GES Promotion Interview Questions & Answers ( Kitchen Staff / Catering)

QUESTION 1.

NAME THE GRADES WHICH FALL UNDER THE CATERING CLASS FROM THE GRADE OF MATRON TO THE TOPMOST.

The grades under the catering class are:

1. Matron
2. Senior Matron
3. Assistant Domestic Bursar
4. Domestic Bursar
5. Senior Domestic Bursar
6. Principal Domestic Bursar
7. Depty Chief Domestic Bursar
8. Chief Domestic Bursar

 

QUESTION 2

WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A DOMESTIC BURSAR IN CHARGE OF A BOARDING INSTITUTION?

The Domestic Bursar of a boarding institution shall generally be in charge of the day to day running of the kitchen. In so doing she will:

1. Ensure the preparation and serving of quality meals that will promote the healthy growth of students taking into account cost, nutritional value, age group of students and availability of food items.

2. Ensure that she has adequate stock of inputs to run her kitchen by making weekly requisition for vetting by the Accountant and subsequent approval by the Head of the institution.

3. Supervise the kitchen staff under her and provide them with in – service training.

4. See to the welfare of the kitchen staff.

5. Keep necessary records at her office including inventory, tally cards, stock ledger, daily costing sheet, menu, requisition book and a file for stores issued vouchers (SIV).

6. Prepare a menu in consultation with the food committee members and review it from time to time as necessary.

7. Ensure general cleanliness in and around the kitchen and dining hall.

8. Take stock of all equipment in her custody at the end of every term and make request for replacements.

9. Provide management with a termly operational report including problems that confronted her in the performance of her duties and recommendations for improvement.

10. Cater for other official needs.

 

 

QUESTION 3

WHAT ARE THE RECORDS THAT NEED TO BE KEPT BY THE DOMESTIC BURSAR?

The records that need to be kept by the Domestic Bursar include the following

1. Inventory of equipment,

2. Tally cards / stock ledger

3. Daily costing sheets,

4. Menu,

5. Requisition book,

6. File for copies of stores issued voucher (SIV),

7. Attendance Book and

8. Duty Roster.

 

QUESTION 4

IN PERFORMING YOUR DUTIES AS A DOMESTIC BURSAR WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU WOULD FACE?

The problems to be faced will include the following:

1. Lack of appropriate equipment and storage facilities,

2. Late supply / delivery of food items,

3. Shortage of gas, water, firewood, etc.,

4. Non – involvement of the Domestic Bursar in purchases,

5. Inadequate imprest to meet petty purchases,

6. Transportation problem,

7. Pilfering among the staff,

8. Understaffing,

9. Food getting rotten, e.g. yam, groundnuts, etc.,

10. Supply of expired food items,

11. Lateness to work by staff and

12. Overcrowded dining hall.

 

QUESTION 5

HOW CAN YOU REDUCE PILFERING AMONG YOUR KITCHEN STAFF?

1. The staff will have to be made aware of the risk of dismissal when caught stealing and the associated disgrace.

2. With the permission of the Head of institution they can be given some of the left-overs and once they are assured of this ‘bonus’ they will not try on their own to get them.

3. There should be close supervision of the staff especially when it comes to the time of using items like rice, sugar, milk and canned fish.

4. Once a while there could be random searching of their room if there is such a facility.

 

QUESTION 6

HOW WILL YOU MOTIVATE YOUR KITCHEN STAFF TO INCREASE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY OR SUPPORT?

1. The staff can be motivated by making them benefit from left – overs with the approval of the head.

2. They have to be given in – service training so as to make them skilful.

3. They have to be taught to do some income yielding jobs like bread baking, pastry making, etc. so that they can make use of the vacation periods.

4. They have to be encouraged to build a welfare fund which, with the permission of the head, proceeds from say sale of empty containers, sacks and palm kernnel could be lodged into in addition to their own contributions.

