All 15 line cook interview questions
Ticket timing
- 1.One table orders a ribeye medium-well, a salmon and a chicken pasta. The steak takes 14 minutes, the pasta 8 and the salmon 6. How do you time them to come up together?
- 2.Tell me about your busiest service. How many covers, what station, and how did you keep up?
- 3.You are in the weeds with eight tickets on the rail and the chef is calling for a table. What do you do?
- 4.A ticket comes in with a modification you have never seen, like "sub cauliflower mash, no dairy." What do you do?
Food safety and temps
- 5.Tell me the safe cooking temperatures for chicken, ground beef, and a pork chop or fish fillet. And what are the hot and cold holding temperatures?
- 6.You made a large pot of chili at the end of the night. How do you cool it before it goes in the walk-in?
- 7.You open the lowboy and see raw chicken on the shelf above the cut lettuce. What do you do?
- 8.A ticket says "shellfish allergy" for a fried fish order, and your fryer also cooks shrimp. What do you do?
Station and knife skills
- 9.Walk me through how you set up your station before a Friday dinner service.
- 10.If I gave you a knife and an onion, show me or tell me how you would dice it.
- 11.Halfway through service you run out of a prepped item, like sliced onions for burgers. What do you do?
- 12.Which station are you strongest on, and which one would you want to learn next?
What a good line cook does on a shift
A line cook owns one station, like grill, sauté, fry or garnish, for a whole service. Before doors open they set up their mise en place: sauces in squeeze bottles, proteins portioned, garnish cut, pans and towels in reach, everything filled to par. When tickets start printing they read the rail, start the longest cook first and time each item so a whole table’s plates hit the pass together.
Food safety runs through every task. Cooks probe chicken to 165°F, hold hot food at 135°F or above and keep the lowboy at 41°F or below. They store raw chicken on the bottom shelf, label and date everything, and cool big batches of soup or chili fast enough to meet the health code. A shellfish allergy on a ticket means clean pans, clean tongs and a word with the expo.
The line talks in short calls: "Ordering two burgers mid-rare," "Heard," "Behind," "Hot." A cook who does not call back or who goes quiet in the weeds slows everyone. Kitchen turnover is high, and the cost of a bad hire shows up on the first Friday night, so a short paid stage on the line is worth more than any answer in an interview.
| Skill | Why it matters for this job |
|---|---|
| Ticket timing | A table’s plates must come up together, hot. A cook who cannot read the rail and fire in the right order sends out cold food or holds up the whole pass. |
| Food safety and temps | One undercooked chicken breast or a cross-contact allergy can put a guest in the hospital and fail an inspection. |
| Station and knife skills | A full, clean station and quick, even knife work are what let a cook keep up when it gets busy. |
| Teamwork on the line | A kitchen is a team in a small, hot space. Clear calls, taking direction and helping the next station keep service moving. |
Knockout questions to ask first
Ask these before the interview, on the application form or in the first minute of a call. A clear no on any of them means the job will not work, however good the interview is.
| Question | What counts as a pass |
|---|---|
| Can you work nights, weekends and the occasional double, including holidays? | Yes, or a clear list of which posted shifts they can work. Kitchens need the most cooks when everyone else is off. |
| Do you have a food handler card, or can you get one within the time our state or county allows? | Yes. Several states, such as California, Illinois, Texas and Washington, require one, usually within 30 to 60 days of hire. A ServSafe Manager certificate is a plus for lead cooks, but most line cooks only need the food handler card. |
| The job means standing for 8 to 10 hours in a hot kitchen and lifting cases and stock pots up to 50 pounds. Can you do that, with or without a reasonable accommodation? | Yes. Use your real weights and shift length. |
| Are you 18 or older? (Ask only if the station uses a power meat slicer, mixer or other equipment federal law bars minors from using.) | Yes, for those stations. Workers under 18 cannot run power-driven meat slicers or bakery mixers under federal child labor rules. |
Line Cook interview questions and answers, by skill
Each question says why to ask it, what a strong answer sounds like, what should worry you and one follow-up question. Ask every applicant the same questions in the same order, and score each skill with the scorecard below.
