interviewing for a sous chef position?

Question

i've worked in the food industry for about 8 year. from supermarkets to bakeries to upscale casual dining. my training is in baking and pastry, but i'm a wiz on every station on the line, and i'm great with banquet prep. i'm also pretty good at soups and sauces.

my problem is i want to move to the next level and become a sous chef, but i have no formal training with ordering, food cost, scheduling, and overseeing a kitchen. i have the upmost confidense that i could learn to do these things in a short period of time.

how do i explain my lack of experience in these areas, and get hired for the postion.

Answer 1

I recommend you take a quick course on Restaurant management from a learning annex or on-line then you have a precedence and the restaurant you apply for will see that you are motivated and management material. Nothing speaks louder than formal training. Good Luck!

Answer 2

I say honesty because people appreciate that and it sounds like you have the confidence to sell yourself. Also, interviewing is an experience in itself so learn from each time. If you get turned down make SURE you contact them and ask why. If it turns out you need to adjust a little for what you are presenting yourself as, then do so. Again, I think you sound confident enough to sell yourself. Hang in there and good luck! oh - and also, is there some self learning books that can be bought or things to look at on-line? That would really be a plus!

Answer 3

be open and honest about your motivation and your experience.
When i hired the guy who later became my sous, he had no formal training, but he was a workhorse and a quick learner. Now he writes about 1/3 of my specials.
The best way to build your resume as a sous chef is to apply for the job in a smaller, maybe independant rest. It sounds like you might be working in a hotlel type setting now?
Most chefs don't start their sous straight into ordering and scheduling, but rather rely on them to ensure that the line runs smoothly through service, freeing them up to do other things. I still run the line two days a week, but my sous does it the other days so i can work on upcoming specials, have some office time, etc.
As for a way to start getting more managment type experience in the here and now, offer to help your chef with end-of-month inventory. All chefs have to do it to calculate monthly food cost, and it's a pain in the butt. It will get your foot in the door, and its a good way to start learning about ordering and food cost.

As for classes, i tend to think they are overrated, but they do look good on paper.

Best of luck continuing on your career!

by the way, i was a line dog for about 7 years before i moved up the ladder. The most important thing is to be a hard worker, cultivate good relationships with your coworkers (waitstaff included,) and let your passion for food shine through

Answer 4

Tell them you want to be their understudy , this way you can get the experience you need.