5. The Domestic Bursar would have to involve herself in the activities of the staff and try to be friendly with them.

6. The duty roster should make room for a day off every week for each staff so that they can have some rest.

7. They should be encouraged to do further studies relating to their area of work.

 

 

QUESTION 7

HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE THE STAFF WORKING UNDER YOU TO ENSURE FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF WORK AND INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY?

To ensure fair distribution of work and increased productivity the Domestic Bursar should undertake the following:

1. Preparation of a duty roster taking into account age of the personnel, proximity to the school, and health status,

2. Rotation of work schedules to ensure exposure to most aspects of the kitchen work,

3. In – service training to build the capacity of staff,

4. Planned meetings to share ideas and

5. Institution of an internal welfare package for them.

 

 

QUESTION 8

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO BREAK IN THE SUPPLY OF FOOD ITEMS TO THE KITCHEN?

1. To avoid shortage of food items to the kitchen the Domestic Bursar should keep tally cards in respect of her stock and regularly compare the physical stock with her tally card balances.

2. She should laise with the Storekeeper so that she could have idea about the bulk stock of food items. With the above measures she would be in the position to inform management to replenish depleted stock of food items.

3. The Domestic Bursar should alert management in good time so that management could arrange for the supply of items in shortage. She should not wait till everything is finished.

4. The Domestic Bursar should be able to estimate the quantity of the non-perishable items which she would need for a term so that bulk purchases could be done during times of low prices.

 

 

QUESTION 9

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF STORAGE SYSTEM THAT CAN BE ADOPTED TO ENSURE SAFETY AND GOOD QUALITY OF FOOD ITEMS AT THE KITCHEN?

The following storage systems are available for adoption by the Domestic Bursar:

1. Storage in deep freezer for perishable items like fish, meat and tomatoes.

2. Smoking – fish and meat.

3. Frying – fish.

4. Cooking and drying – palm fruits.

5. Storage on pallets so as to detect spoilage and leakage – yam, items in sack, oil

Despite the available options of storage it is necessary to maintain a manageable stock level depending upon the consumption pattern.

 

QUESTION 10

WHAT AREAS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE TRAINING OF YOUR STAFF?

The areas which need to be included in a training programme for the kitchen staff are:

1. Conservation of nutrient,

2. Use of new tools
3. Personal hygiene
4. Income yielding ventures
5. Human relations

 

 

QUESTION 11

WHAT AREAS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE TRAINING OF YOUR STAFF?

The areas which need to be included in a training programme for the kitchen staff are:

1. Lateness to work
2. Pilfering
3. Absenteesim
4. Bad attitude to work
5. Refusal to take instructions
6. Quarrelsome attitude

To bring these problems to the minimum there should be periodic meetings with the staff at which they could be advised and also their views listened to. Once a while the Head or the Accountant could be asked to come and meet the staff to advise them.

 

QUESTION 12

HOW DO STAKEHOLDERS HELP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECOND CYCLE INSTITUTIONS?

The various stakeholders which help in the development of second cycle institutions and their roles are:

1. Board of Governors which meets to plan and advise on the development of the school.

2. Parent Teacher Association which helps with the provision of infrastructure, purchase of vehicle and equipment and provision of welfare services to the staff.

3. Old Students Association which also contributes to infrastructural development and provision of some teaching and learning materials.

4. NGOs which help to drill bore holes, donate food items, etc.

 

QUESTION 12

The various stakeholders which help in the development of second cycle institutions and their roles are:

1. Board of Governors which meets to plan and advise on the development of the school.

2. Parent Teacher Association which helps with the provision of infrastructure, purchase of vehicle and equipment and provision of welfare services to the staff.

3. Old Students Association which also contributes to infrastructural development and provision of some teaching and learning materials.

4. NGOs which help to drill bore holes, donate food items, etc.

 

QUESTION 13

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SAFETY MEASURES WHICH CAN BE ADOPTED AT THE KITCHEN?

