Can you describe your experience with cheese and dairy products?
Just like a sommelier's relationship with wine, a cheesemonger needs to have an intimate knowledge and love for cheese. Candidates should be able to recount a history of personal and professional interactions with a wide range of cheeses and dairy products.
Have you ever worked in a food service or retail environment before?
Whilst not solely about cheese, understanding how a candidate maneuvers within a food service or retail setting will provide a glimpse into their work ethics, customer service skills and overall fit within your business.
Why are you interested in becoming a Cheesemonger Apprentice?
Is their interest based on a deep-rooted passion for cheese or is it a passing fancy? This question will help you determine the motivation and feasibility of the candidate's long-term commitment to the role.
How familiar are you with various cheese types and their characteristics?
A candidate's knowledge of diverse cheese types, their textures, flavors, histories, and regions of origin will be key to educating customers and making apt recommendations. An inability to tell a Camembert from a Brie might be a red flag.
Could you explain how to cut and package cheese for a customer?
Ensuring that your candidate knows the ropes of cheese handling is crucial to the experience your customers will have. If you ever saw someone cut a Vacherin Mont d'Or with a cheese wire, you'd know what I'm talking about.
Have you ever been responsible for maintaining inventory in a previous role?
Proper inventory management and hygiene practices are vital in a cheese shop. Can the candidate handle this cheesy responsibility?
What is your experience with customer service and how would you handle an irate customer?
Customer service skills are a non-negotiable part of the job. This question will demonstrate a candidate's ability to maintain a composed and friendly demeanor under grating circumstances.
Do you have any Food Safety certification?
A reassuring factor, though not necessarily a deal-breaker if the candidate is otherwise impressively suited to the role. This could be something you plan to offer along the way as part of training.
Can you explain the process of ageing cheese?
The understanding of how cheese comes to life and evolves with age is an aspect an aspiring cheesemonger should have a handle on. This question will test candidate's comprehension of the maturation process.
Can you name some cheeses that are popular and why they are so?
Knowing what's popular can be a tell-tale sign of a candidate's on-the-ground awareness of what's currently driving customers into stores.