Job description
The Maître D’ is the face of the restaurant, responsible for ensuring a seamless and welcoming dining experience for guests. This role oversees the front-of-house operations, including greeting and seating guests, managing reservations, coordinating with Hosts and kitchen staff, and maintaining a high standard of service.
The ideal candidate is charismatic, highly organized, and passionate about delivering exceptional hospitality.
Key Responsibilities
Guest Service & Hospitality Warmly greet and escort guests to their tables, ensuring a positive first impression. Manage the reservation system (phone, online, or in-person) and optimize table turnover. Handle guest inquiries, special requests, and complaints with professionalism and efficiency. Maintain a polished and welcoming host stand area.
Front-of-House Coordination Oversee the seating plan and ensure smooth flow between the dining room, bar, and kitchen. Communicate with servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff to manage wait times and guest needs. Monitor dining room ambiance, including lighting, music, and cleanliness. Team Leadership Train, supervise, and support host/hostess staff.
Together with the Lead Hosts, plan and assign sections to servers and ensure balanced workloads. Together with the Lead hosts, assist in resolving staff or service issues as they arise. Administrative Duties Track guest preferences, VIPs, and repeat customers for personalized service. Assist with scheduling of FoH team members.
Report any operational or customer concerns to management.
Requirements
Proven experience as a Maître D’, host/hostess, or in a similar role in upscale dining. Formal training in hospitality or restaurant management. Multilingual skills (are an added advantage) Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. Strong organizational and multitasking abilities. Ability to remain calm under pressure and handle difficult situations gracefully.
Familiarity with reservation systems (e.g., OpenTable, Resy) and POS systems. Knowledge of food, wine, and service etiquette. Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Physical Requirements Ability to stand/walk for extended periods. May need to lift or move small items (menus, chairs, etc.)