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The MCFE exam has 150 questions and runs 3 hours.
These 10 free MCFE questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Master Certified Food Executive blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
A newly hired cook passes the written orientation assessment but produces inconsistent portions during a supervised production run. An experienced trainer is available before the next shift. What evidence should determine when the cook may work that station independently?
Correct answer: D - Consistent portions in an observed work sample using the station's actual recipe and equipment.
A server tells the expediter, 'Table 18, seat 2 has a sesame allergy.' The expediter replies, 'Understood.' Before the order proceeds, which exchange would verify that this specific message was received accurately?
Correct answer: C - The expediter repeats the table, seat, and allergen; the server confirms that the read-back is correct.
Two approved suppliers quote beef for the same standardized recipe. Supplier A charges $4.80 per delivered pound and provides a 75% usable yield after trimming. Supplier B charges $5.70 per delivered pound and provides a 95% usable yield. Quality, preparation labor, and all other costs are equivalent; trimmings have no recoverable value. Which award minimizes the cost per usable pound?
Correct answer: A - Supplier B: $6.00 per usable pound.
A cafeteria reports beginning food inventory of $8,000, net food purchases of $32,000, ending food inventory of $10,000, and net food sales of $80,000 for the month. It also transferred $4,000 of food, at cost, to a separately accounted catering unit. There were no other food-cost adjustments. With a food-cost ceiling of 34% of sales, how did the cafeteria perform?
Correct answer: C - 32.5% - within the food-cost ceiling.
For a restaurant's menu analysis, popularity is high at 17.5% of entree unit sales or above, and ingredient contribution margin is high at $9 per portion or above. The chicken entree accounts for 28% of entree units sold and contributes $7 per portion. Which classification and follow-up fit these results?
Correct answer: A - Plowhorse - investigate recipe costs and test a modest price adjustment without undermining guest value.
A school cafeteria receives a documented gluten-free meal order for a student with celiac disease. A buyer proposes a cereal labeled 'wheat-free'; its ingredient list includes barley malt extract. Which statement should guide the purchasing decision?
Correct answer: B - Barley malt can supply gluten; a wheat-free claim does not establish that this cereal is suitable.
A cook wants to stop braising beef chuck because its center now reads 168°F. The cubes are moist but still resist a fork, and two hours remain before the banquet. The chef needs tender cubes that retain their shape. How should the cooking proceed?
Correct answer: B - Continue covered cooking in the braising liquid at a gentle simmer, checking for tenderness.
A cooling log for cooked vegetable soup records 135°F at 9:00 a.m., 68°F at 10:30 a.m., and 39°F at 2:00 p.m. The readings are reliable, and no other food-safety deviation occurred. Under the FDA Food Code's two-stage cooling requirements, what disposition is justified by this record?
Correct answer: D - Approve the batch; both cooling deadlines were met.
During a very hot, humid shift, a dishwasher becomes confused, slurs words, and cannot say where they are. Their skin is still wet with sweat. What should the shift manager direct staff to do immediately?
Correct answer: B - Call 911 and begin rapid cooling while someone stays with the worker.
At a hotel restaurant, a guest's starter arrives after the main course. The guest declines a replacement and says, 'I need to leave; please take the starter off my bill.' The shift supervisor may remove disputed items, but only the restaurant manager may waive an entire bill. Which response best resolves this complaint?
Correct answer: C - Apologize, remove the starter charge, and promptly present the corrected bill.
The MCFE exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:
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