# What can i expect from a cooking test and knife test?



## celbrise (May 13, 2017)

I have 2 interviews this week. one has just a knife test the other has both a knife and cooking test.

never really worked for any companies that did a knife/cooking test before and im not sure what to expect. i am guessing the knife tests are basically just simple cuts such as dicing a onion, maybe slicing other things, etc.. 

as far as a cooking test goes never heard of someone doing that. i've done stages before which is basically working an entire shift to see what it is like and if i would like the position but never a cooking test. 

one last thing. will a skills test ever make or break a job offer? i've listed on my resume the duties and establishments i've worked at and they can see it's nothing fancy. im just really nervous and especially hard on myself so i want to do good.


----------



## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

I've never had to do a knife test, I would think that during the various tasks the chef/sous chefs would set up for you to do throughout the day would include knifework, so I don't really see the need for a separate test. 

Most cooking tests, in my experience, are more for sous chef or head chef position. I never had to do a cook test for a job, though I guess I did have to make staff meal at a couple, so there is that. 

Most likely they will want you to go forage in the walk in and dry storage and come up with a dish to cook for them to show what you got. One strategy there is to look at their current menu to get somewhat of an idea of what types of ingredients they have in house and come up with a few ideas that you can work with on the spot. Don't repeat dishes on their menu but it will give you an idea of what they have in the fridge and dry storage.


----------



## celbrise (May 13, 2017)

someday said:


> I've never had to do a knife test, I would think that during the various tasks the chef/sous chefs would set up for you to do throughout the day would include knifework, so I don't really see the need for a separate test.
> 
> Most cooking tests, in my experience, are more for sous chef or head chef position. I never had to do a cook test for a job, though I guess I did have to make staff meal at a couple, so there is that.
> 
> Most likely they will want you to go forage in the walk in and dry storage and come up with a dish to cook for them to show what you got. One strategy there is to look at their current menu to get somewhat of an idea of what types of ingredients they have in house and come up with a few ideas that you can work with on the spot. Don't repeat dishes on their menu but it will give you an idea of what they have in the fridge and dry storage.


yea i have never had to do a cooking test and this is a line cook position only so it makes no sense. im even more worried now that i might have to cook family meal lol. i think it will be a stage but not a full stage maybe like an hour or 2 but they just call it a cooking test. they serve fresh seafood so more then likely they don't want me to waste their products. that is just my guess though


----------



## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

Is it possible they said "cooking test" and all they meant was "come cook with us for a little while"?

Or are you sure that you are going to be asked to cook them something?


----------



## celbrise (May 13, 2017)

someday said:


> Is it possible they said "cooking test" and all they meant was "come cook with us for a little while"?
> 
> Or are you sure that you are going to be asked to cook them something?


that is what she told me "cooking test" but when i do think about it then yea it makes no sense to have an actually cooking test for this position as i am not applying for a sous chef or head chef position. it probably is just like a stage basically.


----------



## whitepnoi (Mar 3, 2017)

I had a knife skills test at a Hotel and they asked me to do 1/2" cut, 1/4" cut, julienne, chiffonade, slice etc... I also had a knife skills test for a college campus cafeteria along the same lines. I guess they want to see your skills... It helped me learn from where I fell short and eventually I read a few books to learn my terminology and various cuts!


----------



## celbrise (May 13, 2017)

whitepnoi said:


> I had a knife skills test at a Hotel and they asked me to do 1/2" cut, 1/4" cut, julienne, chiffonade, slice etc... I also had a knife skills test for a college campus cafeteria along the same lines. I guess they want to see your skills... It helped me learn from where I fell short and eventually I read a few books to learn my terminology and various cuts!


just had my knife test today. it was pretty basic though. all they had me do was slice some onions sadly it wasn't perfect think the knife they gave me wasn't sharp so when i got towards the end it kind of just slid off. so the tops were thin but the bottoms were thick. knife seemed to struggle slicing it as well it wasn't like smooth strokes you would feel with a sharp knife. she said it was good though.

had a cooking test kind of like a stage i did pretty good for someone not knowing wth im doing. made a few orders i messed up 1 by over cooking it so when i sliced the seared ahi it basically just didn't cut good. other then that she did offer me the job. everything seemed pretty basic and fast


----------



## bier chef (Sep 21, 2018)

One of the things I do in my kitchen with new cooks to test their knife skills and time management is to make a batch of salsa. There are lots of ingredients on the menu that can be cross utilized into making a decent on the fly salsa if you have some scratch cooking experience and if you screw it up chances are I can fix it and make it work lol.


----------

