commis Chef

Cooks station dishes independently and ensures the station is ready for service.

To move up: Learn another station, work consistently at peak times and train an assistant.

Senior Cook / Chef de Partie

Coordinates shift stations, checks prep and supports new starters.

To move up: Learn shift planning, menu development, food cost control and team training.

Head Chef

Owns the menu, kitchen team, dish quality and food production costs.

To move up: To expand the role, learn to open another kitchen and manage its kitchen leader.

Questions for a 1:1 meeting

  1. Which dishes are hardest to produce with consistent flavour and portion yield?
  2. Which prep items run short at peak times, and which remain unused?
  3. Where do we lose time between receiving orders and handing over dishes?
  4. Which ingredients do we waste most, and what prep could change?
  5. What makes separating food and keeping your station clean difficult?
  6. Which equipment or utensils slow you down and need attention?
  7. Where do disagreements arise with other stations or the service team?
  8. Which dish or station would you like to learn with a mentor?

Mistakes in hiring and managing

  1. Judging a cook solely by attractive dish photos.
    Better: Assess cooking from recipes, portion yield, station organisation and cleaning.
  2. Seeking an all-rounder without explaining the menu and actual workload.
    Better: Specify the station, equipment, order volume and available shift support.
  3. Rewarding speed while ignoring food safety failures.
    Better: Stop unsafe work regardless of performance; investigate causes and reassess the skill.
  4. Demanding zero waste and punishing every waste entry.
    Better: Encourage complete records, investigate waste causes and adjust prep quantities.
  5. Treating every delay as the cook’s personal mistake.
    Better: Separate causes: station setup, order queues, equipment, other stations and service staff.
HR in money

What a bad hire costs: Cook

The same calculation as in PapaHR «HR in money»: the cost of hiring plus the salary for the months the new hire worked at half capacity.

One leaver
A year

In the first months a new hire delivers about half the result, so the company pays the other half of the salary for learning. In PapaHR the calculation uses your real leavers.

Questions and answers

What does a cook do in a small restaurant?

A cook sets up the station, completes prep and cooks dishes from standard recipe cards. They check portion yield and presentation, maintain safe storage and hand over remaining stock. Agree purchasing, menu development and assistant training responsibilities separately.

What is the difference between a cook and a head chef?

A cook prepares dishes and runs an assigned station. A head chef organises the kitchen and manages its team, menu and food costs. Small venues may combine these roles, so agree the scope of responsibility before hiring.

How do you assess a cook during recruitment?

Ask about a past busy shift, a returned dish and a questionable ingredient. Then use a short practical assessment based on your recipes, with payment terms agreed beforehand. Check labelling, portion yields and the station’s condition afterwards too.

Which performance measures suit a cook?

Start with recipe compliance, service timing, prep readiness and ingredient use. Set targets around the menu, equipment and order volume, collecting data by shift. Address food safety failures immediately, regardless of the monthly score.

Can you hire a cook without experience?

Start with an assistant role and a limited range of tasks under a mentor’s supervision. Check safe working skills and willingness to follow recipe cards. Assign an independent station after practical checks of its dishes and shift preparation.

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