How should I open an Aboyeur job ad to attract the right candidates?

Open your Aboyeur job ad by directly answering the question every expeditor candidate is already asking: is this a genuine pass leadership role, or am I just relaying orders while someone else makes the real decisions? The aboyeur role varies enormously between kitchens, and experienced candidates know this. Some operations give the aboyeur genuine authority to run service, calling orders, controlling pace, and making split-second decisions about timing and remakes. Others use the title while the head chef or sous chef retains all meaningful control. Your opening needs to make it immediately clear which type of role yours is, because that distinction determines whether the right candidates engage or scroll past.

Common misunderstanding: A creative or clever opening line matters more than specifics about the role.

Aboyeur candidates are not looking for marketing flair. They want to know the scope of authority, the scale of service, and whether the pass responsibility is genuine. Leading with concrete details about brigade size, cover numbers, and decision-making authority communicates far more than a polished tagline. Specificity signals that you understand the role and take it seriously.

Common misunderstanding: The opening should focus on the restaurant brand and reputation to attract quality candidates.

Experienced expeditors evaluate the role itself before they evaluate the venue. A Michelin-starred restaurant offering a pass role with no real authority is less attractive to a serious aboyeur than a busy brasserie where the expeditor genuinely runs service. Lead with what the role involves, not what the restaurant has achieved.

What key information should I lead with in an Aboyeur job ad?

Lead with three things: the authority level, the complexity of service, and the brigade they will coordinate. Aboyeur candidates want to know whether they will genuinely call orders, control timing, and make decisions during service, or whether someone else holds that authority. State clearly how many covers you run, whether the menu involves multi-course tasting menus or straightforward a la carte, and how many chefs the aboyeur will be coordinating across stations. You should also clarify whether the role is purely expediting and quality control or whether it includes cooking responsibilities, as these are fundamentally different positions that attract different candidates.

Common misunderstanding: Listing the full range of kitchen duties demonstrates the breadth of the opportunity.

Overloading the opening with a comprehensive duties list dilutes the specific appeal of the aboyeur role. The pass is a coordination and leadership position, not a general kitchen role. Leading with the unique aspects of running the pass, the decision-making, the communication demands, the pressure of keeping multiple stations synchronised, is what separates this ad from every other kitchen vacancy.

Common misunderstanding: Keeping the authority level vague allows flexibility in how the role develops.

Vagueness about authority is the single biggest red flag for aboyeur candidates. If you describe the role in general terms without clarifying who actually runs service, experienced expeditors will assume the worst: that the head chef makes all the calls and the aboyeur is there to organise tickets. Be explicit about the authority level, even if the role involves shared responsibility during busier periods.

Why is the opening of an Aboyeur job ad critical for standing out?

The opening is critical because aboyeur positions are relatively uncommon compared to CDP or line cook roles, and candidates considering them are usually deliberate about the type of pass experience they want. These are people who have chosen coordination and leadership over section cooking, and they will quickly assess whether your role offers meaningful development or is simply an administrative position dressed up with a title. A strong opening that describes genuine pass authority, the complexity of the service being coordinated, and the relationship between the aboyeur and the head chef immediately distinguishes your opportunity from roles where the title exists but the substance does not.

Common misunderstanding: Because aboyeur roles are rare, candidates will apply regardless of how the ad is written.

Scarcity does not eliminate competition. Candidates considering aboyeur roles are typically ambitious and selective. They are evaluating whether your pass role develops the coordination and leadership skills they need for progression to sous chef or head chef. A weak opening that fails to articulate genuine authority and responsibility will lose these candidates to roles that communicate those qualities clearly.

Common misunderstanding: The opening should emphasise the prestige of the aboyeur title to attract candidates.

The title itself carries little weight with experienced kitchen professionals. What matters is the substance behind it. An opening that relies on the perceived prestige of "running the pass" without describing what that actually means in your kitchen will attract candidates who like the idea of the role but may not be suited to its reality. Focus on the practical authority, the daily decisions, and the genuine pressure of the position.