What experience level should I put in a Head Waiter job description?

Date modified: 22nd September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Maitre d' Interview Template

This interview template provides a structured approach to interviewing maitre d' candidates. Use this guide to conduct consistent, fair interviews and objectively score responses. Use weighted scoring to get an accurate overall assessment - score each area 1-5, then calculate your final weighted score using the formula provided.

Review candidate's CV and fine dining experience thoroughly
Prepare interview room with professional, upscale atmosphere
Have scoring sheets, pen, water, and service standards documentation available
Ensure interview will not be interrupted for 50 minutes
Review current service protocols, wine list, and guest experience standards
Prepare scenarios for guest interaction and service assessment
Have reservation system and floor plan available for discussion
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5 - Excellent: Extensive fine dining experience with clear front-of-house leadership examples
4 - Good: Good fine dining background with relevant leadership experience
3 - Average: Some fine dining experience but limited leadership responsibility
2 - Below Average: Limited fine dining or leadership experience for maitre d' level
1 - Poor: Insufficient fine dining or leadership experience for this role
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5 - Excellent: Sophisticated service flow management with excellent reservation and seating strategies
4 - Good: Good service management with practical flow control experience
3 - Average: Basic service flow understanding with adequate management skills
2 - Below Average: Limited service flow management or poor organizational skills
1 - Poor: Cannot manage service flow at maitre d' level
Answer here
5 - Excellent: Comprehensive training approach with excellent service standard development
4 - Good: Good training skills with practical service standard implementation
3 - Average: Basic training abilities with some service standard awareness
2 - Below Average: Limited training experience or poor service standard understanding
1 - Poor: Cannot train staff or maintain service standards effectively
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5 - Excellent: Extensive wine knowledge with sophisticated wine service and sommelier collaboration
4 - Good: Good wine knowledge with practical wine service experience
3 - Average: Basic wine knowledge but adequate service capabilities
2 - Below Average: Limited wine knowledge or poor wine service skills
1 - Poor: No wine knowledge suitable for fine dining maitre d' role
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5 - Excellent: Excellent VIP service with sophisticated experience creation and personalization
4 - Good: Good VIP handling with practical special occasion experience
3 - Average: Basic VIP service with some special occasion awareness
2 - Below Average: Limited VIP experience or poor personalization skills
1 - Poor: Cannot provide VIP service at maitre d' level
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5 - Excellent: Excellent service recovery with sophisticated relationship management and guest retention
4 - Good: Good complaint handling with effective service recovery techniques
3 - Average: Basic complaint resolution with adequate recovery efforts
2 - Below Average: Limited service recovery or poor relationship management
1 - Poor: Cannot handle service recovery at maitre d' level
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5 - Excellent: Excellent departmental coordination with sophisticated communication and service integration
4 - Good: Good coordination skills with effective interdepartmental communication
3 - Average: Basic coordination abilities with adequate communication
2 - Below Average: Limited coordination or poor interdepartmental communication
1 - Poor: Cannot coordinate effectively with other departments
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5 - Excellent: Strong business understanding with proven revenue generation while maintaining service quality
4 - Good: Good business awareness with practical sales and service balance
3 - Average: Basic business understanding but limited revenue focus
2 - Below Average: Limited business acumen or poor sales/service balance
1 - Poor: No understanding of business contribution or revenue generation
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5 - Excellent: Sophisticated VIP handling with multiple creative solutions and relationship preservation
4 - Good: Good VIP service with practical solutions and professional approach
3 - Average: Basic VIP handling with adequate problem-solving
2 - Below Average: Poor VIP service or limited solution creativity
1 - Poor: Cannot handle VIP situations appropriately
Demonstrates exceptional professional presentation and gravitas
Shows sophisticated communication skills and cultural awareness
Exhibits leadership presence and ability to command respect from staff
Expresses passion for fine dining and creating exceptional guest experiences
Shows understanding of luxury service standards and attention to detail
Indicates availability for fine dining service hours including evenings and weekends
Asks sophisticated questions about service philosophy and guest experience standards

Weighted scoring: Rate each area 1-5, then multiply by the decimal shown (35% = 0.35). Example: If Guest Experience = 4, then 4 x 0.35 = 1.4. Add all results for your final score. Maximum possible score is 5.0.