Ticket timing
A table’s plates must come up together, hot. A cook who cannot read the rail and fire in the right order sends out cold food or holds up the whole pass.
1. One table orders a ribeye medium-well, a salmon and a chicken pasta. The steak takes 14 minutes, the pasta 8 and the salmon 6. How do you time them to come up together?
- Why ask it
- A simple practical question. Strong cooks work backward from the longest item and say it out loud.
- A strong answer
- “I fire the ribeye first. About six minutes later I drop the pasta, and two minutes after that the salmon goes in the pan. That way the steak gets a couple of minutes to rest while the fish finishes, and all three hit the window together. I would call the time to expo so they know.”
- Red flag
- Starts all three at once, or does not mention resting the steak.
- Follow-up
- What if expo calls "rush that table" halfway through?
2. Tell me about your busiest service. How many covers, what station, and how did you keep up?
- Why ask it
- Numbers and a station name tell you how much heat they have handled. Vague answers usually mean small volume.
- A strong answer
- “Saturday nights at a gastropub, about 280 covers on two cooks, and I was on grill. I kept my tickets in order on the rail, called times to the expo and used a timer for every steak. When I got four tickets behind, I asked the fry cook to drop my sides so I could focus on proteins.”
- Red flag
- Cannot say covers or station, or says it was "pretty busy".
- Follow-up
- What did you learn from the night you fell behind?
3. You are in the weeds with eight tickets on the rail and the chef is calling for a table. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Every cook goes down sometimes. The question is whether they go quiet or speak up.
- A strong answer
- “I would say "Heard" and give the chef an honest time on that table. Then I would tell the chef I am in the weeds so they can send help or hold the next seatings. I keep cooking in fire order and do not skip steps like resting or checking temps.”
- Red flag
- Says they never get in the weeds, or that they would just work faster and say nothing.
- Follow-up
- How do you get back on top after a rush like that?
4. A ticket comes in with a modification you have never seen, like "sub cauliflower mash, no dairy." What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Shows whether they ask instead of guessing, which matters most when the modification hides an allergy.
- A strong answer
- “I would ask the expo or the chef right away, before I start cooking it. If it is an allergy, I need to know what else on the plate has dairy, like butter in the sauce. I would rather take ten seconds to ask than remake the plate.”
- Red flag
- Makes their best guess and sends it.
- Follow-up
- Who on the line do you ask when the chef is busy?
Food safety and temps
One undercooked chicken breast or a cross-contact allergy can put a guest in the hospital and fail an inspection.
5. Tell me the safe cooking temperatures for chicken, ground beef, and a pork chop or fish fillet. And what are the hot and cold holding temperatures?
- Why ask it
- These numbers are on every food safety course. Line cooks should know them without looking.
- A strong answer
- “Chicken is 165°F, ground beef is 155°F, and whole cuts like pork chops, steaks and fish are 145°F. Hot holding is 135°F or above, and cold holding is 41°F or below. I check with a probe in the thickest part, not just by touch.”
- Red flag
- Guesses, or says they can tell chicken is done by looking at it.
- Follow-up
- How often do you calibrate your thermometer?
6. You made a large pot of chili at the end of the night. How do you cool it before it goes in the walk-in?
- Why ask it
- Slow cooling is a common cause of food poisoning in restaurants and an inspection fail. It separates trained cooks from home cooks.
- A strong answer
- “It has to drop from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then to 41°F within the next four. I would split it into shallow pans or use an ice wand and an ice bath, stir it, and check the temperature. I would not put a full hot pot straight in the walk-in.”
- Red flag
- Says they would leave it on the counter overnight or put the hot stock pot straight into the cooler.
- Follow-up
- How would you log the cooling temperatures?
7. You open the lowboy and see raw chicken on the shelf above the cut lettuce. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Storage order is basic food safety. You want someone who fixes it and checks for damage.
