CareerWhat the job really is
A head chef directs an entire kitchen operation. You set the standards, decide the menu, control the money, and you are answerable for everything that leaves the pass. The cooking is the visible 20%. The other 80% is people, process and cost.
What you actually do all day
- Run the line, not just work it — supervise and coordinate cooks and prep staff.
- Be the quality gate — check raw and finished food against the standard before it ships.
- Own the supply chain — order, receive and verify stock; spot waste before it costs money.
- Stay inspection-ready, always — not just on audit day.
The skill nobody lists on the job ad
Cost control. The line between a good cook and a head chef is arithmetic: pricing menu items from recipe cost, labour and overhead, then defending that margin every single service. Chefs who can do this get promoted faster than chefs who can only cook.
Where the job leads
Getting in
This is a hands-on trade (O*NET job zone 3). Most people work up through a kitchen rather than study into one — apprenticeship and experience matter more than a classroom credential.
Interview questions you'll actually get asked
“How do you keep every cook following sanitation rules?” They're testing your systems — describe a routine, not your knowledge.
Question themes sourced from the occupation's interview corpus; framing and guidance are our analysis.
Where chefs actually look for work
Not all in one place — these are the boards that carry real chef and kitchen roles: