Maitre D

Position Summary

The Maître d’ is responsible for creating a seamless, highly personalized guest experience while ensuring that the restaurant’s dining room operates smoothly and efficiently from the first reservation to the final departure.

This position serves as the central point of coordination between guests, the host team, servers, managers, the kitchen, and ownership. A primary responsibility is to maximize the capabilities of OpenTable as a guest relationship management and operational tool—not simply as a reservation system.

The ideal candidate is exceptionally organized, observant, warm, and confident. They understand that an upscale neighborhood restaurant is built on relationships and regular guests, and they have the discipline to ensure that important guest information is consistently captured, maintained, communicated, and acted upon.

The Maître d’ should know the dining room, the guests, the reservation book, and the rhythm of service well enough to anticipate problems before they occur.

A successful Maître d’ will:

• Know the restaurant’s regular guests and understand what brings them back.
• Use OpenTable as a meaningful guest relationship management tool, rather than simply a seating chart.
• Ensure that critical guest information is captured once and communicated effectively to everyone who needs it.
• Know the reservation book before the shift begins—not simply react to it as reservations arrive.
• Consistently identify opportunities to fill empty seats and maximize appropriate large-party business.
• Keep the dining room moving smoothly without making guests feel rushed.
• Anticipate operational challenges and address them before they become guest-facing problems.
• Create a strong connection between the restaurant’s guest history and the actual hospitality delivered in the dining room.
• Help regular guests feel recognized, valued, and remembered.

Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in an upscale full-service restaurant, preferably in a host, maître d’, guest relations, or front-of-house leadership role.
• Strong working knowledge of OpenTable
• Demonstrated ability to manage a busy reservation book and dining room.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to remain calm, gracious, and solution-oriented under pressure.
• Strong understanding of hospitality and the importance of building long-term guest relationships.
• Comfortable making real-time decisions regarding seating, pacing, table utilization, and guest recovery.
• Experience managing large parties and special occasions strongly preferred.
• Professional, polished, warm, and confident demeanor.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.

Core Competencies

Hospitality Leadership
Sets the tone for a warm, caring, attentive, and highly professional guest experience.

Guest Relationship Management
Builds genuine relationships with regulars and uses guest information thoughtfully to create personalized experiences.

OpenTable Expertise
Uses the platform strategically to manage reservations, guest profiles, notes, waitlists, table utilization, and guest history.

Operational Awareness
Understands the relationship between reservations, seating, pacing, kitchen capacity, staffing, and the overall guest experience.

Attention to Detail
Captures important information accurately and ensures that commitments and follow-up items do not fall through the cracks.

Communication
Clearly and consistently communicates relevant guest and operational information to the appropriate members of the team.

Anticipation
Identifies potential problems and opportunities before they become apparent to guests.