- A strong answer
- “I would move the chicken to the bottom shelf right away. If any juice dripped on the lettuce, I would throw the lettuce out and clean the shelf. Ready-to-eat food goes on top, then fish and whole cuts, then ground meat, and poultry always on the bottom.”
- Red flag
- Would move it but keep using the lettuce, or not see the problem.
- Follow-up
- Who would you tell, and why?
8. A ticket says "shellfish allergy" for a fried fish order, and your fryer also cooks shrimp. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Shared fryers are a common source of allergy cross-contact. This shows whether they know the risk.
- A strong answer
- “I would not use the shared fryer. I would tell expo and the chef right away, and see if we can pan-fry the fish in a clean pan with clean tongs and fresh oil. If we cannot make it safe, the server needs to tell the guest so they can choose something else.”
- Red flag
- Says the fryer oil is hot enough to kill anything.
- Follow-up
- What else on your station could cause cross-contact?
Station and knife skills
A full, clean station and quick, even knife work are what let a cook keep up when it gets busy.
9. Walk me through how you set up your station before a Friday dinner service.
- Why ask it
- Mise en place is half the job. Strong cooks set up to par and think about volume.
- A strong answer
- “I check the reservations and par sheet first so I know how much to set up. I fill my sauce bottles, portion proteins, cut garnish, and stock the lowboy in the order I use things. I put backup of my fastest movers in the walk-in, set out clean towels and a sanitizer bucket, and check my thermometer before the first ticket.”
- Red flag
- Says they set up as tickets come in.
- Follow-up
- What do you do if your prep is not done when service starts?
10. If I gave you a knife and an onion, show me or tell me how you would dice it.
- Why ask it
- A quick practical. It shows grip, safety and whether they know a basic cut. In person, have them do it.
- A strong answer
- “I cut off the top, leave the root on, and halve it through the root. I peel it, make flat cuts toward the root, then cut across. I keep my fingertips tucked in a claw and let the knife do the work. The root holds it together so the dice comes out even.”
- Red flag
- Holds the knife unsafely, or cannot describe any method.
- Follow-up
- How do you keep your knife sharp?
11. Halfway through service you run out of a prepped item, like sliced onions for burgers. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Running out mid-service happens. You want someone who sees it coming and tells the team.
- A strong answer
- “I would say it out loud to the chef or the prep cook right away, like "Low on onions, need a ninth pan." If nobody is free, I would slice a quick batch during a gap. Next time I would set my par higher for a night like that.”
- Red flag
- Keeps quiet and leaves the onions off the burgers.
- Follow-up
- How do you know when it is time to call for more?
12. Which station are you strongest on, and which one would you want to learn next?
- Why ask it
- Shows honest self-knowledge and helps you place them. Overclaiming every station is a warning.
- A strong answer
- “I am strongest on grill. I can hold temps on steaks and burgers and keep 15 tickets going. I have done some sauté but I am slower at pan sauces, and I would like to get faster on that station.”
- Red flag
- Says they are great at every station with no specifics.
- Follow-up
- What would help you learn sauté here?
Teamwork on the line
A kitchen is a team in a small, hot space. Clear calls, taking direction and helping the next station keep service moving.
13. The chef tells you loudly, in the middle of service, that a steak you sent was overcooked. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Kitchens are tense. You want a cook who takes it, fixes it and talks later if needed.
- A strong answer
- “I say "Heard, chef," and refire it right away. I do not argue during service. After the rush, if I think it was not my mistake, I would ask the chef calmly so I can learn what went wrong.”
- Red flag
- Argues back during service or walks off the line.
- Follow-up
- Tell me about a time you got harsh feedback at work.
14. Your station is caught up, but the sauté cook next to you is going down. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Strong cooks help without being asked and without taking over.
- A strong answer
- “I would ask "What do you need?" and take what they give me, like plating, dropping pasta or pulling sauces. I would keep an eye on my own rail so I do not fall behind. If the chef wants me to do something else, I do that.”
