service hospitalityaffinagecheese countercheesemongerhaccp
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Craft of the service
35% weight
Test hands-on counter skills: cutting wheels to weight with wire and harp, wrapping in two-ply cheese paper, naming rind types, and describing affinage or cave rotation duties.
Evidence to listen for
Command of the treatments, techniques, or service standards the role requires
Holds current qualifications where regulated
Can explain contraindications, limits, or when to decline
Keeps skills current rather than coasting on training
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unsafe or unqualified; cannot explain their own technique.
2
Needs Improvement
Basic competence; gaps in contraindications or standards.
3
Satisfactory
Competent across the standard menu; less confident beyond it.
4
Very Good
Skilled and current; clear on limits and when to decline.
5
Excellent
Cuts accurately to weight with minimal waste, wraps by rind type, and talks fluently about washed rinds, blues and bloomy paste.
02
Evaluation factor
Client care
30% weight
Probe how they guide an undecided customer: sampling technique, questions about pairings or occasion, handling requests for a cheese the counter does not stock.
Evidence to listen for
Reads what a client actually wants versus what they asked for
Handles a complaint without defensiveness or capitulation
Maintains discretion and appropriate boundaries
Clients ask for them by name
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Dismissive of clients; boundaries or discretion are a concern.
2
Needs Improvement
Task-focused; complaints escalate rather than resolve.
3
Satisfactory
Good with straightforward clients; less sure with difficult ones.
4
Very Good
Strong client rapport with repeat requests and calm complaint handling.
5
Excellent
Leads with tasting samples and questions about the meal or budget, then suggests a close substitute and explains why it works.
03
Evaluation factor
Standards and hygiene
20% weight
Assess food safety literacy: HACCP records, fridge and cave temperature logs, raw milk and listeria risk, allergen labelling, FIFO rotation, board and wire sanitising between cuts.
Evidence to listen for
Treats sanitation, preparation, and turnaround as non-negotiable
Keeps the space to standard when nobody is checking
Knows the regulations that apply and follows them
Reports a problem rather than working around it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Casual about hygiene or preparation standards.
2
Needs Improvement
Meets standards when supervised only.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable standards; occasional lapses under time pressure.
4
Very Good
Standards hold under pressure and without supervision.
5
Excellent
Names temperature ranges, describes daily log and cleaning routines, and flags cross-contamination risks between raw milk and pasteurised stock.
04
Evaluation factor
Commercial awareness
15% weight
Look for awareness of shrink and margin: how they cut down aging wheels, use offcuts or trimmings, track slow movers, and build a counter display that sells.
Evidence to listen for
Understands how the business makes money from their time
Recommends and rebooks without pressuring
Manages a schedule and turnaround to keep utilisation up
Handles retail or upsell honestly
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No commercial awareness, or pushes sales at the client's expense.
2
Needs Improvement
Passive on rebooking and recommendations.
3
Satisfactory
Reasonable rebooking; scheduling sometimes loose.
4
Very Good
Strong rebooking and utilisation without pressuring clients.
5
Excellent
Quantifies waste reduction or basket uplift, repurposes offcuts into mixes, and adjusts display and pricing around ripeness windows.
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