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Strong Hire - Offer position immediately
Hire - Good candidate, offer position
Maybe - Conduct service observation or final interview with ownership
Probably Not - Significant concerns, unlikely to hire
Do Not Hire - Not suitable for this role

When writing a job description for a Head Waiter, it's important to clearly define the experience level required. This typically includes prior experience in a leadership role within the hospitality industry, as well as specific skills in guest service, team management, and floor operations. For example, you might require at least 3-5 years of experience in a supervisory role in a restaurant setting.

Common misunderstanding: Any hospitality experience suits maitre d' roles.

Not all hospitality experiences equip an individual for a maitre d' position, which demands specific leadership and operational skills. It's crucial to specify that the experience should be relevant, such as prior roles that involve managing staff or handling customer service in a busy dining environment.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate with hotel reception experience. Whilst you understand customer service, you haven't managed restaurant floor operations, coordinated with kitchens, or led service teams during dinner rushes.

Common misunderstanding: Experience requirements should be strictly adhered to.

While it's important to set clear experience requirements, flexibility can be beneficial. Candidates who show exceptional potential and have slightly less experience than required might still be a great fit, especially if they demonstrate strong leadership qualities and a deep understanding of service excellence.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate with 2 years experience instead of the required 3-5 years. However, you've consistently led teams, resolved complex guest issues, and received excellent performance reviews. Your demonstrated abilities might outweigh the experience gap.

How does the type of dining environment affect experience requirements?

The type of dining environment significantly influences the experience requirements for a Head Waiter. For instance, a fine dining restaurant might require someone with specific experience in high-end service and guest interaction, while a casual dining spot may prioritize speed and efficiency. Understanding the service style and customer expectations of your restaurant will help you determine the appropriate experience levels needed.

Common misunderstanding: All dining environments require identical experience.

Each dining environment has unique challenges and service expectations. For example, fine dining requires meticulous attention to detail and a high level of personal guest service, which might not be as critical in a fast-casual setting.

Let's say you are a maitre d' transitioning from a busy gastropub to fine dining. Your skills in managing high-volume service are valuable, but you'll need to adapt to slower-paced, more formal service protocols and wine service expectations.

Common misunderstanding: Any food service experience is adequate.

Specific roles within the hospitality industry provide different skill sets. A candidate with experience only as a fast-food server may not be ready for a maitre d' role in a fine dining environment without additional training or experience in a similar setting.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate with only fast-food experience. You understand order processing and customer service basics, but lack experience with table service, wine knowledge, team leadership, and managing complex dining operations.

Should training opportunities be mentioned in the experience section of a job description?

Yes, mentioning training opportunities in the experience section of a job description can be very beneficial. It highlights your commitment to staff development and can attract candidates who are eager to advance their skills but may not have extensive experience. This can be particularly appealing to promising candidates who are looking to grow in their careers.

Common misunderstanding: Training opportunities belong only in benefits sections.

While training is indeed a benefit, mentioning it alongside experience requirements can underscore the potential for growth and learning in the role, attracting a broader range of applicants, including those who may need some development to fully meet the experience requirements.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate reading job descriptions. Seeing training opportunities mentioned with experience requirements shows you there's room for growth and the employer invests in developing their team, not just expecting perfect candidates.

Common misunderstanding: Mentioning training implies minimal experience requirements.

Clarifying that training is part of the development process within the role doesn't diminish the importance of having a solid foundation of experience. It shows that the establishment supports ongoing professional growth, which is a sign of a positive workplace culture.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate with solid experience reading about training opportunities. This doesn't suggest the role is entry-level, but rather that the restaurant invests in continuous improvement and staying current with industry best practices.