- Red flag
- "It is not my station."
- Follow-up
- What do you do if someone keeps needing help every night?
15. Why do you want to cook in this kitchen?
- Why ask it
- A clear reason, like the menu, the chef or the hours, predicts who stays past the first busy month.
- A strong answer
- “I ate here and liked that everything is made from scratch, even the sauces. I have worked fry and grill at a chain, and I want to learn real technique on sauté. The schedule also works since I can do every weekend.”
- Red flag
- Nothing about this kitchen, or only "more money".
- Follow-up
- Where do you want to be as a cook in two years?
How a Goodfit AI interview asks these
Goodfit can ask these questions for you. It calls each applicant or sends a browser link, asks follow-up questions, and scores each skill out of 10 with the line the score came from. Here is a short scripted example for this role.
Scripted example · Line Cook · phone interview
Goodfit AI interviewerOne table orders a ribeye medium-well, a salmon and a chicken pasta. The steak takes 14 minutes, the pasta 8 and the salmon 6. How do you time them?
DevinSteak goes on first. Around six minutes in, I drop the pasta, then the salmon two minutes later. The steak rests while the fish finishes.
Goodfit AI interviewerWhat if expo calls to rush that table halfway through?
DevinI tell expo the real time. I cannot rush a medium-well steak, but I can have the pasta and salmon ready the second it comes off.
DDevin
Line Cook · AI phone interview, 8:02
7.5 /10
- Ticket timing8/10
“The steak rests while the fish finishes.”
- Food safety and temps9/10
“Chicken is 165, ground beef 155, and whole cuts and fish are 145.”
- Teamwork on the line7/10
“I tell expo the real time.”
- Station and knife skills6/10
“I set up as much as I can before the first tickets.”
Line Cook interview scorecard
Score each skill from 1 to 5 right after the interview, before you talk to anyone else about the candidate. A 2 or a 4 means the answer sat between the two descriptions next to it.
| Skill | 1: weak | 3: fine | 5: strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket timing | Cooks tickets one at a time in the order they print. | Knows to start long cooks first but loses track past four or five tickets. | Reads the rail as a whole, fires by cook time, calls out times to expo, and keeps up with ten tickets or more. |
| Food safety and temps | Does not know safe cooking or holding temperatures, or judges doneness by eye for poultry. | Knows the main temperatures but not cooling rules or storage order. | Knows cook, holding and cooling temperatures, uses a probe thermometer, and follows storage order and allergy steps without being told. |
| Station and knife skills | Sets up as they go and has no idea what par means. | Sets up a station from a list but runs out of items mid-service. | Builds a station to par based on covers, cuts evenly and safely, and restocks before running out. |
| Teamwork on the line | Does not call back, argues with the chef or ignores a struggling station. | Calls back and follows direction, but stays in their own lane even when the line is falling apart. | Calls back every order, takes criticism mid-service without arguing, and jumps on the next station when theirs is under control. |
10-minute line cook phone screen script
| Minutes | Step | What to say or do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | Open the call | "Thanks for applying for the line cook job. This call is about ten minutes. I will check your schedule and certifications, ask a few kitchen questions, and then set up a stage if it fits." |
| 1 to 3 | Run the knockouts | Ask about nights and weekends, the food handler card and the heat and lifting question. If a station uses a slicer, check age. |
| 3 to 5 | Ask about their kitchens | "Which stations have you worked, how many covers on a busy night, and what kind of food?" Write it down for the stage. |
| 5 to 8 | Ask three interview questions | Use the cooking temperatures, the three-plate timing and the chef who yells. Each one has a clear right answer you can hear by phone. |
| 8 to 9 | Share the job details | Pay, the stations you are hiring for, shift times, staff meals and whether the kitchen gets a share of tips. |
| 9 to 10 | Book the stage | "Any questions for me? Can you come in Thursday at 3 for a two-hour paid stage on the line? Bring non-slip shoes and your knives if you have them." |
A two-hour stage on the line
Have the candidate work a slow prep window and the start of service next to your cook on that station. Ask them to dice an onion, portion a protein and set up a section of the station to your par sheet. Pay them for the time, since wage laws generally treat real kitchen work as paid work.