Some of the safety measures which can be adopted at the kitchen are:

1. Keeping the stores and pantries securely locked,

2. Storing foodstuffs on pallets to prevent them from getting rotten,

3. Advising staff to use appropriate clothing like cotton cloth instead of nylon,

4. Advising staff not to spill liquid (water and oil) on the floor,

5. Advising staff not to spill liquid (water and oil) on the floor,

6. Use of cold room or freezer to store perishable food items,

7. Recommending rough plastering of the kitchen floor,

8. Provision of fire extinguishers at the kitchen,

9. Keeping gas storage facilities some distance away from the kitchen and

10. Keeping the kitchen and its environment clean.

 

QUESTION 14

IN BUDGETING AND COSTING AT THE KITCHEN WHAT FACTORS DO YOU CONSIDER?

The factors to be considered when budgeting or costing at the kitchen are:

1. The number of students or people to be served,

2. The menu based on available staple food items and cost,

3. Ingredients – quantity needed and nutritional values,

4. Transportation,

5. Loading and off’- loading charges,

6. Grinding cost and

7. The officially approved fee for feeding a student per day.

 

 

QUESTION 15

WHAT DO YOU PUT INTO CONSIDERATION IN PREPARING THE MENU OF YOUR SCHOOL?

In preparing the menu for a school the following should be considered:

1. The age group of the students,

2. The nutrient value of the meals to be prepared,

3. Availability of food items within a particular period / term,

4. Cost of the food items,

5. Resources available – approved boarding fee per student per day and

6. Other cost components like fuel / gas, transportation, grinding, etc.

 

QUESTION 16

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PREPARATION OF THE DAILY COST SHEET? WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU REQUIRE TO PREPARE THE DAILY COST SHEET?

1. The preparation of the daily cost sheet serves as a guide to the Domestic Bursar and management making it possible to know whether students are being overfed or underfed in relation to the approved boarding fee.

2. It helps to adjust the menu in relation to the approved boarding fee.

3. The daily cost sheet also supports the bargaining for increase in boarding fees.

4. Generally it helps to distribute the boarding income to cover other costs like purchase of equipment.

The information required for the preparation of the daily cost sheet are the menu and items used for the preparation of the daily meals – food items issued from the stores, petty purchases by the Domestic Bursar, grinding costs, fuel / gas and conveyance charges.

 

QUESTION 17

DOES THE DOMESTIC BURSAR HAVE TO USE THE SAME MENU FOR A WHOLE YEAR?

In view of changing prices and seasonal unavailability of some food items it is necessary to adjust the menu to suit occasions.

 

QUESTIN 18

WHAT WILL BE THE EFFECTS OF INCREASE IN THE BOARDING ENROLMENT OF YOUR SCHOOL ON YOUR OPERATIONS?

The increase in the boarding enrolment will bring about:

1. Increase in the total cost of feeding,

2. Pressure on the kitchen staff that will require recruitment of additional staff,

3. Overcrowding at the dining hall which may require expansion of the facility or rotation of services and

4. Need for additional equipment – dining hall tables, cooking pots, etc.

Where the problem of additional staff is not considered it can lead to late serving of meals which can also affect the teaching and learning process and even provide avenue for student disturbances.

 

QUESTION 19

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO INCLUDE IN YOUR REPORT TO MANAGEMENT CONCERNING YOUR OPERATIONS OVER A SCHOOL TERM OR AN ACADEMIC YEAR?

A report to school management on the operations at the kitchen would include the following:

1. Adequacy of funds released for operations,

2. Problems concerning service delivery at the kitchen – lack of equipment, increased boarding population as against existing facilities, staffing situation, need for gas in lieu of firewood, frequent shortage of water, inadequate storage facilities and comfort of the Domestic Bursar – provision of a standard office and

3. Recommendations – suggestions for improvement.