What working hours should I outline in a Maitre d' job description?

Date modified: 29th September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Sommelier Job Description Template

This job description template provides a full working exmaple using our six step approach. Open the template in the Pilla app and customise each section to make it specific to your role and business.

We operate an award-winning restaurant with an extensive wine program featuring 300+ carefully curated wines from established and emerging regions worldwide. Our sommelier leads wine service excellence, educating guests and staff while managing our comprehensive wine collection. The role combines guest interaction with wine program management, including inventory control, supplier relationships, and staff education. You'll work in an elegant dining environment serving wine enthusiasts, special occasion diners, and corporate guests seeking exceptional wine experiences. This position offers excellent opportunities for professional development, including wine travel, supplier visits, and involvement in wine events and tastings that enhance our restaurant's reputation as a wine destination.
• Provide expert wine recommendations and pairings, enhancing guest dining experiences through knowledgeable service • Maintain comprehensive wine inventory including purchasing, storage, and rotation to optimize quality and profitability • Develop and update wine lists, including seasonal selections and special wine program features • Conduct staff training on wine knowledge, service techniques, and upselling strategies • Manage wine cellar operations including temperature control, storage systems, and inventory tracking • Build relationships with wine suppliers, distributors, and producers to source exceptional wines • Organize wine events, tastings, and educational dinners to promote wine program and drive revenue • Ensure proper wine service standards including decanting, temperature control, and glassware selection • Handle wine complaints and quality issues with professionalism and expertise • Collaborate with kitchen team on food and wine pairing development • Monitor wine program profitability including cost control and pricing strategies • Maintain wine service equipment and ensure compliance with licensing requirements
Essential Skills: Comprehensive wine knowledge across major wine regions, varietals, and production methods; expert tasting abilities with skill in identifying wine characteristics and quality; outstanding guest service abilities with confidence in wine presentation and education; strong organizational skills for inventory management and cellar operations; effective communication skills for staff training and guest interaction; ability to work collaboratively with kitchen and service teams. Preferred Qualifications: Formal sommelier certification (Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET Level 3+); 2+ years wine service experience in fine dining environments; additional language skills for international wine knowledge; spirits and cocktail knowledge for complete beverage program management; experience with wine inventory software and POS systems; knowledge of wine law, importing, and distribution.
We're looking for passionate wine professionals with solid foundation knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for sharing wine expertise with others. You should have at least 18+ months wine service experience and be working toward or have achieved sommelier certification. While advanced certifications are great to have, we care more about your passion for wine, ability to connect with guests, and commitment to continuous learning. We provide ongoing education support including wine courses, supplier tastings, and travel opportunities to wine regions. Career advancement opportunities include head sommelier positions, beverage program management, and involvement in wine program development across our restaurant group. We support professional development through certification programs and industry networking.
We're looking for someone who combines deep wine knowledge with approachable personality, making wine accessible and enjoyable for all guests regardless of their wine experience level. You should be naturally curious about wine, eager to continue learning, and skilled at sharing knowledge without intimidation. The ideal candidate will have excellent memory for wine details, palate development for quality assessment, and patience for educating both guests and staff. You should be detail-oriented in cellar management, reliable in inventory control, and creative in wine program development. We value professionalism, continuous education, and collaborative approach to beverage program success within our restaurant's overall hospitality experience.
Competitive salary of £28,000-£35,000 annually based on certification level and experience, plus wine sales commission structure and quarterly performance bonuses. Comprehensive benefits package includes: wine education allowance for courses and certifications; wine tasting budget for menu development and supplier evaluations; 26 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays and professional development time. Professional development opportunities including wine region travel, supplier visits, and industry event attendance. Health and wellness benefits, staff meal programs, and wine industry networking opportunities through our established supplier relationships.

Outline comprehensive maitre d' working hours including evening shift requirements and dinner service hours for luxury dining operations, weekend availability and special event scheduling for peak service periods, flexible hours for operational needs and guest accommodations including VIP services, holiday working requirements and seasonal adjustments for business demands, split shift patterns for lunch and dinner services with operational continuity, and on-call availability for VIP events and special occasions requiring leadership presence and service excellence.

Common misunderstanding: Maitre d' working hours are standard business hours rather than evening-focused schedule requiring flexibility for luxury hospitality operations and guest needs.

Maitre d' positions involve evening operations, weekend services, special events, and flexible scheduling that reflect fine dining operational demands. Hospitality schedules often differ from traditional business hours whilst requiring adaptability and professional commitment to service excellence.

Common misunderstanding: Flexible scheduling benefits employers rather than professional development opportunity that enhances career growth and operational experience for advancement.

Flexible scheduling provides diverse operational experience, leadership development, and service variety that benefit professional advancement. Schedule variety often improves skills whilst ensuring comprehensive hospitality experience and career progression opportunities.

How should I describe evening requirements for Maitre d' job description working hours?

Describe typical dinner service hours and evening operations including guest arrival management and service coordination, late-night closing responsibilities and venue security with operational oversight, special event extensions and celebration management for memorable experiences, weekend evening requirements and social dining peaks with increased guest volume, VIP dinner coordination and extended service hours for personalised attention, and evening leadership presence for service excellence and team support throughout all operational periods.

Common misunderstanding: Evening work is inconvenient rather than luxury hospitality standard that creates sophisticated dining experiences and professional development opportunities.

Evening operations enable fine dining service delivery, guest experience creation, and professional development in luxury hospitality environments. Evening schedules often provide optimal learning whilst ensuring service excellence and career advancement in sophisticated dining establishments.

Common misunderstanding: Late-night hours are excessive rather than operational requirement for complete service delivery and venue security in fine dining establishments.

Late-night responsibilities ensure service completion, guest satisfaction, venue security, and operational excellence that maintain establishment reputation. Complete service delivery often requires extended hours whilst ensuring professional standards and operational integrity.

What flexibility should I emphasise for Maitre d' job description schedule requirements?

Emphasise adaptability to varying service demands and guest needs including seasonal fluctuations and special occasions, special event coordination and celebration management requiring extended availability, holiday schedule adjustments and seasonal operations for business demands, emergency coverage and operational support requirements for team assistance, VIP guest accommodation and personalised service timing for exceptional experiences, and leadership availability for training and development sessions that enhance team performance and service standards.

Common misunderstanding: Schedule flexibility creates work-life imbalance rather than professional opportunity that enhances skills and provides comprehensive hospitality experience for career development.

Schedule flexibility enables diverse experience, skill development, and comprehensive understanding of luxury hospitality operations. Varied scheduling often accelerates learning whilst providing valuable professional development and advancement opportunities in fine dining environments.

Common misunderstanding: Seasonal adjustments are temporary inconveniences rather than business cycles that provide learning opportunities and operational understanding for professional growth.

Seasonal operations provide valuable experience in business cycles, operational adaptation, and service variety that enhance professional competence. Seasonal understanding often improves management skills whilst ensuring comprehensive hospitality knowledge and career advancement preparation.