During service, watch three things: do they call back every order, do they probe meat and wipe their board, and do they keep their station clean as tickets build. Ask your lead cook for a one-line verdict before the candidate leaves.
Questions not to ask in a line cook interview
These questions can break federal or state law, and none of them tell you whether someone can do the job. Rules change by state and city, so check yours before you write an interview guide.
| Do not ask | Why | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| Have you ever been convicted of a crime? (on the application form) | Many states and cities have fair chance or ban-the-box laws that move criminal history questions until after a conditional offer. Kitchens hire many people with records, and blanket bans can also break EEOC guidance. | Say a background check may be part of the process, and run it when your state allows, using an FCRA-compliant provider with written consent. |
| Have you ever been to rehab or had a drinking problem? | Past addiction treatment is covered by the ADA, so this is a medical question you cannot ask before an offer. You can ask about current illegal drug use. | We have a no alcohol or drugs on shift policy. Can you follow that? |
| How many sick days did you take at your last job? | The EEOC treats questions about illness or sick days as disability-related, which are banned before an offer. Questions about attendance in general are fine. | How many shifts did you miss at your last job, and why? |
| This line is rough. Are you sure a woman can handle it? | Questions or comments based on sex break Title VII, and they are easy to prove when someone else hears them. | Tell me about the busiest service you have worked and how you kept up. |
Line Cook pay and jobs in the US
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median pay (May 2025) | $37,390 a year, about $17.98 an hour |
| People in this job (2025) | 1,417,500 |
| Openings each year (2025 to 2035) | 218,600 |
| Usual education to start | No formal educational credential |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, table 1.2 and the Occupational Outlook Handbook, read October 16, 2026. BLS counts line cooks with all restaurant cooks. Most openings come from people leaving the job, not new jobs, which is why hiring for it never stops.
Tips if you are interviewing for a line cook job
- Know the safe cooking and holding temperatures cold: 165°F for poultry, 155°F for ground meat, 145°F for whole cuts and fish, hot holding at 135°F, cold holding at 41°F.
- Bring non-slip shoes, a clean apron and your knife roll if you have one. Many kitchens hire after a short stage, not after a sit-down interview.
- Be specific about your past kitchens: the station, covers on a busy night and the type of food. Chefs trust numbers.
- If you have no line experience, talk about prep, dish or fast food work, and say you want to learn the station. Chefs trust honest answers more than big claims.
- During a stage, call back every order with "Heard" and keep your board clean. Chefs watch those habits more than speed.
Frequently asked questions
What skills do you need to be a line cook?
Good timing on multiple tickets, basic knife skills, knowledge of food safety temperatures, a well-set station and clear communication on the line. Being able to take direction from the chef during a rush matters as much as cooking skill.
What are the most common line cook interview questions?
Expect questions about which stations you have worked, how many covers you handled, safe cooking temperatures, what you do in the weeds and how you set up your station. Many kitchens follow the interview with a stage, where you cook on the line for an hour or two.
Do line cooks need ServSafe?
Most line cooks need a food handler card in states and counties that require one, and ServSafe offers one of several accepted courses. The ServSafe Manager certificate is usually needed only by the person in charge of a shift, but it helps if you want to move up to lead cook or sous chef.
What is a stage in a line cook interview?
A stage (said "stahj") is a short working tryout in the kitchen, usually one to four hours. You prep, set up and cook next to the team while the chef watches. Bring non-slip shoes, follow directions and ask questions when unsure.
How do I get a line cook job with no experience?
Start as a prep cook, dishwasher or fast food cook, and say in your interview that you want to move to the line. Learn the basic temperatures and knife cuts, and be honest about what you can and cannot do yet.