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Chef reference check template

A reference check form for chefs, cooks and sous chefs. It adds eight questions on cooking standard, running a section, food safety, waste and costs, and how they lead a kitchen team.

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  • Free, no sign-up
  • Editable Word file
  • 8 chef questions

What to focus on in a chef reference check

Ask the owner or head chef about consistency under pressure, food safety and how the candidate treats junior staff. For senior chefs, ask about menu costing and stock control.

8 reference check questions to ask about a chef

Ask these after the standard verification and performance questions. They are already in the Word and PDF template.

  1. 1.What was the candidate's role and section, and what style of food did they cook?
  2. 2.How consistent was their food on a full service compared with a quiet night?
  3. 3.How did they manage food safety, temperature logs and allergens?
  4. 4.How did they handle ordering, stock rotation and waste?
  5. 5.Were they involved in menu development or costing? How did that go?
  6. 6.How did the candidate treat junior cooks and kitchen hands?
  7. 7.How did they handle a service that went wrong?
  8. 8.Would you hire them to run your kitchen again?

What a strong reference sounds like

  • Consistent plates on the busiest night
  • Strict on allergens and food safety
  • Keeps waste and stock under control
  • Juniors learn from them and stay

Red flags to follow up

  • Food safety shortcuts
  • High turnover of the staff they managed
  • Temper the referee describes as a problem
  • Gaps the referee will not explain

Download the chef reference check template

Free, no sign-up. The Word version is editable; the PDF is ready to print.

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Want more questions? See 35 reference check questions to ask references. Prefer referees to answer online? HiveRef sends the form, chases replies and builds the report. Start with 4 free checks.

Chef Reference Check Template

For phone or written reference checks. Use the same questions for every referee so answers are comparable.

1. Candidate and referee details

  • Candidate name
  • Role applied for
  • Referee name
  • Referee job title and organisation
  • Referee email and phone
  • Relationship to the candidate (for example, direct manager)
  • Date of reference check
  • Checked by

2. Consent

Confirm the candidate agreed to you contacting this referee. Tell the referee their answers are used only for this hiring decision.

  • Candidate consent confirmed (yes / no)
  • Date consent was given

3. Verification questions

  1. 1.How do you know the candidate, and what was your working relationship?
  2. 2.What were the candidate's start and end dates, as far as you remember them?
  3. 3.What was their job title, and did it change while you worked together?
  4. 4.Did the candidate report to you directly? If not, how often did you see their work?
  5. 5.What were the main reasons the candidate left, as far as you know?

4. Performance questions

  1. 6.Which parts of the role did the candidate own day to day?
  2. 7.Tell me about a deadline the candidate missed or nearly missed. What happened next?
  3. 8.Give an example of the candidate producing good work with incomplete information.
  4. 9.What result improved while they were in the role, and what was their contribution?
  5. 10.When results were below expectations, how did they respond to feedback?
  6. 11.What skill did the candidate develop most while you worked together?

5. Chef questions

  1. 12.What was the candidate's role and section, and what style of food did they cook?
  2. 13.How consistent was their food on a full service compared with a quiet night?
  3. 14.How did they manage food safety, temperature logs and allergens?
  4. 15.How did they handle ordering, stock rotation and waste?
  5. 16.Were they involved in menu development or costing? How did that go?
  6. 17.How did the candidate treat junior cooks and kitchen hands?
  7. 18.How did they handle a service that went wrong?
  8. 19.Would you hire them to run your kitchen again?

6. Working style and integrity

  1. 20.Describe a disagreement the candidate had with a colleague. How did they move the work forward?
  2. 21.How did the candidate ask for help when they needed it?
  3. 22.When the candidate made a mistake that affected others, what did they do?
  4. 23.What would you tell a new manager about working with this person?

7. Closing questions

  1. 24.Is there anything we have not asked that you think we should know?
  2. 25.What kind of manager or team would get the best out of this person?
  3. 26.Would you hire or work with this person again? Why or why not?

8. Recommendation

  • Overall: recommend / recommend with reservations / do not recommend
  • Strengths confirmed
  • Concerns or follow-ups
  • Signed and dated

Do not ask about health, family, age, religion or other protected personal information, and check the law where you hire.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the best referee for a chef?

The owner, executive chef or head chef they reported to. For head chef roles, add a referee from front of house.

Should I do a trial shift as well?

A paid trial shows cooking skill. References show reliability, attitude and food safety habits over months. Use both.

How do I check a chef's references quickly?

Send the questions as a short online form. Chefs rarely answer phone calls during service but will complete a form between services.

Send these chef questions online instead.

HiveRef emails the referees, chases them for you and puts every answer into one report. First 4 checks free, no card needed.

Start freeSee a sample report