Maitre D'

The Maitre D’ is the person in charge of the staff, communication, and service in a fine dining establishment. In short, that means the Maitre D’ is the liaison between the kitchen and the dining room. If an employee becomes sick, an oven breaks, the ordering computer malfunctions, or a ticket is lost, your calm demeanor and commanding leadership skills come to the rescue.

The Maitre D’ is the first person the customer communicates with, either when they walk in the door, or when they send an email or phone request. So your job is to make a good impression. It’s not always possible, but you do your best to provide the customer with the best table and dining experience their money can buy. You seat the guests, inquire about special requests, and sometimes act as Sommelier.

While the wait staff attends to the needs of guests, you seat other guests, make sure the kitchen runs smoothly, deal with written and verbal complaints, and help out wherever the staff is struggling. This might mean rolling up your sleeves to serve, or just putting the finishing touches on a crème brulee tableside.

Outside of serving hours, your job is just as busy because you also manage the entire wait staff. You approve vacation requests, create schedules, and deal with interpersonal conflicts. You also hire, train, evaluate, and fire employees.