What pre-service responsibilities should I include 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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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
Answer here
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.

Answer here
Answer here
Answer here
Answer here
Answer here
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

Pre-service responsibilities are key for a Head Waiter to ensure smooth operations once guests arrive. These include overseeing the setup of the dining area, confirming reservation details, and coordinating with the kitchen to review the menu and special requests. A Head Waiter also needs to ensure all staff are briefed and ready for service.

Common misunderstanding: Pre-service tasks are just about physical setup.

While setting up the dining area is important, pre-service also involves strategic planning like staff briefings and reviewing guest reservations to personalise service, which are crucial for exceptional guest experiences.

Let's say you are a maitre d' preparing for the evening service. You're not just arranging tables and checking cutlery. You're also reviewing tonight's reservations to note special occasions, briefing staff about menu changes, and coordinating with the kitchen about dietary requirements.

Common misunderstanding: Kitchen communication isn't needed before service starts.

Communication with the kitchen is essential to confirm menu items, discuss any potential issues with ingredients, and understand the timing for dishes. This ensures the front of house and kitchen are aligned, which helps in delivering seamless service.

Let's say you are a maitre d' starting your shift. You discover the kitchen is out of salmon for tonight's special, the new apprentice chef needs extra time for complex dishes, and there's a large party arriving at 7 PM. Without this pre-service communication, your team would be unprepared for these challenges.

How do I describe communication responsibilities between the kitchen and floor staff?

Effective communication between the kitchen and floor staff is vital. In the job description, highlight the Head Waiter's role in facilitating clear and continuous communication. This includes relaying guest feedback to the kitchen, updating the floor staff about wait times or menu changes, and resolving any immediate issues that arise during service.

Common misunderstanding: Communication is only needed when problems occur.

Proactive communication is key, not just reactive. Regular updates and check-ins can prevent many service issues and enhance the dining experience.

Let's say you are a maitre d' during a busy evening service. Instead of waiting for problems, you regularly check with the kitchen about timing, update servers about table preferences, and communicate with hosts about wait times. This prevents bottlenecks and keeps service smooth.

Common misunderstanding: Digital tools replace face-to-face communication completely.

While digital tools help in maintaining records and sending quick updates, face-to-face interactions are crucial for immediate problem-solving and maintaining a personal touch in the fast-paced environment of a restaurant.

Let's say you are a maitre d' managing a busy kitchen pass during dinner service. Your tablet shows order statuses, but when a special dietary request needs urgent clarification or a dish is taking longer than expected, you need immediate face-to-face communication to solve problems quickly.

What team briefing duties should be mentioned for a Head Waiter role?

Team briefing is a critical duty for a Head Waiter. Mention responsibilities such as conducting pre-shift meetings to discuss the menu, special guest needs, reservations, and any specific service focus areas. It's also important to motivate the team and set the tone for the service period.

Common misunderstanding: Briefings are just for passing information.

Beyond information sharing, briefings are crucial for team building, clarifying roles, and motivating staff, which directly impacts service quality.

Let's say you are a maitre d' conducting the pre-service briefing. You're not just announcing tonight's specials and reservations. You're also checking staff morale, clarifying responsibilities for special events, and motivating the team for a successful service.

Common misunderstanding: Quick briefings at shift start are sufficient.

While a start-of-shift briefing is important, effective communication requires ongoing updates throughout service. Situations change, new information emerges, and staff need continuous guidance to maintain service standards.

Let's say you are a maitre d' during service when a VIP guest arrives unexpectedly, the weather changes affecting outdoor seating, or a staff member calls in sick. You need to brief the team again with updated information and revised plans to maintain smooth operations.