What should I include about the venue atmosphere 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
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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 describe the atmosphere of your venue. Include details about the dining environment, whether it's formal, casual, or family-friendly, and the type of dining experience you offer, such as intimate, bustling, or themed. This helps candidates understand the setting they will be working in and the guest expectations they need to meet.

Common misunderstanding: The atmosphere of the venue doesn't significantly impact the Head Waiter's role.

The venue's atmosphere directly affects how the Head Waiter will manage their team and interact with guests. A more formal atmosphere, for example, often requires a higher level of service detail and a different approach to guest interaction than a casual dining setting.

Common misunderstanding: It’s enough to just mention the type of cuisine when describing the atmosphere.

While the type of cuisine is important, the atmosphere encompasses more, including the decor, noise level, and the overall vibe of the place. These elements influence the service style and the Head Waiter's responsibilities.

How do I describe the restaurant's service style in a Head Waiter job description?

Describing the service style in a Head Waiter job description involves detailing how the service is delivered. Mention if your restaurant offers table service, buffet, family-style, or fine dining. Highlight expectations such as speed, efficiency, and interaction level with guests. This information will help potential candidates gauge if their skills and experience align with your service delivery standards.

Common misunderstanding: Service style is the same across all restaurants.

Service style can vary greatly from one restaurant to another. For example, a fine dining establishment will have a different service style compared to a fast-casual eatery. It's crucial to specify this to attract candidates who are prepared for and skilled in the specific style of your venue.

Common misunderstanding: Detailing service style is not necessary if the restaurant is well-known.

Even well-known restaurants need to clearly define their service style in job descriptions. New candidates, including those who might not be local or familiar with the brand, will better understand what is expected of them.

What unique aspects of my restaurant should I highlight in a Head Waiter job description?

Highlighting the unique aspects of your restaurant in a Head Waiter job description can attract the right candidates. These might include signature dishes, a renowned chef, special service methods, or entertainment options. Also, mention any awards or recognitions that set your venue apart. This helps candidates understand what makes your restaurant special and why they might want to be part of your team.

Common misunderstanding: Unique aspects are only about food and menu.

While cuisine is significant, other unique aspects like location, historical significance, or innovative service technology also play a crucial role in defining your restaurant's character and can be appealing to potential Head Waiters.

Common misunderstanding: All aspects of uniqueness should be saved for the interview.

While you can delve deeper into details during an interview, providing a glimpse into what makes your restaurant unique in the job description can spark interest and attract more qualified candidates.